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1 of 1- Goose
- Cogito ergo sum
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- Registered: 1/29/2015
- Posts: 13,427
Some Thoughts on Gun Violence
Well, it's happened again. Another mass shooting. More sorrow, candlelight vigils, prayers, and,,,,,,,,,,,,,, nothing
Meanwhile gun violence rages in our cities, and the clock is ticking towards the next mass shooting.
A few things are worthy of note. First and foremost, that we are doing, and will do nothing.
Why?
In my opinion, because
1. No one is willing to reach across the ideological divide and work with the other side. We want OUR idea, and that's it. Why, for example is it impossible for you to be for background checks, AND for putting armed guards in schools?
2. Perfect is the enemy of good. In this case perfect prevents any action. Have you noticed that any idea proposed is immediately shot down because it wouldn't prevent EVERY shooting. If I suggest X, someone immediately counters, "Well that wouldn't have prevented this shooting". If I recomend Y, somebody else counters, "Well that wouldn't have prevented that shooting". And I'm not speaking only of gun laaws,. If I recomended armed guards in schools, it would take about three seconds before someone pointed out that there was an armed guard at Columbine.
When did the absolute guarrantee of 100% success become the bar you have to pass in order to do something?
Hey, we put airbags and antilock breaks in cars with the knowledge that it would prevent every traffic fatality.
Sprinklers and emergency exits are in public buildings, even though they won't prevent every fire death.
Why are guns so different?
Let's forget about hitting a home run.
Let's get some base hits.
Some ideas:
Better mental health services.
Educating parents to secure their weapons may deny a disturbed or suicidal individual from acting out on impulse.
A nation wide initiative to install more responsibility in gun owners.
More police in schools.
Metal detectors.
Educating teachers and students on the identification of at risk individuals.
Universal background checks with access to mental health records.
Banning convicted felons from gun ownership for life.
Banning certain types of weaponry.
Hey, I haven't found THE answer. But, maybe we can find some answers.
A 20% reduction in gun violence saves how many thousand lives?
We live in a time in which decent and otherwise sensible people are surrendering too easily to the hectoring of morons or extremists.
- flowergirl
- Exchanger
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- Registered: 2/03/2015
- Posts: 1,840
Re: Some Thoughts on Gun Violence
I don't think anyone will disagree with what you've written about gun violence. In order for things to change, however, the people of this country must elect politicians who have the guts to stand up against to the NRA and its millions (whatever the real number!) of members. No politician is going to commit that kind of political suicide to end his or her career nor will any candidate for office ever win an election based on promises of changes in gun laws. It is a sad state of affairs when one organization and its memebership hold the rest of the country in hostage to allow these killing to occur. Sadder yet is the people of this country for allowing this to happen. Oh, yeah, we all are sad following another shooting, but how many NRA members and some other gun owners discontinue their NRA membership as a way to protest these killings or get rid of their kooky weapons that no non-military person has a need to own.
- Conspiracy Theory
- Dark Overlord
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- From: Earth
- Registered: 1/30/2015
- Posts: 1,396
Re: Some Thoughts on Gun Violence
Something I found troubling was the backlash against a law requiring reporting the loss or theft of a gun within 72 hours.
Of course, the hyperbolic reply was someone's grandmother going to prison because she didn't report the theft of her dearly departed spouse's shotgun which went missing in 1957.
Complete hogwash, but I digress.
What troubled me is that anyone would we unaware of the location of their --deadly weapon-- for any length of time, much less three days.
Find a way to address this appalling level of irresponsibitliy and I believe half of our gun problems would be solved.
If you make yourself miserable trying to make others happy that means everyone is miserable.
-Me again
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