The Mass Shooting Epidemic...how do we stop it?

[Ivy]

No trolling, please. This is the Tea House.

I would like to hear some of your ideas about how the mass shooting crisis could be stopped. Surely there is a way
to get a grip on it.

[faithfyl]

The 2nd Amendment doesn’t guarantee anyone the right to own military type assault weapons. .

I agree with this.

[Ivy]

The 2nd Amendment doesn’t guarantee anyone the right to own military type assault weapons. .

I agree with this.

It seems to me it would be a good place to start. I believe it is better to start somewhere than to do nothing. The approach will have to be multifaceted.

[faithfyl]

Gun control. Nobody "needs" military assault weapons... unless they are in the military. If someone feels the need to carry a handgun, sure. But weapons of mass destruction, that can wipe out 100 people in five minutes? Not needed.

[Ivy]

Gun control. Nobody "needs" military assault weapons... unless they are in the military. If someone feels the need to carry a handgun, sure. But weapons of mass destruction, that can wipe out 100 people in five minutes? Not needed.

Agree. That's where we start.

It will take decades to make changes in the gun culture.

[Ivy]

A friend just posted this, and I think it's worth a read.

Let me know what you think:

h**ps://annals.org/aim/fullarticle/2709820/reducing-firearm-injuries-deaths-united-states-position-paper-from-american?fbclid=IwAR2d1q0wMUxKCudlyF6O7o4TIoDt8dhjOwoZFps1I-Ru1m-eIS5gyjY0v5w

[Ivy]

You know, we did successfully phase out the cigarette smoking culture that existed for decades. Some people still smoke, but it is much less acceptable, and is certainly no longer "cool". Nonsmokers have demanded clean air to breathe, and smokers have been marginalized and relegated to the outdoors. This happened through education and gradual cultural change (and lots of lawsuits on behalf of people who died as a direct result of smoking). I hope that will happen for the gun culture as well...people gradually becoming less enamored with selling, having and using them except in the most appropriate situations. And certainly, phasing out the killing machines that have no place in a civil society.

[tarheel]

You know, we did successfully phase out the cigarette smoking culture that existed for decades. Some people still smoke, but it is much less acceptable, and is certainly no longer "cool". Nonsmokers have demanded clean air to breathe, and smokers have been marginalized and relegated to the outdoors. This happened through education and gradual cultural change (and lots of lawsuits on behalf of people who died as a direct result of smoking). I hope that will happen for the gun culture as well...people gradually becoming less enamored with selling, having and using them except in the most appropriate situations. And certainly, phasing out the killing machines that have no place in a civil society.

Good point.

[Cootie Brown]

I’m convinced guns laws, background checks, etc. is just more political blathering. It’s estimated there are 300 million guns in circulation. Gang violence kills more people than mass shootings and nothing of significance is being done about that.

Our laws make it difficult, if not impossible, for police to get illegal guns off the street, and even if they could getting an illegal gun is relatively easy. Stop and frisk worked but was declared illegal and of course racists.

I don’t see any way to stop the gun violence. I think the only option is to provide better security for schools and public buildings. People can’t enter a court house or many government buildings without being checked and scanned by security in metropolitan areas.

These measures will have to be extended to schools, stores, shopping and entertainment areas. I don’t see any other workable option. And these measures will be expensive. It’s that or changing our Constitution, which I don’t see happening, and even if it did how would the authorities collect 300 million guns?

Better security seems to me to be the only workable option.

[Ivy]

I’m convinced guns laws, background checks, etc. is just more political blathering. It’s estimated there are 300 million guns in circulation. Gang violence kills more people than mass shootings and nothing of significance is being done about that.

Our laws make it difficult, if not impossible, for police to get illegal guns off the street, and even if they could getting an illegal gun is relatively easy. Stop and frisk worked but was declared illegal and of course racists.

I don’t see any way to stop the gun violence. I think the only option is to provide better security for schools and public buildings. People can’t enter a court house or many government buildings without being checked and scanned by security in metropolitan areas.

These measures will have to be extended to schools, stores, shopping and entertainment areas. I don’t see any other workable option. And these measures will be expensive. It’s that or changing our Constitution, which I don’t see happening, and even if it did how would the authorities collect 300 million guns?

Better security seems to me to be the only workable option.

I think you may be right, Cootie. The money is going to have to be spent to harden the soft targets. Tons of money is going to have to be put into it. Plus, improve access to mental health care, and start to phase out production and sale of the mass killing guns / paraphernalia (this will be a slow process of cultural change because of the NRA lobby, like with the progress we've made to phase out smoking). IN FACT, let the NRA people funnel money into safety features for the public instead of acting like this has nothing to do with them. A multifaceted approach.