Mass Shootings: The
Elephant in the Room

Beware of people who want to have a "conversation". It ALWAYS means you will be forced to surrender one or more rights.

This is all about people. People that are mentally ill and morally ill. Banning some video games or banning some guns won't fix it. These people need to be supervised because when left unsupervised they do things that hurt everyone around them. Ignore them at your own peril.

"Also, why would a private citizen not involved in law-enforcement or the Armed Forces need the kind of weapons these recent perps used? What normal average person needs a rapidfire, heavy “assault weapon“? What is wrong with banning the sale of such monster weapons to American citizens? What can they possibly use them for if not for nefarious purposes?" 1. It is none of your business why I own the guns that I own. 2. The 2nd Amendment of the Constitution stops the US government from confiscating guns. It is our God give right, not a USA right. 3. We can use a semi auto to protect your family when antifa and the democrats invade your home to kill your wife and family. 4. You need semi auto weapons to conduct guerrilla warfare should it come to that in America when the Progressives like Hillary, Comey, Brennen, and the Democrat party take over. 5. If they control your guns, they control you. 6. Slaves are forbidden to own guns, thus you would be a slave to the state if citizens let this happen. 7. A person is a defined Nazi after Hitler if they advocate gun control. Read Hitler history and Nazism. 8. This person is advocating a police state with the above statement. Cops cannot be trusted to protect your rights as a citizen. 9. America is not a military state, American citizens protect Americans in America. We don't want tanks in the streets like communists/Nazi countries. 10. If a group comes to my neighborhood to conduct violence, murder and mayhem you will be met with lethal force. I will not wait on the cops or the 82nd Airborne.

Bottom line: These people are total losers consumed by their own victimhood....

A stable American society was supported by three legs: faith, family and education. As we know all too well, the first two were targeted for destruction by the left. Faith was essentially outlawed. The welfare state destroyed the family along with a casual approach to marriage and divorce and the courts presuming to redefine marriage entirely. Education has disappeared but schools were retained as ideological day camps hiding in plain sight and lavished with tax dollars. Observers, including gormless leftists, watch the once-stable platform crash to the ground and wonder why there are so many individuals jarred and disturbed by the lack of stability.

I blame it all on the left - they throw these insane ideas and policies out there - racism, climate change, all whites are evil, all men are rapists, "gender" is fluid, we're all going to die in 12 years, everything should be free, the US is the root of all evil and on and on. Then they hype it all up in classrooms, in the leftist controlled newsrooms, in campaign speeches, on the internet and on social media. And people who are not stable, like these shooters, lap it up, obsess about it and then take action. And then the enemedia and the politicians blame it on us evil white Republicans. Rinse and repeat. Rinse and repeat. Bottom line - never ever give up your guns and stock up on ammo now. If we think this is bad, just wait until PDT is reelected next year.

I think it has to do with taking God out of society. Liberals want to do just that. They replace God with government control, drugs, alcohol, sex, corruption, and crime of any sorts is okay. The more you get people dependent on these things, the farther away you get from God and living in his way. The good way. Governor Tony Evers in Wisconsin is an example. Almost one of the first things he wants to do is decriminalize marijuana use. It just seems that Democrats want to liberalize everything and then people have to clean up after their messes. Mass shootings are one of their messes. They insist on taking God out of society, they are taking out hearts. Along with the Ten Commandments is "Love God with all your heart, mind, and soul" and "Love your neighbor as yourself." How can anyone know these guidelines if they don't know God and His Bible?

I respect #2's posts and worldview, but I feel that in the times in which we live, God-fearing citizens need "monster weapons" even more.

Why would a person "need" a car that can easily exceed the speed limit? Why would a person "need" a house that is big enough to give every family member his/her own bedroom, with a guest room as well? It is nobody else's business to define "need". And as has been pointed out, the real reason for the 2nd amendment is not to safeguard hunting or sport shooting. It is to safeguard liberty in the face of overreaching authority. Just ask the Jews of Nazi Germany. or the current citizens of Venezuela.

Almost all of these white boys who are shooting up places are from comfortable homes, going to a "counselor", taking medication, and socially isolated. If more people had to work in order to eat, this would be a safer society. When I was a teenager, many of my friends worked part time jobs. When my kids were teens, most of their friends were pampered and/or consumed with the grades needed to get into college. Now we have these unemployed bitter young adults living with their coddling parents, with nothing to do but be on their computers writing manifestos about what makes the angry.

