Mass Shooting and Gun Control Megathread

[Neuroborean]

About 60% of those “45000” are suicides. They simply do not count. Suicide itself is a right, that’s not gun violence. That’s suicide.

I hate that they count suicides on those “death tolls”, when 1) humans have the right to terminate themselves and 2) it’s clearly an anti-firearm lobby tactic to sway voters and inflate their numbers for their own malicious designs.

So roughly 18000 yearly deaths by firearms. That’s honestly not many. I can live with it. There’s about 350 million people in the U.S. most die from cancer and automobiles but we don’t seem to care about that.

I think you're very on point on this (I wouldn't say that suicide is a "right" cause it's too tragic but well..)

In my opinion, there is an issue that is forgotten in this type of discussion, and in which I agree with the defenders of the right to have arms. In my country it is quite difficult to get a gun, and as a result hardly anyone has one. My feeling on this is that while it is very dangerous for "mr. whoever" to have the possibility of having a weapon, and I agree with @Xorkoth on that, but on the other hand I think that the right to have arms and for civil society to be able to create militias it is extremely important.

I think it is obvious that in those countries where people are not armed and there is a civil society without means of defense, the possibility of the State or a paramilitary group that starts from the public administration (as a group that has the monopoly of violence , not only de jure, but de facto) to create a dictatorship or a totalitary police state is much greater, dangerously greater.

I would even dare to say that it is a fact that in those countries where people are not armed and do not know how to defend themselves there is a passivity, a docility and a cowardly obedience of civil society towards the State, which stands as the boss, not only moral but also as a source of power, order and punishment that cannot be "answered".
At least in my country, and some similar countries, I see these dynamics, in which "democracy" seems like a complete farce, and I think that in a way, the feeling of learned helplessness of civil society has something to do with this issue. (not everything, of course...).

I think it's also clear that if guns were more readily available there would be more deaths due to firearms, that's pretty obvious. In any case, beyond deaths or lives in numerical terms, we must ask ourselves in what other ways weapons influence the life of a society, for better or for worse, what kind of society we want.

 

[arrall]

close the 21-18 age gap between licensed and unlicensed sales/purchases (22 states already have)

Can you explain what this means?
I'm not American.

 

[alasdairm]

^ under the federal gun control act of 1968, firearms that are not shotguns and rifles (i.e. handguns), including their ammunition, can be sold only to individuals 21 years old or older, when the purchase is made from a licensed gun dealer.

however, and somewhat counterintuitively, if the seller is an unlicensed person, the age limit drops from 21 to 18.

some states have implemented state laws with stricter minimum age requirements (e.g. 21 whether the seller is licensed or unlicensed).

alasdair

 

[Cream Gravy?]

microstamping laws

regulation of high-capacity feeding devices (and disallowing grandfathering in)

You had me until these three things.

safe storage laws.

and what exactly do you define as high capacity feeding devices? And by storage laws, do you mean a firearm always has to be under lock and key at home or in a vehicle?

Disallowing grandfathering? Man I spent hundreds of dollars on standard capacity magazines. I know others have too. I don’t think that would ever, ever fly at the national level.

Like hell, even select fire weapons were grandfathered in when the GCA was enacted. You can still buy them to this day if you’re obscenely wealthy and the ATF clears you.

 

[assclass]

hey @mal3volent my position on guns has been frequently and deliberately mischaracterized by a small handful of bluelighters over the years so thanks for not assuming and just asking.

let's get that out of the way first so it's clear. i'm not in favor of advocating to ban all guns or repeal the second amendment. i'd describe my position as: "policy has to find a way to stop lunatics getting guns while enabling responsible citizens to exercise their second amendment rights without an undue bureaucratic burden".

i have a lot of thoughts, not well-organized so i'll just put them out here.

you can't solve a problem unless you understand a problem. mass shootings are poorly understood. so i would start with increased funding into the cause factors. there is actually good news here: A thaw in the freeze on federal funding for gun violence and injury prevention research

i think you have to focus. some shootings are likely, almost entirely unpreventable. so focus where current approaches are failing and a new perspective on prevention could and should work - school shootings. i watched a great ted talk which really resonated with me: How to Prevent School Shootings | Jillian Peterson | TEDxHamlineUniversity

if you don't have time for the whole thing, she talks about why current preventative measures are not working at about 7:00 and at about 8:50 she starts talking about red flags and prevention.

