Rip- yep, I know Forest Lake - a beautiful area. Was just there this summer for a parade my oldest son's band was marching in. In college, I was crazy about Ann Sargent, a Landscape Architecture student and Forest Lake native I met at the U in '79 or so. Lost track of her though, and I doubt she'd remember me.
I'm originally from S Minnesota, near the Iowa border. Grew up in a small town but you're never far from agriculture down there.
Vang had already been arrested for threatening is wife with a gun - if a conviction had resulted, would that have been enough to keep him from owning firearms and obtaining a Wisconsin hunting license? I assume without a conviction, the arrest alone is nothing.
Laz- I agree with what you are saying and think your rock climbing example is an apt one. I don't understand the relevance of your statement about being able to kill a woman without a gun, but assume it has something to do with the separation of guns from violence. On that I would also probably agree with you, but I just wasn't able to follow the logic of your example.
I don't see how anyone can rationally place blame on the weapon (even if an SKS is construed as a high-powered assault-type rifle, as it is being reported in the press here) or the hunting culture. Clearly this was a case of a person who 'snapped' into violent anti-social behavior, one who had given multiple indications previously that he could be a problem. I do think it likely that the Hmong community will be scapegoated somewhat, and although it maybe unfair I welcome the scrutiny this may bring on the whole immigration issue, because there are alot of problems not being dealt with right now.
