Enough

[XtremeJibber2001]

More than 300,000 students have experienced gun violence at school since Columbine
https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics ... -database/

[Dickc]

Columbine happened in 1999. The Internet was just coming to many in this country, so news about it spread through the Internet as well as standard (at the time) news organizations. School shootings and mass shootings have only gotten worse and more frequent since then. With all the great things the Internet has brought us, I fear this undercurrent of discord has brought us this violence. What does KZone think?

[deadheadskier]

I have traveled all over New England for work for the past 15 years. I've been to probably more different towns in New England than anyone I know. One town I had never been to before today was Newtown, CT. If you've never been, it has one of the most scenic and delightful, colonial New England villages you'll ever see. Just pristine hundreds of years old homes lining the main street. I obviously thought of the tragedy at Sandy Hook ten years ago and how such terror could occur in such a seemingly peaceful place.

That town is forever changed from the events of that day and I felt awful for the residents in a different way than from when I saw what happened on the news ten years ago. And we as people learned and changed nothing.

Literally just moments after I drove through Newtown, the news came over the radio of the senseless tragedy in a Texas school today. Such a sad coincidence for me.

....and nothing will change again. Thoughts, prayers and carry on until the next one and just hope it's not your town, schools, children and teachers.

[boston_e]

When one party resists any sort of gun reform and doesn’t want to spend on mental health services this is what we end up with. It’s essentially part of our culture at this point.

[throbster]

When one party resists any sort of gun reform and doesn’t want to spend on mental health services this is what we end up with. It’s essentially part of our culture at this point.

There is no gun control law that would do any good in these situations and it is a waste of time considering it. Also, that's BS about mental health services. We need to do better with red flags and intervene sooner.

[Dickc]

Also, that's BS about mental health services. We need to do better with red flags and intervene sooner.

Throbster, reconsider this part of your statement. This kid, yes he is considered an adult, but at 18 is really still a kid, could have used some mental health help. If it had been more readily available, he might have been pushed into having a little help. IF he had gotten help, this may have never happened. Also, if mental health help was more available, one of his friends and acquaintances might have steered professionals into looking into him and then seeing the red flags you speak about.

[throbster]

Also, that's BS about mental health services. We need to do better with red flags and intervene sooner.

Throbster, reconsider this part of your statement. This kid, yes he is considered an adult, but at 18 is really still a kid, could have used some mental health help. If it had been more readily available, he might have been pushed into having a little help. IF he had gotten help, this may have never happened. Also, if mental health help was more available, one of his friends and acquaintances might have steered professionals into looking into him and then seeing the red flags you speak about.

eBoston suggested that Rs are not interested in spending for mental health services to which I say BS.

[deadheadskier]

When one party resists any sort of gun reform and doesn’t want to spend on mental health services this is what we end up with. It’s essentially part of our culture at this point.

There is no gun control law that would do any good in these situations and it is a waste of time considering it. Also, that's BS about mental health services. We need to do better with red flags and intervene sooner.

Gun control laws don't work? Then why are these mass shooting events almost exclusively happening in only one first world country - the USA? They are very rare almost anywhere else in the developed world.

Even without doing a thing about guns, let's start by banning civilian ownership of tactical gear. Both the Buffalo and Texas shooters were wearing such. Maybe the armed guard in Buffalo could have taken out the shooter had he not been wearing that armor.

There are some Republicans interested in improving access to healthcare including mental health services, but they are a quiet minority to be certain. Almost every Democrat loudly campaigns on Universal Healthcare. Almost every Republican campaigns on the second amendment. There is a major difference between the two parties on both these topics.

[daytripper]

When one party resists any sort of gun reform and doesn’t want to spend on mental health services this is what we end up with. It’s essentially part of our culture at this point.

There is no gun control law that would do any good in these situations and it is a waste of time considering it. Also, that's BS about mental health services. We need to do better with red flags and intervene sooner.

Gun control laws don't work? Then why are these mass shooting events almost exclusively happening in only one first world country - the USA? They are very rare almost anywhere else in the developed world.

Even without doing a thing about guns, let's start by banning civilian ownership of tactical gear. Both the Buffalo and Texas shooters were wearing such. Maybe the armed guard in Buffalo could have taken out the shooter had he not been wearing that armor.

There are some Republicans interested in improving access to healthcare including mental health services, but they are a quiet minority to be certain. Almost every Democrat loudly campaigns on Universal Healthcare. Almost every Republican campaigns on the second amendment. There is a major difference between the two parties on both these topics.

It is illegal to purchase and wear body armor in NYS. NYS has some of the strictest gun control laws in the country but somehow the tragedy in Buffalo still happened.

[deadheadskier]

Hence the importance of a national ban. He likely ordered the gear online and had it shipped to his house or perhaps bought the gear in a neighboring state where tactical gear is legal.

The reality is that places in the world that have tougher restrictions on gun ownership and better access to healthcare do not have nearly the problems we do.

[daytripper]

I agree on the healhcare, we need to do better. I disagree on gun control. As the buffalo tragedy shows, (body armor) restrictions only stop law abiding citizens from acquiring these things. The criminals will get them regardless of the law.

[boston_e]

I agree on the healhcare, we need to do better. I disagree on gun control. As the buffalo tragedy shows, (body armor) restrictions only stop law abiding citizens from acquiring these things. The criminals will get them regardless of the law.

Agree with deadheadskier - failure of localized ordinances do not equate to a potential failure rate of national gun reform. (I actually believe that localized bans etc do nothing as it is all so easily acquired with a simple car ride).

As an example, Fireworks are illegal in my home town in Massachusetts. However there are at least a dozen stores where they are easily purchased in New Hampshire just a 30 min drive away. The result is that we see and hear fireworks in town all the time. If they could not be purchased so easily there would be far fewer of them around.

[daytripper]

The only gun control I would like to see is better background checks, a national standard and a waiting period of a few days so that a thorough check can be completed. Nobody needs a gun so badly that they can't wait a few (3-5) days.

[XtremeJibber2001]

The only gun control I would like to see is better background checks, a national standard and a waiting period of a few days so that a thorough check can be completed. Nobody needs a gun so badly that they can't wait a few (3-5) days.

Universal Background Checks has wide support across Rs and Ds. So lets start here.

[easyrider16]

I agree on the healhcare, we need to do better. I disagree on gun control. As the buffalo tragedy shows, (body armor) restrictions only stop law abiding citizens from acquiring these things. The criminals will get them regardless of the law.

I think the issue is these mass shootings are often not done by criminals. I would agree that people involved in organized crime can get access to illegal guns. But the kinds of nut jobs who do these types of mass shootings often have clean records and get their guns legally. If these folks didn't have cheap, easy access to guns, they would likely not be able to obtain them illegally. That might explain why in places like the U.K., criminals seem to be able to get guns, but you don't really see mass shootings.