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Why are US mass shootings getting more deadly?
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Nik wrote: "Looking at the number of incidents it became almost a daily tragic thing: https://www.nytimes.com/article/mass-...Car accidents are daily too. There insurance companies push for sa..."
The obvious initial step would be to establish laws forbidding the sale of military-style automatic weapons to anyone other than the military or local, State, and Federal law enforcement organizations.
One does not require an automatic weapon to hunt or protect one's home.
Extensive background checks to detect a history of criminal activity, extreme aggressive behavior or mental illness prior to selling any type of firearm should be the next step.
There should also be more widespread need to ensure responsibility. There was the apparently a six year old who took mother's automatic pistol to school and started shooting, I know that is an aberration, but parents should not let a six-year old anywhere near a gun, and it should not be stored fully loaded and ready to fire (or a six-year old should not be shown how to insert a magazine, and prepare it for firing).
Automatic weapons are already restricted under the NFA. Legal transfer requires completion of a full NFA application, background check, approval, and purchase of the relevant tax stamp(s).Considering the number of times that I've heard the pearl clutchers rant about "full semi-automatic assault weapons" and the staggering number of weapons which my government has knowingly placed in the hands of terrorists and drug cartels, I'd rather trust school janitors with shotguns than cede a single round of .22 lr to the politicians.
Ian wrote: "There should also be more widespread need to ensure responsibility. There was the apparently a six year old who took mother's automatic pistol to school and started shooting, I know that is an aber..."Most states (including my own) make it a felony to not safely store firearms in a house with children in it. Strangely, the same is not true of the numerous toxic chemicals in the average home.
There are a lot of people who have guns and who use and store them responsibly. There are people who go on killing sprees and don't use guns.I would probably not ask why mass shootings are getting more deadly and eliminate other mass killings - mass stabbings, running a vehicle into a crowd, releasing poison, etc - I would ask what these mass killers have in common. I think that would be the most helpful strategy - unless there's a reason you don't want to know the answer.
I am starting to wonder whether part of the reason involves the publicity given to the killings. Back when I was young, you never heard of them, so while there were mass murders, they were isolated incidents. I am wondering whether now the publicity is inspiring at least some depressed souls who are feeling suicidal to take out some others with them, "inspired" by previous news.
Nik wrote: "Looking at the number of incidents it became almost a daily tragic thing: https://www.nytimes.com/article/mass-...Car accidents are daily too. There insurance companies push for sa..."
Lock up the bad guys. Get mental health treatment to those that need it.
Well said, Barbara. And I agree with you, Ian. Sometimes news reporting spurs others to do the same, or it serves as a how-to, an educational video of how to commit a crime.And I'd say, Jim, that if the criminal invading your home has an automatic weapon, you'll wish you had one. Outlawing legal sales means that only criminals will have them. Criminals don't care about laws.
Scout wrote: "Well said, Barbara. And I agree with you, Ian. Sometimes news reporting spurs others to do the same, or it serves as a how-to, an educational video of how to commit a crime.And I'd say, Jim, that..."
Scout, in response to your comment in message 309, I offer the following:
During the Vietnam war, the enemy was usually armed with the AK-47 rifle and always fired full-automatic bursts. Within a 4-man U.S. Marine fireteam, only 1 member was designated as an automatic rifleman, the other 3 kept their selector set at semi=automatic. We were taught that, at close range, only 1 round is required to kill someone. Hundreds of hours at the rifle and pistol ranges provided the skillset to support that statement.
I guarantee you that, if I am ever the victim of home invasion, and have the opportunity to fire first, I will fire one round. The home invader will fire none.
Jim wrote: "The obvious initial step would be to establish laws forbidding the sale of military-style automatic weapons to anyone other than the military or local, State, and Federal law enforcement organizations.One does not require an automatic weapon to hunt or protect one's home.
Extensive background checks to detect a history of criminal activity, extreme aggressive behavior or mental illness prior to selling any type of firearm should be the next step...."
What do you mean military style? They are not Military weapons. They are not automatic weapons. Automatic weapons are already heavily regulated. Because they look like a military style, they should be banned? Why, because they are scary looking?
There are already background checks on weapon that look into criminal behavior and mental illness. What do you mean aggressive behavior? Someone can't be an asshole and own a weapon?
As for why someone wants to own a weapon, that is none of your business. They have a right to own a weapon as long they have not broken the or found mental.
Something to think about. You are more likely to be bludgeoned to death than be killed by an assault rifle. Assault rifles account for less than 1% of all shootings. A weapon of any type does not load itself, aim itself, pull its trigger. It is a tool, nothing more. It is the intent behind the tool that matters not the choice of the tool.
So here is a good piece of advice, if you do not like weapons and think no one should own one, lead by example and do not own one.
Whether they are getting more deadly, they may be getting more frequent. One slightly dated report (https://abcnews.go.com/US/116-people-...) ther ehave been 132 mass shootings this year 6 days ago. (Our radio this morning said 146, so if that is true, they are picking up frequency.) 398 teens and children have been killed, while 11,523 have died through gun violence this year so far, although 57% of those are suicides, and there will be a number of accidents in there. There have been 378 killled in "officer involved" shootings, but of course most of those may well include the 132 shooters. There have been 409 "unintentional" shootings, and the mass shootings have accounted for 209 deaths and 563 injuries. The mass shootings fortunately have not been too deadly, although I am far from sure whether the mass shootings have included the children present.Overall, not a pretty sight.
Barbara wrote: "....I would ask what these mass killers have in common. I think that would be the most helpful strategy - unless there's a reason you don't want to know the answer...."What's their common denominator, Barbara, as far as you can tell?
