newyorker:

John Cassidy on why Obama shouldn’t write James Holmes out of history: http://nyr.kr/QtuGXj

The demonization of crazed shooters can serve a political purpose: personalizing the debate engages the public and enables politicians to face down the gun lobby. In Britain, the name Michael Ryan—he shot sixteen people in 1987—is associated with a ban on semi-automatic weapons. In Canada, the name Marc Lépine—he shot fourteen women in 1989—is tied to gun laws that required gun owners to undergo a thorough background check, register their weapons, and take a course in firearms safety.

… As long as his name and his heinous acts live on in the public consciousness, there may be some chance of reform.