At the Lewiston Tribune, Opinion Editor Marty Trillhaase struggles to make sense of the triple murder in Moscow Saturday: "Is this a byproduct of our media fascination with violence? Was there a history of mental illness? Are there just too many guns in too many hands? Is there more of this kind of violence taking place or has a 24/7 news cycle heightened our awareness? How well did the people tasked with safeguarding public security perform their jobs? However pertinent, each question seeks a rational response from a maddening situation. Each has the sense of futility. Time will pass.These issues will be ignored and then forgotten until the next horror comes along. All you're really left with is the same profound sense of vulnerability: The line when someone's empathy ends and his mindless rage takes over is impossible to predict. Full editorial here.

Question: Trillhaase is right, of course. We will forget about this triple murder in short order, until the next spree gets our attention. Alas. Is this the way for a free society to live?