note that she doesn't talk about gun control or limiting gun ownership at all.

but i do think we need some legal measures to address issues too. if you lose a gun and do not report it stolen, if it is subsequently used in the commission of a crime, you are guilty of a crime.

if a member of your family uses your gun in the commission of a crime, you are guilty of a crime. if they kill somebody with your gun, you are guilty of negligent homicide.

other legal possibilities...

microstamping laws

regulation of high-capacity feeding devices (and disallowing grandfathering in)

laws to address extreme risk (19 states currently have such on their books)

close the 21-18 age gap between licensed and unlicensed sales/purchases (22 states already have)

background checks on all sales.

safe storage laws.

a majority of americans support some degree of 'common sense' gun laws (which i understand to mean laws which do not ban guns or repeal the 2nd amendment) and characterizing any discussion of this kind of stuff as "banning all guns" or "liberals want to take your guns" is part of the problem.

alasdair

you gonna regulated 3d printers and knives? its easy to make guns and stabbings are easy. what about cars? In Canada we have most of your stupid gun law requests and it doesn't stop shit. You can always run over bunch of people will a UHaul van.

Beef up mental healthcare, and actually remove from society the dangerous crazies who want to be mass killers seems absent from your list. Why?

But yeah, basic background checks and safe storage would be an easy regulation to pass, if the people advocating for it (other than most sensible legal gun owners) tend to use every chance they have to sneak in gun bans, so people don't trust em.

Be much more effective to advocate for gun laws that gun owners would also approve of, like background checks and safe storage (assuming you aren't giving cops carte blanche to inspect peoples homes). Just fair and simple laws that keep everyone safe, advocate for that as a start, instead of trying to regulate the right number of bullets in a magazine like a fucking dork.

 

[assclass]

You had me until these three things.

and what exactly do you define as high capacity feeding devices? And by storage laws, do you mean a firearm always has to be under lock and key at home or in a vehicle?

Disallowing grandfathering? Man I spent hundreds of dollars on standard capacity magazines. I know others have too. I don’t think that would ever, ever fly at the national level.

Like hell, even select fire weapons were grandfathered in when the GCA was enacted. You can still buy them to this day if you’re obscenely wealthy and the ATF clears you.

once you allow some dork to define a high capacity feeding device that is banned, the capacity will slowly drop to 1, and then zero.
MG mag dumps are your god given right. It's a fundamental freedom of expression.

 

[arrall]

Be much more effective to advocate for gun laws that gun owners would also approve of, like background checks and safe storage (assuming you aren't giving cops carte blanche to inspect peoples homes

This.
Heavily incentivize/mandate gun safety and training classes as well.
Those are mandatory in Canada, and it seems to work well in minimizing crimes committed with legal firearms.

Most violent gun crime here is committed with illegal handguns smuggled in from the States.

 

[assclass]

This.
Heavily incentivize/mandate gun safety and training classes as well.
Those are mandatory in Canada, and it seems to work well in minimizing crimes committed with legal firearms.

Most violent gun crime here is committed with illegal handguns smuggled in from the States.

I don't think Canada pushes training, but safety. (am Canadian as well)
I think gun training for anti-gun advocates should be essential. not just a safety course, but have a proficient shooter teach them. Most anti gun people repeat the same BS misinformation that is apparent to anyone with a few minutes of real gun experience.
I think rather than trying to regulate away guns, we should be investing in more ranges and training courses for people.
Canada needs to allow silencers as well, and the americans need to update their laws so that sound suppression isn't a boogyman so that people can have better urban range access.

I have advocated for military and police to offer open training and range days to the public. Think about a community where there is police vs black people violence and problems, and then force the police to open their range and teach black people to shoot guns. What kind of difference would that make.

 

[arrall]

then force the police to open their range and teach black people to shoot guns. What kind of difference would that make.

If you think that any black people are going to go near an event filled with police officers shooting firearms, I'm guessing that you are probably white.

 

[assclass]

If you think that any black people are going to go near an event filled with police officers shooting firearms, I'm guessing that you are probably white.

debate my ideas, don't just try to point out my race.
I said its a good idea, not that it is going to be an EASY sell (although, you get a couple politicians who are minorities, a few celebrities and a local gangster or two and watch the prejudice fall away.

