Outrage

Another year, another SN&R editorial lamenting gun violence and demanding reforms like universal background checks, mental-health and suicide-prevention treatment, and so on. And if we wrote this editorial, undoubtedly there would be the comments and letters explaining our folly, people saying that we need more guns, and fewer gun-free zones, because the victims in all these shootings are never armed. And … enough. Just stop.

Like President Barack Obama and others have noted in the past week since the awful tragedy in Roseburg, Ore., thoughts and prayers won’t stop the next shooting. The next inevitable and probably too soon gun-violence incident won’t be avoided because of newspaper editorials on the need for better laws, either. Or even excellent journalism, such as The New York Times feature from this past weekend on how shooters obtained their guns. Nothing seems to motivate the U.S. Senate to pass reforms, such as a gun-background-check bill. Virginia Tech and Sandy Hook and Columbine and every gun tragedy ever hasn’t moved our leaders to do the right thing.

All that’s left to feel is shame. And outrage.

Let’s not vanquish those feelings. Let’s be furious this week, in honor of the victims in Oregon. What’s happening in this country with guns is unacceptable. It needs to stop. And it’s OK to be angry!