What is one to say about the tragic death of Meleanie Hain? The Pennsylvania woman who sued her local sheriff for the right to continue packing a loaded pistol at her daughter’s soccer games was murdered Wednesday by her husband—with a firearm—who then committed suicide.
Mommy’s pistol was hanging in her backpack by the door, so I guess all those comforting theories about how guns will protect us didn’t pan out in this case.
We know that having guns around increases the probabilities that the domicile will be the scene of a gun-related crime, and I don’t really need to read peer-reviewed journal articles to be convinced of that. I don’t fear trichinosis in a vegetarian restaurant either.
Not that the fate of Mrs Hain will disquiet many gun-owners and their lobbyists as the possession of firearms as an article of faith trumps the objects’ actual usefulness. We are to worship weapons as symbols of treasured rights along with the defense of ‘family values’, the fetus and tax-free government.
Of course, the Hain family and its values are now somewhat reduced, as it is comprised currently of only three remaining members aged 2, 6 and 10. They will certainly manage somehow after matter-of-factly reporting that ‘Daddy shot Mommy’ to a neighbor. That is, as long as someone quickly teaches them self-defense with revolvers, double-ought shotguns and assault rifles.
The Hain family’s lawsuit against the sheriff who revoked Meleanie’s gun permit is still pending, including the $1 million they demanded for emotional distress and lost customers at their home baby-sitting service.
The news reports haven’t said if any of the babies the Hain household sat for were in attendance at the time of Mr & Mrs Hain’s departure from that business.
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