 

[alasdairm]

Be much more effective to advocate for gun laws that gun owners would also approve of, like background checks and safe storage (assuming you aren't giving cops carte blanche to inspect peoples homes). Just fair and simple laws that keep everyone safe, advocate for that as a start, instead of trying to regulate the right number of bullets in a magazine

indeed. i tend to agree.

a fucking dork

you were doing so well but you just couldn't help yourself and had to sling an insult

by way of background, i'm just a guy with some ideas. are they perfectly or even fully formed? of course not.

but i think that "we have to do/try something" is, to me, a much better place to start than "no point. there is nothing we can do."

alasdair

 

[assclass]

indeed. i tend to agree.



you were doing so well but you just couldn't help yourself and had to sling an insult

by way of background, i'm just a guy with some ideas. are they perfectly or even fully formed? of course not.

but i think that "we have to do/try something" is, to me, a much better place to start than "no point. there is nothing we can do."

alasdair

dork is an insult?

 

[Cream Gravy?]

but i think that "we have to do/try something" is, to me, a much better place to start than "no point. there is nothing we can do."

I don’t think that anyone is okay with the status quo regarding mass murder. There are solutions that don’t involve bans.

My sister is a teacher, she said to me today that one of her students points his finger like a gun at her daily and goes “pewww”. Every damn day of school. That’s a 100% obvious ‘we need to lock this kid up and put him in remedial classes’ situation and I’m horrified that the school does nothing to protect her.

Let teachers carry, at the very least. I can tell you one thing, I’ll never enter a school unarmed again. The kids are losing their damned minds.

Whatever is wrong, it is societal. No one will ever convince me that inanimate objects are to blame when none of this shit started happening en mass till the late 90s during our nations strictest firearm ban.

 

[alasdairm]

I don’t think that anyone is okay with the status quo regarding mass murder.

i'd love to believe that but the level of inaction - and i'm not talking bans, i'm talking pretty much anything - is staggering.

There are solutions that don’t involve bans.

indeed. i did note that, in jillian peterson's ted talk, she doesn't talk about gun control or limiting gun ownership at all.

My sister is a teacher, she said to me today that one of her students points his finger like a gun at her daily and goes “pewww”. Every damn day of school. That’s a 100% obvious ‘we need to lock this kid up and put him in remedial classes’ situation and I’m horrified that the school does nothing to protect her.

that is just awful.

Let teachers carry

i think that's a really bad idea and targets symptoms not causes which is rarely a great, or permanent, solution.

teachers are already overwhelmed and underpaid and asking them - or or perhaps requiring them? - to carry guns in the classroom, just increases stress and danger. not only does it increase the chance of some gun-related incident not related to an 'active shooter' but school shootings are sudden, frantic, highly-charged situations. expecting a teacher, even one who has received some level of training to react quickly and accurately to resolve a shooter seems like simply way too much to ask way too optimistic.

there are plenty of examples of shooter situations on school grounds with numerous, well-trained leos present where the threat is not efficiently addressed and we think that giving guns to teachers is going to solve that problem overnight? the new york city police department reported that even highly-trained, professional police officers see a significant decrease in their ability to shoot accurately when involved in the type of gunfight that would result in an armed teacher engaging an active shooter.

there is also the risk that, in the chaos, the armed teacher is mistaken for a shooter and shot by leo. there's a reason that arming teachers is broadly opposed by teachers, parents and law enforcement.

No one will ever convince me that inanimate objects are to blame

i don't think they are to blame either. but i do think that suggesting the ease with which guns allow a perp to kill or injure a large number of people in a short time is not a factor is naive.

people like to say "if you remove their gun they'll just find and use another weapon like a knife". well, maybe. but i also think they'll find it harder to kill 10 kids in a classroom as quickly and easily. which is why they don't choose a knife over a gun now.

anyway, we're talking a lot about reaction and i think that a focus more on prevention is key.

thanks for the considered comments dude.

alasdair

 

[Nas47]

This madness with shootin would get bigger&bigger in U.S.......mark my word

 

[alasdairm]

would? or will?

alasdair

 

[Jerry Atrick]

