Making Sense of the Senseless

What was supposed to be another day of school at Virginia Tech became a bloody footnote in American history on April 16, when a student unleashed his inner demons to the world, killing himself and 32 other people on campus. But the only thing more troubling than the loss of life is seeing one man's act of rage used as a springboard to debate the Second Amendment.
I don't have a problem with responsible gun owners keeping and bearing arms, but I'm troubled by the ease with which firearms can be purchased. Even though the suspect bought his Glock 9-millimeter handgun and Walther .22-caliber semiautomatic pistol legally, having the right to possess a gun doesn't give one the right to take a human life unless it's in self-defense. Besides, that constitutional right only applies to a well-regulated militia -- not troubled young men.
What makes this massacre even more difficult to comprehend is that the gunman's former classmates, professors, and even neighbors admitted to seeing warning signs -- from social isolation to disturbing writings. (Two of his plays, Mr. Brownstone and Richard McBeef, are about revenge killings.) Hindsight is always full of what ifs, and saying what one could've, should've, or would've done is meaningless now.
As easy as it is to point fingers at the university or police over their handling of the situation, only one person is to blame for what happened. Now is the time to mourn for those who died, not to politicize a senseless tragedy.