Bad to Worse

Trey Smith

Another weekend and another mass shooting. This one happened in Metro Milwaukee at a Sikh Temple. While the death toll (7) was less than Aurora (12), I'm sure the people in the temple were just as terrorized.

One comment that caught my eye came from a member of the temple. In his eyes, "The gunman is worse than the one at the theater a couple of weeks ago because he targeted an entire community." It's hard to say which shooting was worse.

On one hand, the randomness of Aurora is frightening because it could happen anytime at anyplace. If no place categorically is safe, then everyplace becomes dangerous. In my opinion, that's really bad.

On the other hand, the pointed targeting of a Sikh temple is just as frightening. Since some people will have a beef with any group, then every group potentially is at risk. In my opinion, that's just as bad.

In the end, I think we all can agree that mass shootings -- whatever the impetus -- are frightening AND worrisome. It's hard to judge how one mass shooting is better or worse than another. For the people directly involved, I don't think they care how other people describe it. For them, it's the worst mass shooting they've ever been involved with.