At this writing, it looks like the usual sensitivity-driven response to the horrific rampage of James Holmes in Aurora, Coloarado will take place: both major Presidential candidates will express their empathy with the victims; Warner Bros. is pulling THE DARK KNIGHT RISES TV ads--plus the trailer for GANGSTER SQUAD, which includes a machine-gunning-in-movie-theater scene derivative of a portion of the climax of INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS (UPDATE 7/23/12: The movie theater scene from GANGSTER SQUAD will be removed, prompting some additional filming before its September 7 release date); theater chains will increase security for safety of opening weekend patrons; calls for gun control will increase; politicians will do absolutely nothing to offend Wayne LaPierre and the National Rifle Association.
But perhaps in a small way, it's time to have a left-and-right-meet-at-center compromise on gun control. People from both major political parties must sit down with Mr. LaPierre and his lobbying legions and convince him that--at the very least--the Clinton-era ban on assault weapons needs to be reinstated, as well as closing the infamous loophole making it too easy to buy weapons at gun shows without background checks. If the NRA continues to be unyielding on protecting every kind of gun ownership, then, essentially, it's in passive collusion with James Holmes' crimes of last night--including the brutal shooting of children.
This isn't "taking away the guns" of responsible, everyday nonpsychopathic gun owners--who don't need or want assault rifles. It's a necessary action to prevent future tragedies of this scale--something that both conservatives and liberals/progressives should find common ground on.
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