Half Moon Bay spree shooting,1/23/2023
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
LA dance studio mass shooting,1/21/2023
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Virginia Walmart shooting,11/22/2022
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
LGBTQ club shooting,11/19/2022
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
University of Virginia shooting,11/13/2022
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Raleigh spree shooting,10/13/2022
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Greenwood Park Mall shooting,7/17/2022
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Highland Park July 4 parade shooting,7/4/2022
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Church potluck dinner shooting,6/16/2022
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Concrete company shooting,6/9/2022
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Tulsa medical center shooting,6/1/2022
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Robb Elementary School massacre,5/24/2022
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Buffalo supermarket massacre,5/14/2022
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Sacramento County church shooting,2/28/2022
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Oxford High School shooting,11/30/2021
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
San Jose VTA shooting,5/26/2021
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
FedEx warehouse shooting,4/15/2021
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Orange office complex shooting,3/31/2021
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Boulder supermarket shooting,3/22/2021
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Atlanta massage parlor shootings,3/16/2021
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Springfield convenience store shooting,3/16/2020
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Molson Coors shooting,2/26/2020
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Jersey City kosher market shooting,12/10/2019
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Pensacola Naval base shooting,12/6/2019
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Odessa-Midland shooting spree,8/31/2019
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Dayton entertainment district shooting,8/4/2019
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
El Paso Walmart mass shooting,8/3/2019
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Gilroy garlic festival shooting,7/28/2019
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Virginia Beach municipal building shooting,5/31/2019
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Harry Pratt Co. warehouse shooting,2/15/2019
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Pennsylvania hotel bar shooting,1/24/2019
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
SunTrust bank shooting,1/23/2019
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Mercy Hospital shooting,11/19/2018
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Thousand Oaks nightclub shooting,11/7/2018
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Tree of Life synagogue shooting,10/27/2018
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Rite Aid warehouse shooting,9/20/2018
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
T&T Trucking shooting,9/12/2018
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Fifth Third Center shooting,9/6/2018
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Capital Gazette shooting,6/28/2018
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Santa Fe High School shooting,5/18/2018
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Waffle House shooting,4/22/2018
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Yountville veterans home shooting,3/9/2018
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting,2/14/2018
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Pennsylvania carwash shooting,1/28/2018
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Rancho Tehama shooting spree,11/14/2017
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Texas First Baptist Church massacre,11/5/2017
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Walmart shooting in suburban Denver,11/1/2017
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Edgewood businees park shooting,10/18/2017
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Las Vegas Strip massacre,10/1/2017
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
San Francisco UPS shooting,6/14/2017
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Pennsylvania supermarket shooting,6/7/2017
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Florida awning manufacturer shooting,6/5/2017
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Rural Ohio nursing home shooting,5/12/2017
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Fresno downtown shooting,4/18/2017
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Fort Lauderdale airport shooting,1/6/2017
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Cascade Mall shooting,9/23/2016
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Baton Rouge police shooting,7/17/2016
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Dallas police shooting,7/7/2016
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Orlando nightclub massacre,6/12/2016
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Excel Industries mass shooting,2/25/2016
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Kalamazoo shooting spree,2/20/2016
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
San Bernardino mass shooting,12/2/2015
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Planned Parenthood clinic,11/27/2015
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Colorado Springs shooting rampage,10/31/2015
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Umpqua Community College shooting,10/1/2015
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Chattanooga military recruitment center,7/16/2015
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Charleston Church Shooting,6/17/2015
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Trestle Trail bridge shooting,6/11/2015
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Marysville-Pilchuck High School shooting,10/24/2014
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Isla Vista mass murder,5/23/2014
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Fort Hood shooting 2,4/3/2014
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Alturas tribal shooting,2/20/2014
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Washington Navy Yard shooting,9/16/2013
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Hialeah apartment shooting,7/26/2013
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Santa Monica rampage,6/7/2013
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Pinewood Village Apartment shooting,4/21/2013
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Mohawk Valley shootings,3/13/2013
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Sandy Hook Elementary massacre,12/14/2012
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Accent Signage Systems shooting,9/27/2012
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Sikh temple shooting,8/5/2012
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Aurora theater shooting,7/20/2012
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Seattle cafe shooting,5/20/2012
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Oikos University killings,4/2/2012
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Su Jung Health Sauna shooting,2/21/2012
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Seal Beach shooting,10/12/2011
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
IHOP shooting,9/6/2011
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Tucson shooting,1/8/2011
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Hartford Beer Distributor shooting,8/3/2010
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Coffee shop police killings,11/29/2009
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Fort Hood massacre,11/5/2009
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Binghamton shootings,4/3/2009
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Carthage nursing home shooting,3/29/2009
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Atlantis Plastics shooting,6/25/2008
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Northern Illinois University shooting,2/14/2008
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Kirkwood City Council shooting,2/7/2008
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Westroads Mall shooting,12/5/2007
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Crandon shooting,10/7/2007
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Virginia Tech massacre,4/16/2007
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Trolley Square shooting,2/12/2007
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Amish school shooting,10/2/2006
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Capitol Hill massacre,3/25/2006
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Goleta postal shootings,1/30/2006
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Red Lake massacre,3/21/2005
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Living Church of God shooting,3/12/2005
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Damageplan show shooting,12/8/2004
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Lockheed Martin shooting,7/8/2003
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Navistar shooting,2/5/2001
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Wakefield massacre,12/26/2000
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Hotel shooting,12/30/1999
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Xerox killings,11/2/1999
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Wedgwood Baptist Church shooting,9/15/1999
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Atlanta day trading spree killings,7/29/1999
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Columbine High School massacre,4/20/1999
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Thurston High School shooting,5/21/1998
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Westside Middle School killings,3/24/1998
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Connecticut Lottery shooting,3/6/1998
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Caltrans maintenance yard shooting,12/18/1997
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
R.E. Phelon Company shooting,9/15/1997
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Fort Lauderdale revenge shooting,2/9/1996
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Walter Rossler Company massacre,4/3/1995
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Air Force base shooting,6/20/1994
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Chuck E. Cheese's killings,12/14/1993
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Long Island Rail Road massacre,12/7/1993
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Luigi's shooting,8/6/1993
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
101 California Street shootings,7/1/1993
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Watkins Glen killings,10/15/1992
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Lindhurst High School shooting,5/1/1992
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Royal Oak postal shootings,11/14/1991
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
University of Iowa shooting,11/1/1991
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Luby's massacre,10/16/1991
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
GMAC massacre,6/18/1990
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Standard Gravure shooting,9/14/1989
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Stockton schoolyard shooting,1/17/1989
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
ESL shooting,2/16/1988
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Shopping centers spree killings,4/23/1987
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
United States Postal Service shooting,8/20/1986
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
San Ysidro McDonald's massacre,7/18/1984
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Dallas nightclub shooting,6/29/1984
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.
Welding shop shooting,8/20/1982
thoughts and prayers. there is nothing we can do.



