There’s been yet another shooting in Boston, Dorchester to be specific. A young woman visiting from Kentucky was shot and killed as she left a party early in the morning, around 4:00am. Judging by the woman’s history, as reported in the Boston Globe, she was probably an innocent bystander or she pissed off the wrong people sometime during the party, neither of which justify or excuse what happened. So what was the reaction of Mayor Mumbles?

Mayor Thomas M. Menino vowed yesterday to end after-hours house parties. “It’s crazy. It’s nuts,” he said. “We know all those parties bring bad events in our city. They always end up in some kind of violence.”

That’s good thinking, Mumbles…it’s the parties that are causing all the violence in the city. By that logic, we should ban ice hockey because the sport must be the root cause of parents beating up kids. Or maybe we should ban fast food because people are fat and lazy, or perhaps we should outlaw liquor because people die of cirrhosis of the liver (because prohibition worked so well the first time around), or perhaps we should outlaw career politicians because of government corruption? I actually like the last idea, but its about as feasible and logical as the others. The root cause of gun crime is not late night parties, nor is it the guns themselves (they’re inanimate objects, people), but rather the root of gun crime is the root of all crime. (more…)

I just read an article tonight where a man wounded in a gang shooting is urging the state of Massachusetts to impose a $25 surcharge on the purchase of firearms in this state. The money would fund research into spinal cord injury. Let me get this out of the way first: the man who was injured has a tragic story. He’s a family man who was in the wrong place at the wrong time when a criminal gang member started spraying bullets. The man was hit by a round and is now paralyzed. He has a wife and four kids that he’s trying to support and wants to walk again. More power to him and I hope he achieves his goal. There’s only one problem: his political aim is as off as that of the gangbanger who shot him. (more…)

Haven’t posted in a while. Have about 6 false starts saved up (everything from Deval Patrick fulfilling all my prophecies to work-related bullshit), but I decided I’d finally post a little note to say goodbye to Brad Delp. (more…)