They gun nuts are frenetically throwing out one thing after another to Muddy the waters, and sow confusion. They are quite good at that, having much experience. It comes from constantly having to defend positions that are basically indefensible. This shooting in Aurora is about as clear-cut an argument for sane gun laws as you will ever find. Yet those opposed to reforming the laws refuse to recognize facts, or even reality. Hence, the widely-repeated comic-book scenario, involving an heroic armed theatergoer, who would have miraculously stopped James Holmes in his tracks. That is, if only the movie theater didn't force it's customers to disarm themselves before attending a show.

Such an appeal, as absurd as it might be, resonates strongly with a lot of Americans who grew up absorbing a popular culture diet chock-full of such nonsense. In particular, men are prone to fantasize about performing a deed so heroic that it would instantly erase all of their feelings of impotent rage. Feelings which stubbornly persist no matter how well-armed they become. All those guns and no place to go. And, as we now know, the only heroes in this colossal tragedy were the men who were themselves unarmed, but sacrificed their own lives to save the lives of those they loved.