Mass shootings = symptoms of a much worse problem

[PostmodernProphet]

I hate how both sides react to these. The left is no doubt bad - it's all guns, all the time. But the right is no better. If it's a Muslim - time for a travel ban! If it's a transgender, it's all "see! We told you they were dangerous." Even though both groups account for less than 1% of American mass shootings.

The answer? We're sick as a nation. And this is a symptom. If we had a doctor for countries, we'd be admitted to the emergency room right away. This is like a Stage 4 kind of symptom. We've let things go. We've allowed divisiveness, hate & fear trump the better angels of our nature. We've allowed demagogues to rule the day, and we've let the internet run wild. And guns are PART of the problem, as well. There is no coincidence between the fact that we lead the world in gun ownership, and gun violence. Saying the answer is "more guns" is an incredible disconnect.

I have no answer, but I know where the answers lie: in honest discussion. Not "how can this help my side" knee-jerk reactions. We've gotta stop politicizing this stuff, and think through all aspects of it in an unbiased, critical way. We need real leaders, and not cartoon characters.

Lives depend on this. We have to step up. It is time.

I wonder if the problem is ignoring criminal conduct.........

[Yakuda]

It's awful. We all know it's awful.

But what do we do about it? I started a thread on here once about free speech, and got pretty slammed. But it's such a sacred principle - what if it doesn't work anymore? What if it really hurts us now?

Not that we shouldn't have free speech. But the internet is out of control. Social media should not be as toxic as it is - it's hurting all of us.

That's just it its not free speech its peoples reactions to free speech. People think words constitute violence. I think that's a dangerous way of thinking about language.

[Into the Night]

One side uses lies in preference to truth

And you are on that side.

[PostmodernProphet]

the fact that we lead the world in gun ownership, and gun violence.

don't we also lead the world in the number of people who own guns but have never murdered anyone?......

[BartenderElite]

I sure would like to know how Mass shootings is not about gun violence in this country, and how this is the Democrats fault- or how this makes the Democrats bad, or even our response to them in any way.

Clearly, it's gun violence. But most Democrats focus on the gun itself. There is so much more at play here.

Thus, the OP title. We're a sick nation right now.

[Into the Night]

I believe social media plays a large role these days. That is something that was absent in the past.

So now you blame JPP and sites like it for gun violence....rigghht.

[Yakuda]

I wonder if the problem is ignoring criminal conduct.........

To some degree I believe it is but I think it's more subtle

[Yakuda]

Clearly, it's gun violence. But most Democrats focus on the gun itself. There is so much more at play here.

Thus, the OP title. We're a sick nation right now.

Agreed!

[Into the Night]

The Gatling gun was invented in the 1860s if you consider that new historically on a technological level. As far as ease of carrying yes.

The Gatling gun is a machine gun (fully automatic, just turn the crank). The first semiautomatic rifle appeared in 1903.

[Yakuda]

don't we also lead the world in the number of people who own guns but have never murdered anyone?......

We definitely don't have a murder rate corresponding to the number of guns.

[PostmodernProphet]

All you're doing here is trying to find an example to back up "it's not the guns."

Kind of what I was talking about in the OP.

how does that affect the fact that he is right and you are wrong......if there is any empirical connection between gun ownership in the US and the number of people murdered, it is that the number of people murdered by Americans who own guns is far less than almost everywhere else......

[PostmodernProphet]

To some degree I believe it is but I think it's more subtle

is "lib'ruls care more about taking away guns then stopping criminals" more subtle?.......

[Yakuda]

The Gatling gun is a machine gun (fully automatic, just turn the crank). The first semiautomatic rifle appeared in 1903.

I know. I merely pointing out that the technology to kill many people in a short time is not new.

[PostmodernProphet]

America is far from the most deadly country in the world

maybe if Chicago were a country......

[evince]

I don't love Republicans in 2023 - but I'd disagree.

I think the left focuses almost 100% on guns when things like this happen. As I said, that deserves to be part of the discussion - but it's almost impossibly simplistic, and as some have mentioned, we've had guns throughout our country's existence. Before Columbine, we never saw shootings like this - now, it's a very regular event.

We've let things slide, on every level. We're not being vigilant. I can't imagine being a child in today's world, and having to go through "active shooter" drills in elementary school. That's a much darker world than kids should have to deal with, and I'm sure has an impact on what kinds of adults they become.

We banned these weapons after columbine


We didn’t get more shootings


Then the law expired and republicans refused to reup it