Gun Violence Part 2: Thoughts and Prayers STILL Don't Work

[RosyDaisy]

Alabama teen shoots his entire family. Because science. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/sep/03/alabama-teenager-shotting-five-family-members

I was so hoping this wouldn't make national news. This is local to me. We are still in a state of shock. My husband was one of the paramedics called to the scene.

I'm not going into the details. I will say that this young man needed help, but all the warning signs were ignored.

[Emma]

Trump awarded Medal of Valor to officers and honored civilians responding to mass shootings in Dayton and El Paso. The officers who took down the shooter in Gilroy, California?  Nothing. I think Trump doesn't like us Californians very much. 

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/medal-of-valor-presented-at-white-house-ceremony-today-2019-09-09-live-stream-live-updates/

[Alisamer]

Saw a headline today that after like 6 deaths, the Trump administration is considering a move to ban flavored vapes.

How many people have been killed by assault weapons this year, again? 

On September 2, 2019 at 12:19 AM, Ozlsn said:

Seriously 'this won't stop a person with evil intent' is the most useless of arguments.

I keep hearing "If guns become criminal, only criminals will have guns!". Which makes sense only in the very short term. Sure, if there's a mandatory buy-back or something, making a certain type of gun illegal to own, by definition the only people who hang on to them will be people breaking the law.

But beyond that, it will make a difference, it's just common sense that it will. It seems most mass shooters have acquired their guns legally - either through purchasing them or using ones legally owned by a family member. A ban will reduce the likelihood of these type of mass shooters acquiring the banned weapon. Most mass shooters aren't breaking into houses to steal guns, they're "borrowing" from the household rifle cabinet or buying them outright. Spur of the moment killings happen because a gun is easily available. No gun in the vicinity means no shooting. (Of course, someone intending to kill still can, but not with a gun, at least. And other methods require more time, strength, and/or determination than simply pulling a trigger.) 

I know that's not what the people saying these things are thinking of, however. They're thinking gang members and drug dealers, and the ones robbing the 7-11 with a ski mask on. (The criminals who are less likely to be white men, in their view, TBH.) But I strongly suspect that category of criminal are not buying their guns - I'd bet a large percentage of guns used in their crimes are stolen, and if they're actually used against a person they'll be dumped. How are they going to steal weapons if no law-abiding people have them to be stolen? Sure, those criminals will still have them, for a while. The numbers will necessarily drop over time, however, if the supply dries up. And they might be less likely to actually use the weapons, since they will no longer be plentiful enough to be disposable.

On September 2, 2019 at 11:50 AM, Audrey2 said:

Evangelical Leader Claims Teaching Kids Basic Science Causes Mass Shootings

Stupid man is stupid. Wants kids to be, too.

[GreyhoundFan]

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