Is America "coarsening?"

http://www.regularfolksunited.com/index.php?tab=article_view&article_id=5155

New column; first for "TheTentacle" in a year!

Is America "coarsening?"

By Steven R. Berryman

[from The Tentacle of January 17, 2011]

There are currently more dead via gun play than the total days elapsed in the year for Prince George’s County, MD. An Asian man in the Wellington Trace subdivision of Frederick County shot members of his family before killing himself.

These headlines occurred in the shadow of the Arizona shooter of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords; his Glock held a magazine of 17 rounds of 9mm ammo in a single clip, plus another single bullet in the chamber if he so chose. Just for the record, this is the same weapon favored by the Virginia Tech shooter.

Ironically, the manufacturer calls this special type of semi-automatic pistol a “safe action,” referring to the reduced possibility of accidental discharge.

With so much breaking – and tragic – news, who could blame local newspapers for looking like police blotter reprints? And they do.

But…Is America itself “coarsening,” and if so why? And coarsening compared to what?

Another’s column reminded me that unresolved conflict had – relatively recently – been routinely handled by pistol duel; just ask Aaron Burr about Alexander Hamilton! This, the gentlemen’s choice of the elite.... [ctd below]

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