I'm seeing a bunch of news articles that claim that Jared Loughner legally bought the Glock that he used to shoot those folks in Tuscon. Nothing could be farther from the truth.
We know now that Loughner is the face of evil. He lied on his 4473 and committed a felony while buying that pistol.
We know that Jared Loughner was a habitual user of illegal drugs, mostly marijuana. Anyone who has ever filled out a Form 4473 to buy a gun knows about question 11e, which reads: Are you an unlawful user of, or addicted to, marijuana or any depressant, stimulant, narcotic drug, or any other controlled substance?
Jared Loughner, as an habitual marijuana user, was required to check that block, Yes, which would have immediately stopped the sale of the firearm. He didn't. He lied, which is a felony that carries a maximum penalty of five years in the Federal Pen. His purchase of the firearm was not legal, was in fact a felony, and is being misreported in the news.
So, the system worked like it was supposed to work. Loughner committed a felony when the bought the gun, then compounded that felony by using it to commit a crime.
I've prayed for the victims of his senseless rampage. I deplore his actions and his motivations. Yet, I can't blame the system for the rampage. Jared Loughner is a stone killer, and there's nothing we can do about that except make sure that he never sees the light of day for the rest of his miserable life.
Well, shoot. (No pun intended.) That's an interesting point, and I have to admit I never looked at it that way. I can't imagine anyone honestly answering 11e in the affirmative, so the most it can do is create penalties after the fact. But, I guess that's the point.
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