For my fellow L-Dotters, please note: There is no "need" to use high powered weaponry --- and that is exactly the point! You usually own a powerful firing arm as a deterrent --- not to "use" other than at a gun range. Believe me, knowing there are 3.5 million AR-15s in the hands of voting citizens definitely makes a politician think twice before proposing some crazy idea because he/she will say: "We can't do THAT. The people are armed!" Don't believe me? Do you think the Lefty governments of Cuba and Venezuela or North Korea (to pick a few at random) would be able to get away with what they have done to their countries if their citizens weren't disarmed first? Imagine if all those hungry people had access to AK-47s and ammo? Instead of throwing ricks, the real revolution would be over in a month. Sorry. I'm not giving up my guns without a real, BIG fight. As for these mass killings, more gun laws are as useless as the Maginot Line was in stopping Germany. The guy who attacked the Walmart --- in gun toting Texas no less! --- attacked THERE because it was a gun free zone. Wake up! It's not the guns it's the idiot holding it. I'd be in favor of banning violent computer games and t.v/movies before I'd ban any gun.

To go along with what George Mason ( co-author of the 2nd amendment) said " I ask Sir, what is a militia? It is the while people.To disarm them is the best and most effectual way to enslave them ". This was written by everybodys favorite pacifist, Gandhi in his biography. " Among the many misdeeds of the British rule in India, history will look upon the act of depriving a whole nation of arms as the blackest".

My observations, YMMV. The rise in the "angry young male" mass shooting events seem to me to have started with the: 1. Rise of the "self-esteem"/participation trophy movement. Adults must not say/do anything that might hurt little Johnny's overly positive self-image. Life isn't so inclined. 2. The femininzation of the classroom. To promote girls in the classroom, boys have been actively suppressed. 3. The flood of psychoactive drugs given to boys. In order to control boy's natural energy, schools actively seek to medicate boys into submission. More and more boys and young men are as "diagnosed" as "depressed" and prescribed other strong medications. All of these medications have serious metal-stability side-effects. 4. "Hands-off" parenting / single parenting. Who is installing the moral values in our children and who teaches them their own self-worth and self-respect? Bueller? Bueller? Anyone? Anyone??? 5. The 24-hour new cycle. Fame is momentary, infamy lasts forever and so does the new coverage of events like these.

Ban the weapons because they are ugly and have ominous names like AK47 and AR15 because the media can make hay with terms like that. If the El Paso shooter carried a Yellow and Purple colored gay pride painted rifle would it be less sensational? You bet because the media couldn't spin it. What next ban your neighbor's red car and red speed boat need to be banned because you don't like red that's where this argument goes. It's about freedoms and the left wants to take it away. This is a people problem not a problem with an object.

I often hear clergy, particularly those who lean Left politically, suggest that society needs to do more to stop violence, particularly gun violence. They chalk it up to a failure of government -- which means Republicans who are allegedly beholden to the NRA. If only those nice Democrats would win, we would have a nice civil society. That's the implication anyway. I wondered this: What if all the gun violence is NOT really a failure of government? What if it is NOT the fault of the "NRA-loving GOP"? I wondered: What if all this gun violence is in large part the failure of the Christian church? I mean if the church were out saving souls for Jesus -- and I'm serious about this -- and encouraging those souls to be a force for goodness and love in the world, would we have all this violence? Ultimately the murderers are the ones at fault. They make the choice to pull the trigger on their weapons. But . . . if you're a Christian on this forum . . . and I am one . . . what do we need to do different to change hearts and lives so people do not turn to violence for meaning in life? And I don't mean writing checks to a political organization or sending letters to Congress. That isn't working.

When you understand the planning phase you understand that the elimination of firearms cannot keep a lid on the previous phases. Given a little thought far more destructive means can be found. You'll only make it a sick contest to see who can do it "better" if it was possible to extract all firearms from the equation.

While I was in high school (1956-60) Charlie Starkweather accompanied by his girlfriend Carol Fugate went on a wild killing spree. All the networks, Mutual Radio , John Cameron Swayze several nights in a rrow repeated the news. Starkweather was to be forever known as a mass killer. Four were dead. Things changed for sure. In those days most people, churched and unchurched knew for a fact that if you murdered someone you were on the express to the hottest part of hell. Too many are no longer scared of hell!

