The Navy Yard affair

Once again we are faced with senseless violence that should have been avoided.  Whoever was responsible for the vetting for security of this person should be held responsible for his actions.  These companies that take on the responsibility for security clearances must be held to higher standards.  The last affair with the NSA leaker Snowden, (The Spy who loved us so much he gave all our secrets to our enemies) should have set off red lights everywhere in government.  We have many shrill voices in the legislature screaming for gun control every time something like this happens.  Just once I’d like to hear a reassuring voice of reason calling for a commonsense approach the problems.  For example; something as important as the security of the United States should not be left in the hands of a contractor because he has presented the low bid on a government contract.  I would like to see how these bids are awarded and what criteria are used in allowing companies to be involved. 

In my mind the problem doesn’t lie with the gun but with the ability to ferret out individuals who are mentally ill.  A sane person doesn’t just walk into a building and start shooting people, something in his background will show a tendency for violence and should have been identified by the security firm charged with his clearance evaluation.  Of course if we adhered to a program of stringent evaluation most of our legislatures and White House officials would be unable to buy a gun.  In the past the FBI looked into drug use and other illegal activity like draft dodging and falsifying documents when checking security clearances.  Barry Soetoro might have had some difficulty himself being a foreign exchange student and all.

Until we bring commonsense into the equation and eliminate the fog of political correctness government will continue to produce possibilities for these type events.  As a young man in the Navy even as common yard birds we were held to a much higher standard than many today.  The definition of Treason was clearly defined in the UCMJ (Uniform Code of Military Justice) and believed by all to be real.  In that era under the same circumstances had I done what Jane Fonda did I could have been executed and had I done what Edward Snowden did I surely would have been charged with treason.  The more we weaken our penalties the weaker we become as a nation.  Right is right and only commonsense provides the answers not the political correctness that is being shoved down our throats by a progressive society that is trying to alter the direction and definition of America.