Another white elephant in the room...

OK, another public shooting at a mall in Portland, Oregon has claimed two lives.  Once again I pray for the families of the victims while pondering this insanity.

Apparently a gunman (white male of course) strolled into this suburban mall with a white mask, some type of vest (some say bulletproof, police won't say...my guess is one of those tacticool vests) with an AR and proceeds to proclaim "I am the shooter" and lets loose with apparently 2 mags before doing the police and society a favor and taking his own life.

A tragic event indeed.  Not surprising as many strange things happen in regards to people and their behavior around the holiday season.  Its a well known fact that DUI's and suicides increase in and around the holidays as people get depressed realizing how shallow their lives may be or how isolated they feel when others are celebrating with family and friends.  Personally (and I was discussing this with my wife earlier before I found out about the shootings) I think the entire commercialization of the holidays and the implied need to spend money and give and receive material goods puts a lot of stress on people psychologically.  I think it all wears on people, even those of us that more or less have it all together between the ears.  Those that may be a bit on the "not normal" scale to begin with might just use the excuse to get back at society for having a good time while they are not.

I am not pointing out the holidays as the contributing factor in this incident, just spewing some food for thought. Of course the real factor here was the gunman himself, although not surprisingly the media is making a big deal about the "machine gun" he used.  The Brady campaign hates to waste a tragedy so I expect to see some rhetoric from them.  To that I will reply with the same rhetoric us in the 2A arena use "the gun is just a tool"...so there, fair and balanced for you.

Suspects?...no, not hardly...

All I know about this is what I am reading on the 'net currently.  I could go on and spout some more but I have been wiping down cosmoline for the past 2 hours and I am tired.  Its late and I want to go to bed without thinking too much about this.  Post it in the morning and see how it sounds to me then, maybe add some more comments.

Bottom line though....in all the reports in this shooting, like in many others, I don't see anything about anybody having a weapon to defend themselves with...I am sure this was a "safe" mall with a "no firearms" policy and signs posted.