There will forever be a 1%er out there that is just so broken. Then ILLEGAL guns are always around. Then pop! goes the mind and people die. It is sad...it has ALWAYS been sad. Then comes the JUDGEMENT. Not here...after here. For some joy;for some torment. Man, a lot of our 'leaders' will be in torment.

People who don’t want to ban assault weapons are very much like people who don’t want to ban late term abortions. Both groups believe that if one part is banned, the entire thing eventually will be banned. I don’t believe in abortion but I don’t think we’re ever going to get back to the time when none were allowed. But banning late term abortions must be done. It is unconscionable for a living child to be murdered. I believe it’s the same with assault weapons. Banning them is not the first step in taking away our guns. It’s the first step in getting them away from madmen who haven’t been diagnosed as such yet. I’m very conservative but I agree with the poster above who questions why an average citizen has access to such a purveyor of mayhem. Okay, machine gun enthusiasts might have to find another outlet for fun. A small price to pay.

Okay #2, you started out pretty good but then you blew it. It's already illegal to threaten an individual, however, the police and society refuse to do anything about it. Your rant about semi-auto rifles shows that you are completely ignorant about the subject. Learn more about the subject of gun ownership before you spout off about the subject.

Actually a very interesting and enlightening article, particularly that those moving toward mass shooting display many of the same personality changes as those contemplating suicide. I'll add that our isolated population and lack of real community contributes to people not noticing the changes before they end in tragedy.

"...not noticing the changes before they end in tragedy." You have to wonder how exactly those changes happen. I'm a "Blank Slate" guy. A human can be emotionally savaged so easily in early youth. All I know is, an innocent heart doesn't get that bitter without help.

Maybe Poster #2 doesn't know it, but owning 'assault' (fully automatic) weapons is already restricted. I was never a fan of the 'black' guns, but thanks to the Kenyan, I now own one, and lots and lots of ammunition. I personally don't see the need for 100 round drum magazines, but that's me. If someone else wants one, so be it. I just have to ask, has anyone been able to find the articles and videos the liberals all made after some Republican congressmen were shot-up at a baseball practice? I can't seem to find them.

I agree with some of what was said above and have a few thoughts: (1) an unmodified, loaded gun next to one's bed or in a drawer or by one's front door that remains undisturbed, will never go off by itself and kill someone. So, clearly, guns alone are not the problem. In some mass shootings, the problem is the sickness of sin and evil in the human mind and heart. For that, there is no political solution. The only remedy is in the blood of Jesus Christ which cleanses us from all sin. (1 John 1:7) For others, it is mental illness and/or related drug treatments. Caring, wise, significant others should be empowered (within constitutional limits) to help them before they hurt themselves or others. (2) Lets' not be in a rush to champion domestic terrorism laws. They can very easily be weaponized to target and persecute anyone who does not accept the progressive democrat-socialist party agenda. Leftists have been predicting the rise of rightwing extremists and white supremacists since 2009. Remember who is on the 2009 DHS list of Americans considered to be "right wing extremists"? Refresh your memory with this summary: http://michellemalkin.com/2009/04/14/confirme-the-obama-dhs-hit-job-on-conservatives-is-real/ . She also has a link to the original report. It was supposedly rescinded. But was it really??? (3) Our culture has abandoned the understanding that each one of us will one day stand before a holy God and give an account for the things we have done and said while we were here on this earth. (2 Corinthians 5:10; Revelation 20:11-13.) It is arrogant to believe oneself to be morally accountable only to oneself and ones' own 'truth'. When every person does what is right in his/her own eyes, and no one is punished for even the most egregious crimes, lawlessness and chaos are the results. (4) And hey Supreme Court! (re: Majority,Opinion/ Supreme Court 1980, Stone v. Graham, 449 U.S. 39 -1980) Posting copies of the Ten Commandments that actually "induce the schoolchildren to read, meditate upon, perhaps to venerate and obey, the Commandments," was not a bad thing and would not have created a state religion. Imagine a 1980's America where children learned to obey the 10 Commandments, love God and treat others as they want to be treated instead of learning situational ethics. And those kids grow up to be parents who continued to embrace their obligations to God, country and their fellow man. It's a dream, I know. But I wonder if, without that decision, our nation would now be in a more peaceful place.