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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsI'm having a hard time with the distinction being made between political & apolitical mass shootings
Why does the reason or the catalyst even matter? Each mass shooting is equally vile and disgusting, although the ones involving children are, in my opinion, the most horrific. It feels like the world is only interested in applying bandaids without addressing the root problem.
MousePlayingDaffodil
(748 posts)If the "reason" for the shooting doesn't "matter," then what do you mean by "addressing the root problem"?
LanternWaste
(37,748 posts)How does one find a fundamental solution to a problem if there are more variables than constants?
apples and oranges
(1,451 posts)MousePlayingDaffodil
(748 posts)... that the "root" of the "problem" of mass shootings is the mere existence of the weapons by which the shootings are perpetrated? That the cause of violence is the existence of the means of violence?
If so, I'm pretty sure that that's got the thing almost perfectly backwards.
cali
(114,904 posts)particularly for the victims and their families, but of course there are differences. the societal ramifications are different- again, not necessarily worse or less profound. And how can one address the root causes of various forms of mass shootings without understanding them? That means understanding the motivation.
frazzled
(18,402 posts)It's true that all mass murders are tragic and despicable. That said, it doesn't mean they're all the same, or that the same considerations or solutions apply to them.
In the case of school shootings in this country, we can say that these are the acts of individuals, usually mentally disturbed ones. The shootings are not done with a societal or ideological agenda (there may be a purported one, but it's always twisted--not a true ideological one disseminated throughout a culture, with other adherents). They're the acts of desperate and mentally unbalanced persons. What we need to address here is better education about mental illness and better treatment, as well as ways to prevent firearms from getting into the hands of such individuals. Beyond that, it's impossible for a government to predict who will commit one of these tragic crimes.
In the case of an Oklahoma City, or a World Trade Center, or the recent targeted killings at Charlie Hebdo and the kosher store--these acts have been done by organized groups of people, well trained in militia tactics, and with recruitment efforts that attract more adherents to their ideological positions. And therefore, there is the possibility for further acts. These killings are done by reasoned people with a societal (not personal) agenda and stated aims. They are meant to be warnings to society: act this way or believe this way, and you will be killed. These acts are committed by groups, not individuals (whether a homegrown right-wing militia or an international Al Qaeda or ISIS organ). They are done in the name of an ideology to counter the positions of governments or institutions. Or, in the case of all the murders, rapes, and beheadings in Syria and Iraq--to kill people who have a different form of worship or belief. What we need to address here is preventing young men from joining these groups, exposing the falseness of the ideologies ... and yes, sadly, performing the needed intelligence to prevent the acts in the first place, where possible.
It's sort of like this. Your neighbor is murdered by her husband. That's sad and horrific. Your governor is assassinated by a member of a right-wing militia group that opposes its politics. That is a threat to your entire state.
apples and oranges
(1,451 posts)convinced that the Paris terrorists weren't lone wolfs, considering one guy said he was with Al Qaeda Yemen and the other said they were with ISIS.
pampango
(24,692 posts)related largely by mental illness, society needs to deal with mental illness. If it is related to politics or religion or race/ethnicity, we should be aware of that too.
The answers to preventing mass shootings are complex but we need to try to understand what causes each of them.