Boston Bombers--Let's Talk Guns Not Immigration

Unfortunately, Congress gets easily sidetracked.  It appears to have the attention span of a four year old.

The Boston Marathon bombers appear to have been apprehended--one of them was shoot and then run over by his brother in an attempt to escape, and the other was shot and discovered by a man who had not been out in his driveway all day because of a city wide lock down.  Once that was lifted, he ventured outside and found that the boat in his driveway had blood smeared on it, and the second brother was found.  They appear to have acted alone, an assumption that is born out by the bombs that they made, a search of their premises, and a tracking of their recent purchases.

Regrettably, they are both immigrants and Islamic.  Their motivation, as described by the younger brother in testimony (as reported by the media) and through internet social media sites, appears to have been religiously motivated.

I say regrettably because antipathy towards Islam in general and violent Islamist groups has gotten no better since 9/11. More senseless violence in visible public settings with no military implications is just further proof to those who need very little evidence to support their preconceptions is just unfortunate.

It is also regrettable because it derails the talks about immigration, which are talks that are largely aimed at a Hispanic, usually Catholic population of people, many of whom already live in the United States, albeit without the benefit of a visa or a path to legal citizenship.  Pointing at these two men and painting all immigrants with the same brush muddies the picture that needs desperately to get much clearer very quickly.  So I am unhappy about that.

But the thing that I am out and out angry about is that this has done nothing to increase the resolve of Congress to increase the level of scrutiny that gun buyers are subjected to.  These men were armed and dangerous--they had guns and they most likely obtained them easily.  They did not undergo background checks.  They did not license their weapons, and they discharged over 80 rounds, killed one police officer and seriously injured another person.  I have not heard one person who is against gun legislation talk about the dangers related to poor restriction of guns related to this case.  Once again, there appears to be a lot more posturing and trying to please the gun ;lobby than there is protection of the average American.