It’s understandable that thoughtful Americans are still trying to sort out the senseless actions of a gun-wielding maniac which took place ten days ago. There’s much to process.

The alleged 22-year old architect of the Jan. 8 massacre in Tucson, Ariz., intended to kill Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, who was appearing outside a local grocery store at a well-publicized public event. He purchased ammunition for his legally-obtained Glock pistol at a local Walmart less than three hours before he started shooting. And while the Congresswoman was gravely injured but ultimately survived the attack, six bystanders didn’t, and more than a dozen others were wounded in a hail of bullets that began at 10:10 MST and ceased less than one minute later.

The finger-pointing and high-decibel condemnations that immediately followed the carnage were sadly and utterly typical. Pundits and talking heads on the left suggested none-too-subtly that incendiary rhetoric from “Conservatives” might have led to the perpetrator’s actions. The radical right’s paranoid reaction was louder and even more predictable; it accused “Liberals” of blaming them for the actions of a troubled individual who was either apolitical or (just maybe) a wild-eyed Liberal himself. Shortly after removing a portion of her website that targeted the districts of 20 sitting U.S. representatives (including Ms. Giffords’) in the crosshairs of gun sights, a former Alaska governor expressed outrage over the media’s irresponsibility in even hinting that the sort of suggestive visual and verbal imagery she regularly employs was somehow responsible for the catastrophic events. Her attempt to portray herself as a victim of the attack might have seemed more sincere had the TelePrompTer she was reading from not been clearly reflected in her glasses as she recited her rambling statement. Another savvy and wealthy provocateur, a fleshy talk-show host who clearly believes any attention he gets is better than none at all, inexplicably proclaimed that the alleged gunman was sitting in jail “”¦ knowing that he has the full support of a major political party {presumably the Democrats} in this country.”

Thankfully the reactions of actual leaders were more rational. Ohio Republican John Boehner, the current Speaker of the House of Representatives, stated, “An attack on one who serves is an attack on all who serve. Such acts of violence have no place in our society.” Barack Obama’s remarks at last Wednesday’s memorial service, which clearly came from the heart rather than a TelePrompTer, appealed to all Americans to unite behind what is good (and potentially good) in our nation. His cathartic and inspiring words were lauded across the political spectrum, most notably by the man he defeated for the presidency in 2008.  “I disagree with many of the president’s policies, but I believe he is a patriot sincerely intent on using his time in office to advance our country’s cause,” wrote Senator John McCain in an op-ed piece for Sunday’s Washington Post. Mr. Obama’s eloquence, particularly when contrasted with the rantings of his habitually shrill critics, makes it obvious that he is, to paraphrase his immediate predecessor, “a uniter, not a divider.”

Hopefully something positive can come out of the tragic events of January 8th; a renewal of the assault-weapons ban which was passed in 1994 but ran out ten years later would be a nice start. No rational individual has yet explained why any citizen needs an assault rifle, or a similar weapon with an extended magazine. But enacting such common sense legislation is easier said than done; as a BBC panelist said in a discussion about American politics several hours after the shooting, “It seems there are two types of politicians in America: Republicans beholden to the National Rifle Association and Democrats who are frightened of it.” Big Tobacco has been justifiably criticized for decades for profiting from the suffering of others, but when it comes to blood money, firearms manufacturers and those who zealously defend their right to sell as many weapons to as many people as they can (with minimal government oversight) take a back seat to no one.  At least smokers are freely choosing the manner of their demise; the all-too-numerous victims of crimes perpetrated by crazed individuals who are armed to the teeth and lack impulse control could not.

Some good might indirectly come of January 8th’s horrific events, if national and local leaders remain willing to emphasize the importance of what Americans have in common rather than stressing differences through the all-too-common inflammatory bloviating that’s created a poisonous national climate of divisiveness.  But if the sneering invective and partisan sniping which has become all too familiar resumes, or if the general population quickly and mindlessly moves on to the next story du jour their favorite source(s) of news and entertainment steers them toward, it will indicate that America hasn’t learned anything from an unspeakable tragedy.

— Andy Young teaches in Kennebunk, and lives in Cumberland.