You can always count on the media to pursue two courses of action whenever a shooting like the ones in Colorado or recently Wisconsin at the Sikh Temple: the shooter’s ties to the military and gun control. I absolutely fumed when the headline at Drudge today showed this:

This fits the template that has been around since Big Sis Napolitano released a report labeling returning war veterans as possible “rightwing extremists.”

“The document on right-wing extremism sent last week by this department’s Office of Intelligence and Analysis is one in an ongoing series of assessments to provide situational awareness to state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies on the phenomenon and trends of violent radicalization in the United States,” Ms. Napolitano said in her statement.

It would take the administration getting pounded by veterans’ organizations to change her mind and apologize. Of course, she didn’t apologize for calling war veterans potential extremists. Instead, she apologized for veterans that are so stupid they can’t read or comprehend simple English.

“To the extent veterans read it as an accusation … an apology is owed,” she said during an on-air interview on FOX News Thursday, a day after veterans’ groups and members of Congress blasted her for the report, which they said libeled members of the armed forces.

“This was an assessment, not an accusation,” Napolitano continued. “It was limited to extremists those who seek to commit violence within the United States. And all this was meant to do was to give law enforcement what we call ‘situational awareness.’”

As soon as the madman James Holmes had finished his carnage at a showing of The Dark Knight Rises in Aurora, Colorado, the media was already speculating about potential military ties. The Department of Defense was receiving so many calls asking for a link that Secretary Panetta released an official statement to ease the public’s mind (and disappoint a rabid media HOPING for a military connection):

One sailor was injured and one, known to have been at the theatre that evening, is currently unaccounted for. Two airmen were injured in the incident. The Navy and the Air Force are working with the families of these service members to ensure they have the care and attention they need.

We can also confirm that the alleged gunman in this incident, James Holmes, is not a past or current member of any branch or component of the U.S. Armed Forces.

What a sad statement of our society that these conclusions are so naturally jumped to whenever an incident like this occurs.

But, now the media is giddy. Every single story about Wisconsin shoot Wade Michael Page makes sure that the reader understands he was a Soldier. The CNN story even uses the adjective that most likely describes Page’s ambition AFTER the label “Soldier.”

Instead of focusing on the fact that this guy was a white supremacist as the basis for his target, every story seems to focus on his training in the Army. It almost seems like a footnote that Page was a loser who lost his Sergeant stripes and was booted from the Army for a pattern of misconduct.

In other words, Page was never a Soldier. He may have worn the uniform and collected a check, but he was a dirtbag loser. The Army doesn’t tolerate skinheads, so we kicked him to the curb like we do any time we find these tools. CNN and the rest of the media should have done the right thing and labeled Page first a skinhead, then a racist singer, and then a FORMER Soldier, if any mention at all.

Napolitano’s mouth must be watering with the news of this military connection! Perhaps she now feels vindicated in spite of the fact that the military has contempt for these types of people.

I hate racists. I’ve never tolerated them and I never will. There is no place in this country for their hatred, especially within our military.

While not outright calling for gun control, President Obama has weighed in on the controversy. He said that America has some “soul searching” to do because these shootings are happening with “too much regularity.”

This is quite the statement considering that murders are up in his hometown of Chicago by 27% this year already. It seems a day can’t go by without someone being murdered and none of them are military veterans.

The reality of what emulates a true Soldier is the bravery and heroism they display every day in their communities. Whether it’s putting military first aid to use to save the life of an unconscious man or using combatives training to stop a robbery in progress or just stepping up at a bank in the face of potential death. THESE are stories that should be highlighting military service because THESE are the incidents that really show who we are.

I’m not gonna rehash my disgust with all the calls for more gun control. Without fail, nearly all these incidents occur where guns shouldn’t be. Yet, somehow, that doesn’t seem to stop criminals. Wisconsin only recently allowed its citizens to carry guns and is months behind in approving applications to carry. I don’t know how Sikhs view personal firearms, but once again not a single person was armed to stop the shootings before the police arrive.