The Shooting Of Donald Trump Wasn’t An Act Of Political Violence. It Was Just Another Act Of Gun Violence.

         A young male, an introverted socially inept loner in his teens or twenties (or occasionally older) who had anger issues, or had been bullied in school, or had a known history of mental problems, or all of the above or none of the above, easily acquires an AR-15 with which he opens fire at a public place or event. 
            How many times has this story been in the news?
            The shooter's victims have been elementary school children, high school students, college students, shoppers, concert-goers, movie-goers, parade watchers, night club patrons, worshippers in a church, worshippers in a synagogue, worshippers in a mosque. And most recently, along with several other victims in attendance at a campaign rally, a former U.S. President who's been a staunch defender of the right of anyone and everyone to own weapons of mass shootings. 
              The irony is there for any one who wishes to see it. But, in our state of national shock, disbelief, and, I suppose, decency, most have been choosing to ignore that irony, at least for now. Instead there begins what is promised to be a thorough investigation by the FBI, with a search for the shooter's motive.
                But...the shooter's motive? Seriously?
                Here was  a bookish, waifish 20-year-old boy who was bullied at at school and who used to sit alone at lunch.

       Must we really wonder how his motive was any different from the motives of all the other friendless, bullied, outcast boys who lacked the ability to fit in anywhere or with anyone, but who could easily make a name for himself and show them all by grabbing himself a gun and committing  a shocking, horrific nationally newsworthy crime? 
         The shooting of Donald Trump is being called an act of political violence by some politicians and members of the media.

        But one member of the media - me - is here to say that, even though in this case the shooter aimed for the stars in choosing Donald Trump as his target, and even though this particular shooting may well have more critical repercussions on the fate of our nation than the tragic, heartbreaking shootings we've seen up until this point, the shooting at Trump's  Pennsylvania rally wasn't an act of political violence.            It was just another act of All-American gun violence by a mentally unhinged young American male with his AR-15. And though, all right,  it can't be proven, still I guarantee that if young Thomas Matthew Crooks hadn't fallen upon a glorious opportunity for fame and vengeance in a local Donald Trump rally, he would have settled for a more quotidian target: a school, a supermarket, or maybe, God forbid, the nursing home where he worked as an aide.
        In the wake of the shooting of Donald Trump, our politicians are calling for unity. Yes, we do need to finally come together in unity: Unity in our resolve for better gun laws, especially for a ban on our national weapon of mass shootings.