It's always the same old story -- everyone knew Jared Loughner was unbalanced but no one chose to do anything. Loughner's parents release a statement. Meanwhile, the right and the left battle it out over what motivated Loughner to shoot.
The left contends that Sarah Palin had some sort of influence over him and that the right's anti government rhetoric helped create Loughner. But Loughner's "politics," if you want to call it that, were erratic. He is registered to vote as an independent and his ramblings prove nothing but mental instability. Because he didn't get mental health counseling, he was able to buy a gun.
It is my contention that Palin will only go away when people stop wanting to hate her. She's everyone's favorite obsession. She says things to provoke people and people play right into her hands. Even Ann Coulter has been dredged up in an effort to prove that the right is more violent than the left. I would say both sides offer up the same amount of hate.
But the right, because they love to tout guns and gun ownership, a symbol of freedom for them, likes to antagonize the left with more violent rhetoric.
To me, the shooting isn't at all about politics. It's about the failure of our mental health system. It's about the failure of people to help one another. It's about a society that keeps getting to a crossroad and keeps choosing the wrong road.
This video provides more insight on Loughner. Note how his math teacher mocks Loughner. But I wonder if his teacher ever took him aside and tried to get him help:
