The National Catholic Review  We are pleased to post this guest
blog from Thomas A. Shannon. Shannon is professor emeritus of
religion and social ethics in the department of humanities and
arts at Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Massachusetts.  The
terrible tragedy last week in Aurora, CO, ironically just miles
from the site of another massacre in Columbine, reveals the
power of the gun. In just over a minute, the lives of 12 people
were ended and the lives of many others irreversible changed.
The fact the guns and the superabundant of ammunition appear to
have been purchased legally does little to change the tragedy
and surely does little to comfort those dead and wounded. Also
whether the person responsible for this is mentally ill or not
is beside the point. He had legal possession of guns that were
able to do maximum damage.  Though calls for discussion of our
gun culture and legislation are being made, it appears to be
part of common wisdom that politicians are either unable or
unwilling to challenge