This is not a discussion in favor of status quo. I've stated numerous times, and once here, a path forward, or at least one I support. Don't get this twisted. Yes, rage is a mental illness. And one that has been selected for over time by generations of raping, pillaging and conquesting humans. But simply because it is now prevalent does not make it basal.
I'm not going to put down viscousness, brutality and outright disrespect for life as "just part of humanity," and that we need to control it by strict regulation. Until we outgrow it, sure. But saying it's just human nature doesn't work for me anymore. A more prevalent trait? Sure.
TRIGGER WARNING: Blatant callousness So I've seen quite a few people posting statistics of mass shootings (until 2013 it was where 4 people were killed not including the gunman and after 2013 it was reduced to 3). Here is where the callousness steps in. 114 events since 1982 where more than 4 people and, since 2013, more than 3 people were shot. 114 events in 37 years where 982 people were killed and 1406 were wounded. 18 of those events were just under the mark and, had the 2013 revision by Obama not been legislated, it wouldn't even be 100 events in 37 years. Doesn't that seem remarkably scant? People are talking about rolling back a Constitutional Right for 300,000,000 people over 982 deaths? So deconstructing the Mother Jones stats a little more.... we had 31 events from 1982-2000. 8 in the 80s 23 in the 90s So subtracting the 3 death mark after 2013 to level the stats... we have 31 pre-2000 and 65 since 2000. The rate has almost doubled in the same span... so what has happened to cause the severe uptick?
Red flag legislation looks like it's going to happen. High capacity magazines are probably next. Still not sure how I feel about banning the "assault" weapons.
I think the assault weapon misnomer is just a purposeful slant to eventually make all semi-automatics illegal. I believe the intent is to result in only bolt-actions and revolvers being legal.
I support the red flag, I’m leaning toward opposing the banning of magazines and i’d oppose the banning of almost any assault rifle.
As well as the Telecoms Act of 1996 occurring. It's hard to really suss out if it's correlation or causation to explain this. There is a key link between how the media covers the shootings, IMO, and according to Mother Jones, 58/114 shootings had definitive red flags connected to mental illness shown before the shooting. IMO if you have a "hit list" and you openly discuss your love of violence you probably shouldn't own a firearm until you straighten your shit out.
I agree, but how do you go about policing that? I just don't know. List every person in the local newspaper who wants to buy a gun for comment?
In several of these cases immediate family members saw massive red flags and did nothing. I'm not saying they should be responsible, but a framework should exist to at least limit the overall scope of people who are already insane from being able to buy a firearm and carry out a massacre. The aforementioned multiple red flags that were seen but weren't acted on are no an insignificant figure. It won't end all shootings, but it can certainly limit them.
