It is almost getting to the point that nothing that happens anymore is shocking.

Every time we think that it can get no worse, something comes along that pushes that envelope even further.

Saturday, a deranged gunman in Arizona tried his best to kill a congresswoman, and in doing so took the lives of five innocent people, including a 9-year- old girl whose only concern was to learn more about how her government works.

It was impossible to stem the tears at the heartbreak felt for the victims of such a senseless crime.

It was impossible not to feel hopeless frustration, that this more-than-sick gunman didn’t come up on somebody’s radar before this tragedy happened.

What we have to keep in mind is that these killings were done by a single gunman: It was not political, it was not caused by any political party.

We are alarmed when this tragedy is turned into something political, as occurred when the 74-year- old sheriff of Pima County, Ariz., interjected his biased feelings into an interview that should have been filled with facts.

There’s also a congressman from Pennsylvania who wants to introduce a bill that makes it a federal offense to speak out against any congressman.

Yes, this was a tragedy, but it wasn’t a tragedy that calls for inhibiting our free speech. Nothing that happens should ever change that right.

We hope that justice is swift and true for the Tucson gunman.