Sunday, May 22, 2011

They're at it again!

Steve,

Holy hoppin' horny toads Steve, have we lost our minds?

On November 30th, 2010, Jared Laughner bought a 9mm Glock pistol at The Sportsman's Warehouse in Tuscon, Arizona. Everybody knows that. They know where he bought it - they have witnesses, records and video. They even know how much 9mm ammo he bought later at a Walmart. Then, the next year on January 8th, he took the loaded pistol with him on a taxi ride to a Safeway store in North Tuscon, got out, walked over to a political gathering hosted by Gabriel Giffords and opened fire, killing six people, including a 9 year old girl, and wounding 13 others.

There isn't any doubt about this. He was taken to the ground at the scene by several heroic bystanders and quickly arrested. They didn't get the wrong guy. There wasn't any mix-up. It was Jared's gun that did the shooting. Many people actually witnessed Mr. Laughner aiming the gun and pulling the trigger - repeatedly. Its even on tape for Pete's sake! There is absolutely zero possibility the shooter was anyone else but Jared Laughner.

Now we learn from the Arizona Daily Star that Jared Laughner might not be "competent" to stand trial. He may not "understand" the charges against him. Plus, he might not be able to "assist his lawyers" in their defense of him.

What in the Sam Hill is there to understand?

Judge: "Mr. Laughner, you shot and killed six people."

Mr. Laughner: "I don't understand."

Judge: "Oh. I see. Well now that's a whole different kettle of fish..."

What? Who gives a flip if this jerk understands how to zip his pants??

And by the way, what defense? Are you kidding me?

So now, once again, justice will have to wait until he gets enough taxpayer funded psycho-therapy until a taxpayer funded doctor says he's "competent". And that could take years. Who knows? Maybe he never will be. And even then, when that magic day arrives and he gets hauled back to court, who wants to bet his taxpayer funded lawyers won't use the "well judge, he just sorta' flipped out" defense. Poor guy - maybe he sat out in the sun a little too long and lost track of the fact that killing 6 people is considered a no-no!

Steve, I tell you what. Man, when it comes to human rights, I'm huge on it. I mean big. Everyone, including scumballs like Jared Laughner deserve swift access to a fair trial. But in this guy's case, why not just get it over and done with? The guy shot 6 people - there's no possible doubt about it. Who cares if he's incompetent, a little messed up or crazy as a loon? I say get him to court, try him, then string him up. I don't even think we should have to pay for a new rope.

Next?

5 comments:

  1. I paraphrase a story by comedian Ron White who observed...

    "Texas is considering a law where, if there are more than 2 credible witnesses to confirm you did what you did, and you get sentenced to Death, you go to the front of the line on the execution list. No more lengthy appeals. No negotiations. No legal trickery to keep you alive... Some states are trying to eliminate the Death Penalty: mine is putting in an Express Lane."

    A joke to some, but worth considering.

    - Steve

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  2. I wold follow-up with the comment that this is a direct result of a societal obsession with the notion that whenever something Bad Happens - It's Not My Fault!" Therefore, there is no end of time, energy and resources which *must* be devoted to the pursuit of Someone Else To Blame.

    I call it the "Oprah Effect".

    - Steve

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  4. But somehow I think things have gone terribly wrong when we in all cases substitute compassion for common sense. Sure, maybe the Jared Laughner's of this world can all point to some exterior forces they have no control over which drive them to commit these heinous acts.

    But the problem is, sooner or later society has to come to grips with common sense rules for dealing with serious crime. As I've said before, these are rules which transcend the definition of "punishment". Honestly, we just don't have the time and money to create compassionate alternatives for Jared Laughner or anyone else like him.

    Heck, considering all the hundreds of thousands the justice system is going to spend to be compassionate to Mr. Laughner, wouldn't it be better to use the same money being compassionate to disadvantaged people who at least have the prescence of mind go out and gun down their fellow citizens?

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  5. I have no sympathy for Jared Laughner. String him up, and do it publicly. There are numerous others - including many 'favorite-sons' of the No Death Penalty crowd - that I would include alongside this idiot.

    I agree that substituting compassion for common sense is a path to disaster. Actions have Consequences, regardless of Intentions. Avoidance - or simply "not thinking about" the Real (or even potential) Consequences is foolish at best.

    Then again, I could also argue that you're just venting your frustrations and are clearly upset because the voices won't talk to you... ;-)

    - Steve

    BTW - I think you left out a "not" in your last comment, intending to say "NOT gun down" their fellow citizens. How nice to see that you also suffer from the occasional typo as I do.

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