What do Page, Holmes, Hasan and Loughner all have in common?

[Nuclear Unicorn]

Somebody, somewhere told someone else, "This person is potentially dangerous." and those warnings never amounted to anything.

Supposedly we constituted our government to protect us from genuine threats; not the phantoms found amid camps of protesters. The same powers that pepper spray college students for having the temerity to link arms on a sidewalk wants us to give them more laws to enforce so as to protect us yet they ignore the laws on the books that are there to protect us. They pepper spray the non-threat while they ignore the real threats.

Laws are like toys to some and I say we don't give them anymore toys until they stop breaking the ones they have.

[HopeHoops]

1. Yeah, but the protesters didn't have guns. They were OBVIOUSLY the bigger threat.

[Bluerthanblue]

2. unfortunately that phrase has been said about many people-

they could say it about you, or me- it is easy to find someone who can look back after a tragedy and say "I knew it!!"

I've said that about a few people myself, who have since died and not committed mass carnage.

Hindsight is 20/20.

[Nuclear Unicorn]

4. Yes, but because of these unexamined cases

we're discussing blanket policies that will criminalize decent, peaceful, law-abiding people. Remember, Prohibition came about some people act foolishly while intoxicated. The Prohibitionists were 100% correct that alcohol abuse leads to criminal violence, domestic abuse, safety hazards etc. The error of the Prohibitionists was creating a legal regime that turned dececnt people into criminals, gave the government powers that were abusive and was ultimately an unenforceable disaster.

We complain the police abuse their power so we prescribe giving them more power to infringe upon the lives of decent, peaceful, law-abiding people when they won't even faithfully exercise the power we have already given them. I was never a fan of OWS because it never gave me something to cheer or vote for but some of what transpired to break-up those protests should chill all Americans; left, right and center.

When a trained professional -- such as the sort who would be called to testify as to the mental competence of a suspect to stand trial for a criminal offense -- steps forward and notifies the authorities that person such-and-such is, in their professional opinion, a material threat to themself or others and that warning is not heeded I am reluctant to give those authorities more power; especially powers that by their nature make criminals of otherwise good people.

[Doctor_J]

3. law enforcement can't do anything about right-wing terrorism

as in most facets of life in america, hate Radio rules. Any potential terrorist who's white and right-wing will be protected by Rmoney's 1200 radio stations and Fox "News"