I respectfully disagree. We need much, much tighter gun control laws in the US. Mental health reform is of course good, but it's not the issue. These mass shootings account for a minor percentage of all the shootings that occur in the US.
Seriously, we need both: better care for our sick citizens and better controls on firearms and their use. There are people who proudly proclaim after events like this that everything that should be done to prevent shootings is already being done. Apparently, needless violence is a unavoidable consequence of living in a free society.
I actually used to argue this point. I would say "in order to be able to one day fight off a tyrannical government, one must accept a certain amount of violent crime on society." It's just that, I wouldn't consider myself a member of a "well regulated militia", even though my government says I am a member of it. We need to reform the definition of militia to something faaar more reasonable
True, but guns are used far more often. It's illogical to ban knifes, because there, are many, many non-lethal uses for knifes. Guns however (hunting, self-defense, or otherwise) are meant to do one thing: kill. I'm not advocating we can all guns either. There are many people in this country who still hunt for sustenance and/or sell the meat.
I respectfully disagree. We need much, much tighter gun control laws in the US. Mental health reform is of course good, but it's not the issue. These mass shootings account for a minor percentage of all the shootings that occur in the US.
But...but...but...Second Amendment!
Seriously, we need both: better care for our sick citizens and better controls on firearms and their use. There are people who proudly proclaim after events like this that everything that should be done to prevent shootings is already being done. Apparently, needless violence is a unavoidable consequence of living in a free society.
I actually used to argue this point. I would say "in order to be able to one day fight off a tyrannical government, one must accept a certain amount of violent crime on society." It's just that, I wouldn't consider myself a member of a "well regulated militia", even though my government says I am a member of it. We need to reform the definition of militia to something faaar more reasonable
How did the US get to the point where "well regulated" means every redneck and their cousin?
The common interpretation is that militia is self-regulatory
Should we ban kitchen knives as well? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Mass_stabbings
I'm not advocating that we ban everything that may or may not be used as a weapon. My comments are strictly structured around guns.
And why are they strictly structured around guns? There are many other weapons used to harm many people at the hands of one.
True, but guns are used far more often. It's illogical to ban knifes, because there, are many, many non-lethal uses for knifes. Guns however (hunting, self-defense, or otherwise) are meant to do one thing: kill. I'm not advocating we can all guns either. There are many people in this country who still hunt for sustenance and/or sell the meat.
Guns don't seem to be the reason for this, in fact it looks like the relationship of homicides per guns owned is inversely correlated.