GREENWOOD, INDIANA MALL SHOOTING

Once again, the people with the loudest voices and points of view that confound most of us, are attempting to skew a situation the majority of Americans recognize as bravery and resolve. I’m talking about the politicians and celebrities who say the young man who killed the Greenwood, Indiana mall shooter was in the wrong. They say he broke the law by bringing a weapon into a shopping mall and behaved as a vigilante! They hinted he may be just as evil as the shooter! Really? What do you think? I think this young man was a hero. I also think 99.99% of Americans agree with me. 

He is a hero! He recognized immediately that something horrible was going on. He reacted immediately in a manner that abruptly ended the situation, thus preventing the loss of many more lives. This shooter had death and carnage on his mind. He had multiple rounds of ammunition in his possession that no doubt he intended to use. How many other innocent, unsuspecting, and trusting people might have been his victims? I’m very happy to say, we’ll never know!

I’ll never understand the mindset of an individual who would just indiscriminately begin killing people. A person who would sneak two rifles, a hand gun, and 100 rounds of ammunition into a shopping mall bathroom, then begin shooting people at random, is truly evil and has no place in a civilized society. I also find it impossible to justify this incident in any way. How could you? Taking the life of another person is the ultimate crime on humanity. Taking the lives of many people at once is even worse.

I will also never understand the mindset of people who choose to denigrate a young man whose bravery and alertness ended a situation that could have been much worse. Why would someone call him a vigilante? That has a negative connotation. Shouldn’t they be sympathetic toward the victims? Shouldn’t they be elated that the shooter was neutralized? The definition of vigilante is someone “who takes the law into his own hands,” and without “regard for lawful procedures…..avenges a crime.” Well, a crime was being committed, certainly, but his reaction was not to avenge a crime but to put an end to it. I’d say the person who called him a vigilante needs to re-read the definition and give it deeper thought. Yes, he disregarded the law, but his actions were justified just as if they had been committed by a law enforcement officer. 

Then, there were the comments of the women who populate the 5-member panel of a daytime network TV program. Instead of praising the “Good Samaritan,” as he has been called, they were quick to claim he broke the law by bringing a loaded hand gun into the mall. They didn’t say his quick action saved the lives of countless other victims! No, they implied he was one of the gun-crazed rubes in flyover country. Thank goodness he had a gun!

Too many folks have the misconception that anyone who has a gun is wacko and a potential murderer. They believe the gun in that guy’s coat pocket makes it easier for him to use it on someone. Just because these critics are emotionally immature and volatile, themselves, they think everyone else is, too; especially gun owners. That’s clearly untrue and shows these folks are unable to relate to anyone whose values conflict with theirs. Some people simply feel safer with a weapon in their possession. They never intend to use it, but should a disturbance occur, they are prepared to respond. 

These same critics ask, ”Why did he need to take a loaded gun into a busy mall?” I can’t answer that, but I’m sure he might say, “To react to just the kind of incident that occurred,” or “because there’s so much crime, today, I’m protecting myself and my family!” Believe it or not, most gun owners are not “wacko.” They own guns for hunting, target shooting, and protection or they simply like to collect them just like coins or stamps. Most people who carry guns are so discreet about it you never know they’re carrying one. To lump all gun owners into the “dangerous character” category is ignorant and displays a real lack of understanding. 

As long as people blame guns, and not people, for killing, the problem will only get worse. When guns are outlawed and confiscated, the urge to have one will only increase. People with bad intentions will use any means to get the weapon they want. It will be a repeat of Prohibition, but a century later; we know how that worked out! “Black market sales,” and illegal distribution will be uncontrollable. Law-abiding citizens who don’t have a gun will be at a disadvantage and vulnerable to the criminal intentions of those who do. Only the people with unlawful intent will have guns obtained illegally. 

That young man who shot and killed the mass shooter in Greenwood, IN is a hero. He’s not a vigilante, and he didn’t break any laws. He’s been called a Good Samaritan, which he is in one sense. I would give him more credit than that, though. He’s really a brave humanitarian who in the face of disaster showed maturity and discipline and reacted instinctively to quell the situation. Had he not reacted, and had the death toll been higher, Congress would be forcing Americans to relinquish their guns to the government en masse! That would not be good for you and me, but a boon to criminals. Pray it never happens.