Who's going to take responsibility?

It's happened again. Another senseless act. Another angry person. Another shooting.

At the expense of sounding like a cold-hearted person, I must confess that I have noticed myself no longer paying much attention. I try to change the t.v. channel, or the radio station, or hurry past the MSN Newspage that greets me every time I log on. I just cannot become consumed with all of the hatred, worry, fear, and finger-pointing.

Before the tragic events here in Omaha on Dec. 5, 2007, I thought just like the rest of my midwestern counterparts did. It'll never happen here... we're a safe town. A small town. Those type of demented people only live in the "big" cities. We are way too calm, cool, and collected here. And then it happened. And I was glued to the t.v., radio, and internet. Trying to make sense of the senseless. Who would do such a thing? To people who are at the mall Christmas shopping? How sick would one have to be? How hurt? How confused? How bitter? And how could they "slip through the cracks", as they say.

Then my thoughts turned to the victims. Those poor people. The fear that must have been in the air. The families that are left to pick up the pieces. The mothers, fathers, husbands, wives, children, and grandparents that must go on. To remember their loved one in the light of who he or she was.

My first instinct was to say, "I'm never going back to Westroads." You never know who may be lurking nearby with an AK-47. Those thoughts lasted just a short time, of course. Because just like every other time and place this tragedy has occurred, you must live your daily life as normal as can be, so the enemy does not win. I was there, in that mall, the day it reopened. It was an eerie feeling, very somber, very sad. And yes, there were visible changes. The doors to Von Maur were of course closed, and the beginnings of a memorial were evident. There were uniformed police officers in almost every hallway. And people were respectful.

Since that time, there have been two more tragedies that stick out in my mind. Both in the Midwest. One at a woman's clothing store. The other at a place of learning. And sadly, I have not tried to keep up with all of the details of the incidents. I don't really care to know who the hateful person was this time. The only thing I want to know is... Who is going to be held responsible?

I know that it is our right as U.S. citizens to carry guns. But why does ANYONE need a gun? Unless you are an avid hunter, it is pointless. Of course the argument could be made that they are needed for self-defense. But if NO ONE else was allowed to own a gun, what would we be defending? We would have no fear of being shot at. And those hunters that owned rifles, shotguns, etc., would have to be held responsible for them. You keep them locked up at ALL times; no ammo is needed at 2am while you're sleeping. It should be kept separate from the gun itself, also under lock and key.

I think that there need to be stricter laws and harsher penalties for gun crimes. A gun owner who finds his weapon has been stolen needs to be held liable for any crime commited with it. I'm not sure what the 'books' look like that let our law enforcement see who has legally purchased a firearm, but I wonder if maybe they need to be updated and new policies put in place. How does anyone buy more than one firearm from the same dealer and no one reports it? No one knows that he has bought 3, 4, 5 guns? Who needs that many? And how come someone who is depressed and on medication(s) is allowed to own a weapon?

It is about time someone is held responsible for these tragic and all too common incidents. Guns don't kill people; People kill people!