I guess it depends on what you mean by “normal”. Granted, most people don’t end up as mass murderers. But I think it’s important to recognize the seed of those destructive impulses even in us “normal” people. We can’t say “I would never do that,” because honestly, we probably would if we truly believed it was justified, or if we thought it was the only way out of a bad situation. I think that’s part of Tolkien’s point, too. All of his villains, even Sauron, started out good. The battle for the good guys is not only to stop the bad guys, but to keep from becoming like them. So when a shooting takes place, I believe the question is not only “how do we keep guns away from that kind of person?” It’s “how do I guard myself against that dark path?” And trying to alleviate fear by gaining more control over others — that’s not the answer. In fact, I’d say it’s part of the problem.

Thanks for your input. ☺