What Explains U.S. Mass Shootings?

[Stanyon]

Gun control would prevent Fascists and Nazis from carrying out whatever gun crimes you think they want to carry out since they wouldn't be allowed to have guns like handguns and semiautos (those need to be banned outright). They wouldn't be allowed to open carry at demonstrations, either (if I had my way). So there's no reason to AFA to be stockpiling weapons. And if you're talking about fighting the government in case Fascist take that over, well, that's a pipe dream. So what's your point?

13 year old's and convicted felons aren't allowed to have handguns and semi- auto's either but I'm pretty sure I can go into the "hood" and find 13 year old's and convicted felons carrying them any day of the week and I am not talking about some **** I saw in a documentary or a movie.

 

[LuisDantas]

OK.

Do you see any factors for gun violence to add to my list?

The main factor is IMO the armed peacemaker mentality itself.

It is a particularly nasty, unhealthy manifestation of American's extreme individualism.

 

[MonkeyFire]

Take the guns away and unleash your miracles. God all mighty is passive, and stronger than War.

 

[Sanzbir]

What, the decline in mass shootings and all crimes in general over the years??

Crime is down, media reporting on crime is up. Hence any illusions you may be seeing.

 

[Stanyon]

What I would do - a starter list:

• Ban bump-stocks.
• Fix the record keeping that is now broken.
  
• Mandate that guns must be sold with devices to secure them. (I would not mandate use of those devices but would penalize those who don't use them if the gun was used to kill someone).
• Better mental health services .
  
• Mandate training and licensing of gun owners with a test that shows a couple of things: knowledge of gun safety and some minimal accuracy with a gun.

*Bump stocks were largely ignored by much of the gun community until the media went crazy on them, now they are selling like hotcakes
* By securement devices do you mean trigger locks and hammerlocks? many manufacturers are already doing it voluntarily and police some times give these out for free.
*There seems to be a consensus that there is no evidence that people with mental health issues are more likely to commit gun crimes than any other group of people (per NPR news) but I for one feel a little better that it is a question on the firearms transfer form 4473 punishable by law for lying about it- question 11-f Firearms Transaction Record

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

13 year old's and convicted felons aren't allowed to have handguns and semi- auto's either but I'm pretty sure I can go into the "hood" and find 13 year old's and convicted felons carrying them any day of the week and I am not talking about some **** I saw in a documentary or a movie.

They're not exactly difficult to get when society is awash in them. I want them off the streets and prohibited for private ownership, period. You're not going to change my mind about this so don't even bother. If I had my way, I'd get rid of the 2nd Amendment, too, but I know that's not going to happen. Other countries ban or severely restrict handguns and semiautos and don't have this problem of thugs getting ahold of them. A part of the problem is when one area has restrictions on those kind of weapons but other areas don't and are smuggled across state lines. You need uniformity in the law for it to work.

 

[william7]

It's not just the guns in my opinion. It's the warrior culture and the police state we're indoctrinated with that plays a major role too. We can, however, look to Erich Fromm's psychology of human aggression for an explanation for gun possession exerting an influence on their owners. http://cannabisasmedicine.info/TheWarOnDrugs/ErichFrommOnHumanAggression.pdf. Guns give the owner a substantial power over others. The bigger or more powerful the gun the more power over others it gives. Various stresses and the breakdown of morality in society generally are also factors to be considered. To be successful in reducing mass shooting, we would have to become a democratic socialist society like the Scandinavian countries and like Bernie Sanders proposes. We would have to end the War on Drugs and become like Portugal so as to reduce police state powers. Portugal Won the War on Drugs by Giving It Up | Abigail R. Hall. Prescription heroin administered through on site injections like described in Junk Policy would put many a gun wielding gangster fighting for drug turf out of business as well as the Nazi like police fighting them. The case for prescription heroin | Spectator Health.

 

[Jonathan Ainsley Bain]

Americans can put a man on the moon, and yet you doubt we're smart enough to reduce the number of guns in our society if we had the political will to do so. How funny.

Perhaps if they got Nixon to make a whole bunch of fake footage claiming nobody has any guns
then all the guns would just cease to exist?

 

[Jonathan Ainsley Bain]

Australia confiscated 650,000 guns. Murders and suicides plummeted.

:whistles:

In South Africa, they took away the guns, and murders increased.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

What laws would you like to see enacted?

