The Aurora Massacre - What Can be Done? Alas, Nothing

With the latest massacre in Aurora, Colorado calls are going out for the government to do something.  That's always the first reaction, as we seek to find a way to prevent such a horrific tragedy from happening again.  Unfortunately, in a free society, our options are limited. 

• Gun bans.  Regardless of one's opinion on the 2nd Amendment, recalling all privately held guns will never happen.  This country is awash in guns - over 270,000,000 of them estimated to be in the hands or private citizens.  One may not like that, but one can't make that go away.  The genie is out of the bottle. 
• Additional police.  Are we prepared for the massive influx of budget to put a cop in the middle of every place of public gathering?  Is that what living free feels like? 
• Managing mental illness.  The reaction of James Holmes' mother when told by police of the event shows she knew he was a danger.  Yet our laws and processes (with very few exceptions) cannot protect us from what someone might do.  The law must first be broken.  And it is horrible when it manifests itself in a mass murder. 

The bottom line is that we live in a free society, and a mentally ill person intent on mayhem will be able to deliver it, regardless of how we'd like to legislate it away with band-aid laws.  It is a terrible thing.  A horrible thing.  But it is who and what we are. 

All we can do are the only thing we can do - remain vigilant,  be aware of our surroundings, always prepare for the worst, love each other the best we can, hold our kids a little tighter, and do what we can to protect ourselves and our loved ones.