alasdair

Today is Jan 26 and I read that there has already been 39 mass shootings in the US in 2023. Thoughts and prayers indeed.

 

[Xorkoth]

would? or will?

alasdair

I'm sure he means will. And I'm sure he's right. I mean we are watching it get worse and worse. I don't know what the solution is but it certainly needs to focus on mental health and the living conditions of citizens, and public discourse. Our public discourse is full of angry, hateful rhetoric, people are angry over our quality of life going downhill while corporations make record profits, and as a result, we have a simmering pot of violence brewing.

 

[Electrum1]

Wonder how many of those 39 "mass shootings" are something like a gang member shooting 3 other gang members with an illegal Glock pistol. We used to not count that stuff as a mass shooting but we do now

 

[Cream Gravy?]

i think that's a really bad idea and targets symptoms not causes which is rarely a great, or permanent, solution.

You’re right, that was an off the cuff remark I made because I just worry for my sister.

I used for work in grade school education and I never saw that behavior from kids. But I did have to leave because generally, I’m an authoritarian when it comes to juvenile non-compliance. I think that teachers should be allowed to use corporal punishment on boys. So obviously I wasn’t cut out for the Gen Z and later kids and their parents.

So yeah, I personally would want to be armed. Bur I realize that most teachers might not even own a firearm or be comfortable using one. I agree that someone’s reaction time and aim would be potentially compromised. I guess the way I see it it would be optional for the teachers, and concealed. That way it would still have the effect off surprise.

But there aren’t any easy solutions, yeah.



The Secret Service published a five year study about mass attacks. Turns out the vast majority were perpetrated by males who had just undergone a bad life event. More and more this is looking like a crisis of male identity and a rapidly changing world. The study also found that when a firearm was used, at least one in four was illegally sourced. So at least a quarter of them wouldn’t have been preventable by any red flag law type deal, which isn’t great.