Mandated safety courses would be a good start, and making sure people know how to use, handle, maintain, and store guns in a safe manner. With acknowledgements that guns today do not resemble to guns of the 18th century.
Taking them away from those who are careless and irresponsible with them (such as those who leave guns within easy reach of a child).
Being more strict about who may possess them, with the tendency to go permit-carry rather than carrying without.
A national database that is truly national, with every purchase, buyer, and possessor included in this database, with a mandatory legal obligation to reporti of stolen guns.
Streamlined state laws to prevent legal carriers in one state becoming illegal in another.
Destruction of illegal guns, guns seized from criminals, and guns taken from those who are careless.
The end of any and all loopholes that allow people to bypass existing laws.

 

[Twilight Hue]

Gun control would prevent Fascists and Nazis from carrying out whatever gun crimes you think they want to carry out since they wouldn't be allowed to have guns like handguns and semiautos (those need to be banned outright). They wouldn't be allowed to open carry at demonstrations, either (if I had my way). So there's no reason to AFA to be stockpiling weapons. And if you're talking about fighting the government in case Fascist take that over, well, that's a pipe dream. So what's your point?

Speaking of strange, I find it quite ironic that Hitler instituted gun control. With tongue in cheek..... We know gun control advocates are the real Nazis.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

Speaking of strange, I find it quite ironic that Hitler instituted gun control. With tongue in cheek..... We know gun control advocates are the real Nazis.

Irrelevant and stupid use of Godwin's law.

 

[Kuzcotopia]

In South Africa, they took away the guns, and murders increased.

Let me offer you a reasoned response . . .

Perhaps if they got Nixon to make a whole bunch of fake footage

Never mind.

smh

 

[metis]

Even though they account for only a fraction of U.S. homicides, having semiautomatic guns like the AR15, along with extended magazines, makes no sense in civilian hands. If one is that lousy a hunter whereas they supposedly need such weapons, then maybe they should become vegetarians.

I guess as a country we need to rethink this, namely what's more important: people's lives or these guns? Unfortunately, it's quite clear that some have chosen the latter.

 

[Twilight Hue]

Even though they account for only a fraction of U.S. homicides, having semiautomatic guns like the AR15, along with extended magazines, makes no sense in civilian hands. If one is that lousy a hunter whereas they supposedly need such weapons, then maybe they should become vegetarians.

I guess as a country we need to rethink this, namely what's more important: people's lives or these guns? Unfortunately, it's quite clear that some have chosen the latter.

Don't forget Cars too. What's more important ? People's lives, or cars?

 

[Twilight Hue]

Funny you should mention that since cars are heavily regulated.

Well you going to need more regulation same as truckers, you have to stop at inspection stations at periodic locations, you are only allowed to drive so many hours a day because of fatigue, and all people need to take a physical every two years to drive out of state.

People getting killed by cars every day it's a virtual slaughter just like guns are.

 

[metis]

Don't forget Cars too. What's more important ? People's lives, or cars?

That's really a completely nonsensical argument on several counts. Here in most areas of the States, people need cars-- not semi-automatic assault-type weapons. Here in the States, people have to take driving tests to get a licence-- not for these guns though. Here in the States, because of the 2nd Amendment, people have the right to own a gun, but that right does not extend to all guns or all weapons.

So, between people's lives and semi-automatic assault-type weapons, you chose the latter.

I don't.

 

[Twilight Hue]

That's really a completely nonsensical argument on several counts. Here in most areas of the States, people need cars-- not semi-automatic assault-type weapons. Here in the States, people have to take driving tests to get a licence-- not for these guns though. Here in the States, because of the 2nd Amendment, people have the right to own a gun, but that right does not extend to all guns or all weapons.

So, between people's lives and semi-automatic assault-type weapons, you chose the latter.

I don't.

I don't think so. The premise by which gun control is called for is because of loss of life.

Guns take life that's obvious and cars do too. Also cars are considered a luxury, not a necessity. Guns could be considered the same.

 

[esmith]

Even though they account for only a fraction of U.S. homicides, having semiautomatic guns like the AR15, along with extended magazines, makes no sense in civilian hands. If one is that lousy a hunter whereas they supposedly need such weapons, then maybe they should become vegetarians.

I guess as a country we need to rethink this, namely what's more important: people's lives or these guns? Unfortunately, it's quite clear that some have chosen the latter.

Maybe you aren't ok with people having semi-automatic firearms, like the AR-15 style, there are those of us that enjoy using them for sporting events, and other activities. You do realize that the percentage of these firearms used in criminal activities are very very very low. But it is understandable your thought process is blurred by the media hype and those that do not have a clue what they are talking about.

 

[esmith]

I don't think so. The premise by which gun control is called for is because of loss of life.

Guns take life that's obvious and cars do too. Also cars are considered a luxury, not a necessity. Guns could be considered the same.

No people take lives, the automobile, a firearm, or any other device is nothing more that the tool.