Maybe that's just me. But when you publicly murder someone, ALL of your rights are forfeit except those concerning your trial and punishment.
An emotionally satisfying idea, but one with huge legal issues. Not the least of which is the presumption of innocence. Even with hundreds of eyewitnesses and video showing the act, one is not legally guilty until convicted. And then there is the whole issue of other people writing about the "suspect", the act, his past, beliefs, etc. How do you stifle them, within the law? You can't.
Yes, it would be the morally responsible thing for the media to do, to simply report the bare minimum of facts, shunning the (accused) killer, and denying them the fame that they are seeking. However, since there is money involved, I don't hold great faith in the media doing the "right thing". They will claim, as they always do, that the public has a right to know, and they have a responsibility to tell the story. For profit.
OK, we all recognise that no law will prevent a committed individual (technically insane or not) from attempting their choice of action. And that since they have complete initiative, it is extremely difficult to prevent that action from being at least partially successful. We have been expending great effort to do that against terrorists, and have not been completely successful at that, even with the full abilities of the US govt at work.
And that is because those people who are trying their best to be our protectors are human, and simply cannot know all, and be everywhere at all times.
And if they could, would you want to live under such ..rule?
The law of unintended consequences is still strongly at work, and added to that is the delusion of political correctness so strongly held by so many people. So, any ...adjustments.. to our system must be made with care, and deliberate consideration. We must avoid the temptation to rush any (and all) sorts of "fixes", because what they could lead us to is something that is far from what we would wish to become.
Lowering the bar for what consititutes "mentally defective" and needing offical intervention is something that has a tremendous risk. Ultimately that slippery slope could turn us into a nation of informers, and give every petty public official a means to control our lives, similar to the Soviet Union. Only instead of party loyalty or dedication to the communist cause the buzz words will be public safety. Or at least they will be, at first.
We are already passed the point where what used to be considered unreasonable searchs are accepted as a condition of employment, in the name of public safety. Random drug screening is common today, and accepted, where it was once considered a breach of your privacy rights absent due cause.
Losing your job because your employer believes your "obsession" with firearms is a sign of a mental defect is a forseeable outcome. Of course, there will be nothing personal about it, its just their insurance risk keeping you on staff is too great, you understand....
Gun magazines, internet sites, etc., could become pornography in the new order, any interest in such things would be "proof" of a mental abberation, and of course, in the interest of public safety, and for our own good, treatment would be ordered by the state. Sound impossible? I don't think so. What the human mind can conceive, man can achieve. All it takes is enough time, and enough effort. Actually making it happen can be tricky,
But we have true believers working for it all the time. And they never let a good crisis go to waste!
