So what bothers you most about the shooting in the Unitarian Church in Tennessee, which has now taken two lives -- beyond the senseless deaths at the children's performance of "Annie"? Just the fact that it is not all that shocking -- even inevitable?
Much will be made of the killer, Jim Adkisson's, hatred of liberals, and the finding of books in his home by Michael Savage, Sean Hannity and Bill O'Reilly. Make of that what you will.
But what about this: According to the latest reports, he bought the shotgun that he used in the attack just in the past month -- at a pawn shop. A hard to conceal weapon? He carried it into the church in a guitar case.
Yes, the latest news, is that Adkisson specifically hated blacks, gays and liberals of all stripes, that his ex-wife once attended the church -- and he may have been partly set off by newspaper op-eds penned by the church's pastor, begging for compassion for others.
Authorities said Adkisson's criminal record consisted of only two drunken driving citations. But court records reviewed by The Associated Press show that his former wife obtained an order of protection in March 2000 while the two were still married.
The couple had been married for almost 10 years when Liza Alexander wrote in requesting the order that Adkisson threatened "to blow my brains out and then blow his own brains out." She told a judge that she was "in fear for my life and what he might do."
Adkisson long had a handgun--but apparently wanted a semi-automatic shotgun to do the dirty work in the church. He took along 76 shells. The Department of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and explosives is checking to determine whether the shotgun, which was purchased at the local pawn shop about a month ago, is a registered weapon.
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Greg Mitchell's new book is So Wrong for So Long: How the Press, the Pundits -- and the President -- Failed on Iraq.