Ban Antidepressants, Not Guns

Alexander Coburn has a wonderful piece in CounterPunch this week that has two excellent recommendations - a) bring back the posse, and b) if you have to ban something, ban antidepressants like Zoloft and Prozac. The article even has a list of 10 individuals who flipped out while on antidepressants and committed murder in cold blood. It's high time we get these kids off these weirdo drugs, and get them into sports, or music or something less likely to make you want to shoot people.

Speaking of shooting people, here is why the posse makes sense. Chances are, a civilian posse is more inclined to come to the rescue of innocents under assault than the police. Stories abound describing SWAT teams and police officers hiding behind squad cars until the murder has done his deed. In St. Louis, there was contraversy over police officers who continued to issue tickets while dispatchers tried to direct them to answer emergency calls. Plus, there are no legal sanctions for a policeman who fails to save your life. Contrast that with your neighbor... if he has a gun, and he hears trouble, chances are he is going to come see what's up - even if just out of curiosity.