Papaphilly wrote: "...It is the intent behind the tool that matters not the choice of the tool...."It is fairly clear that you object any limitations beyond those already in place and maybe even them too. Wanted to ask whether you see those mass shootings as a problem or is it a non-issue in your opinion? If you do regard it as a problem, are there any solutions that you could see?
Every nation on Planet Earth includes among its inhabitants criminals, the mentally ill, mentally challenged, and self-styled martyrs. The United States experiences many, many more mass killings and gun-related deaths than any other nation. The very obvious defining factor is so many U.S. citizens' obsession with gun ownership, relatively weak gun-related laws, and easy access to guns compared to any other nation.
True, people can also kill with knives, swords, clubs, and stones. However, none of those items are utilized as often or as effectively as guns.
If you are reasonably fit, alert, and are not totally surprised, you can run away from someone with a knife or a sword. You cannot run away from a bullet, and a sniper can kill and you have no real chance of even knowing about it.
Those without guns are at the mercy of those with guns. Therefore many believe that eliminating guns will limit the number of people who can wield said power over others. In their utopia, only the government would be armed. Surely, no government would ever willfully harm its own people...
Nik wrote: "Papaphilly wrote: "...It is the intent behind the tool that matters not the choice of the tool...."It is fairly clear that you object any limitations beyond those already in place and maybe even ..."
Fair question. Every shooting is a problem. Make no mistake. I am not happy about any of them. However, it is also how one defines these shootings. Mass shooting means four or more including the shooter. Most mass shootings are gang related. If you remove this portion, mass shootings are a rarity even by today's standards. Yes, you cannot remove them, but is it not interesting when one looks from a different angle?
Lots of these shooters including the latest trans shooter have mental problems. This matters because the underlying event is not about guns but sick people that did not get the treatment they need for whatever reason. The trans shooter's parents removed the guns from the house and one was hidden from them. Is that the guns fault?
The majority of gun deaths in America is suicide. If you remove suicide from gun deaths, then gun deaths drop in cause precipitously. It is no less tragic, but it is not the problem it is made out to be. Trust me, suicides leave families devastated, including mine.
The reason I have such an issue is that I am tired of all the game playing from the anti-side. They take every gun death and injury and label them all the same to "prove" how unsafe guns are. The perfect example is the assault weapons. They are used less than 1% of gun homicide and virtually unknown in suicide. Yet, when you listen, they are the cause of all mayhem. Why? Because it is easy in a very complex problem.
The link does a pretty good job of explaining the problem.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10HLQ...
There are too many firearms of all types in America to think that banning the sale of any of them will make a difference. According to Bloomberg, the US has 120.5 firearms per 100 residents and is the only country with more civilian-owned firearms than people. We're a country that won our independence by using them, and it's ingrained in us that you should never allow yourself to be disarmed. Subconsciously, many of us, because of our history, feel that government isn't to be trusted and that we have a right to be armed in the eventuality that we need to protect our freedom. I understand that other countries haven't had our experience and may not understand our vehemence.
Condolences to the families of the victims of mass shooting incident in Maine. I didn't check the stats, but prima facia these kind of tragedies happen in the States more often than elsewhere. Is it guns alone or may there be other reasons too?
Graphic - red line is since ban ended. Correlation or causation for numbers increasing? New House Speaker thinks it's bad hearts...https://twitter.com/NoLieWithBTC/stat...
Probably a combination of the 2, Philip. More big incidents due to end of ban but that doesn't account for increase in smaller incidents, Those are probably down to an increasingly unhappy and dysfunctional society.
You don't get this problem in China.
Do you, Scout? 😏
You don't get this problem in China.
Do you, Scout? 😏
Something about Tiananmen Square in 1989...
J. wrote: "Something about Tiananmen Square in 1989..."Or Tibet, or.... different thread I think.
Checks calendar on watch...
I'm afraid you're clutching at straws, chaps.
I'm afraid you're clutching at straws, chaps.
Widespread deployment of weapons like the AR-15 style rifle is a obvious cause. Having trained on the M-15 while in the Army, I can state that without a doubt, widespread use of these among civilians will result on rolling disasters. Just a matter of time before it comes to your town.
Doesn't account for the increase in smaller incidents too though, James.
If someone kicks in your door and bludgeons your family to death with a framing hammer, was the hammer the cause?
No, which is why I drew attention to the increase in smaller incidents too. It's partly down to changes in society.
That said, a bad guy would struggle to kills tens of people in 1 incident with a hammer.
That said, a bad guy would struggle to kills tens of people in 1 incident with a hammer.
As a comparator and why those of us this side of the pond struggle with US accepatncehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...
There have been 8 mass shooting in UK defined as 4 injured or more since 1 Jan 2020. That's right 8. With 7 deaths total (6 in one). There were 9 in the 2010s with 17 deaths and only one in the 2000s killing 2.
US has had 17 mass shooting in October this year and the month is not finished.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...
I think it might be more than just the guns. It's some kind of a psychic hatred when one decides he's going suicide and wants to take as much as possible with him. Like a pilot intentionally crashing a plane full of people
We had one of those recently.Off-duty pilot who tried to cut engines told police he experimented with mushrooms, complaint says
https://abc7news.com/alaska-airlines-...
And sadly, the worst mass casualty event in US history wasn't done with guns, assault or otherwise. It was done with box cutters.
World, Writing, Wealth
Books mentioned in this topic
A Republic, If You Can Keep It (other topics)The Gulag Archipelago 1918–1956 (other topics)
The Diary of Anne Frank (other topics)
Quotations from Chairman Mao Tse-tung: Mao’s Little Red Book Original Version (other topics)
Car accidents are daily too. There insurance companies push for safety measures (not that it solves the problem), but maybe diminishes fatal results.
Any solutions for those shootings?