Americans Hopeful This Will Be Last Mass Shooting Before They Stop On Their Own For No Reason

I know The Onion is not exactly an acceptable source for an article on ATS, but in this case their satirical view makes a very good point.

WASHINGTON—Expressing a sense of guarded optimism that the latest incident of gun violence that left 58 dead and 500 injured in Las Vegas would be a turning point for the nation, Americans across the country confirmed Monday they were hopeful this would be the last mass shooting before all such occurrences stopped on their own for no reason at all. “After something as horrific as what happened in Las Vegas, we’re all just hoping that now these terrible shootings will stop once and for all without circumstances changing in any way or any of us taking even the slightest amount of action in response,” said Harrisburg, PA resident David Snyder, echoing the sentiments of tens of millions of citizens from coast to coast who told reporters they were confident that, after living through the most deadly mass shooting in modern American history and taking no material steps to change gun laws, reevaluate safety standards, increase access to mental health care, or even have a national conversation about how mass shootings could be avoided in the future, tragedies of this kind would at long last come to an end.
[and more]

The discussion about gun control is already going strong as with every other mass shooting's aftermath. It will also die down in a week or two.

If gun control (read the second amendment) is not the answer what is?
It would be fair to say millions of law-abiding citizens shouldn't be punished for the deeds of one nutjob. But isn't there middle-ground on the issue? If we take gun control off the table for the sake of the second amendment and gun owners, what alternatives are there? Or is mass shootings (and gun violence) now just part of our daily lives? Just another daily occurrence we have to live with?

People die in cars - car manufacturers make cars safer, speed limits and other road laws are applied by the government and so on.
People die at the work place - better health and safety measures are put in place to protect workers.
Safety measures are put in place wherever human lives are lost.
Except when it comes to guns. Because you know, second amendment.

So leaving the gun control discussions up to the multitude of other threads, what is left? When will this be the last one?

Or are we praying this will finally be the time this issue just disappears forever entirely by itself without anyone doing anything - as The Onion suggests?

originally posted by: [post=22727312]
It would be fair to say millions of law-abiding citizens shouldn't be punished for the deeds of one nutjob.

How is not allowing a regular citizen carry a weapon be considered as a punishment?

Or is mass shootings (and gun violence) now just part of our daily lives? Just another daily occurrence we have to live with?

Yes.

originally posted by: Finspiracy

originally posted by: [post=22727312]
It would be fair to say millions of law-abiding citizens shouldn't be punished for the deeds of one nutjob.

How is not allowing a regular citizen carry a weapon be considered as a punishment?

Or is mass shootings (and gun violence) now just part of our daily lives? Just another daily occurrence we have to live with?

Yes.

You can't outlaw guns. That's against our Constitution.

Next.

a reply to: Gaspode

There will always be evil around no matter what we do, it is human nature. We do not even have to look far. The attack in Nice, France, killed 86 people and injured 458 others, in a country with very tough gun control laws. Guns like a truck is just a tool. Until we have the ability to pick out people with evil intents, these things and worst will keep occurring. Even if there was a way to detect evil intent, Governments would make it illegal because most of the politicians would be ousted.

a reply to: Finspiracy

How is not allowing a regular citizen carry a weapon be considered as a punishment?

Because in the US we have the rights to protect ourselves from those willing to harm us or our family.

originally posted by: Tempter
You can't outlaw guns. That's against our Constitution.

Next.

I am well aware of that. That is the main reason i think your constitution needs a serious update.

Next.

Right now this is looking like the first true mass shooting we've had in quite a while.

The media plays fast and loose with the term and uses it to describe every attack, but Pulse was a terrorist attack more than a mass shooting.

originally posted by: Finspiracy

originally posted by: Tempter
You can't outlaw guns. That's against our Constitution.

Next.

I am well aware of that. That is the main reason i think your constitution needs a serious update.

Next.

Well, shoot! Aren't you glad you dodged that bullet by living in Finland? It's not your issue to worry about.

a reply to: Gaspode

Interesting theory.

Cigarettes kill people every day.
We regulated and taxed the crap out of them.
Still killing more people than guns.

Same can be said for alcohol.

How many people need to die with alcohol as a cause before banning beer?
Drunk drivers kill innocent people too.


Have a drink on me.

originally posted by: joemoe

Because in the US we have the rights to protect ourselves from those willing to harm us or our family.

Yes. Isn't self defense a right almost everywhere? You need firearms for that?

From a person who owns no guns currently, and coming from a country with far more restrictions on firearms than the states, I personally feel that simply owning weapons doesn’t lead to a higher risk of mass shootings.

What the problem is is clearly a mental health issue.

Will restricting access to firearms reduce mass murder? Of course not. Finland, Norway, Sweden and Canada are within the top 12 countries referencing guns per capita, for instance, and all have very low murder rates, particularly with firearms

If a person wants to go on a mass killing spree, they will find a way regardless of restriction.

All restriction does is lessen what law abiding citizens can do, and law abiding citizens done go on murderous rampages.

It’s a matter of mental health

originally posted by: ketsuko
Well, shoot! Aren't you glad you dodged that bullet by living in Finland? It's not your issue to worry about.

No, i am not glad about that. I am not glad about the fact that this Las Vegas incident happened on my home planet. It is my issue to worry about because it makes me frustrated and helpless.

a reply to: Finspiracy

Yes. Isn't self defense a right almost everywhere? You need firearms for that?

Yes ... try using a knife in a gun fight? Or better yet try fighting an enemy invasion or a tyrannical government without firearms.

a reply to: Finspiracy

Considering most of the crimes committed with guns in this country are committed by guns obtained illegally ... you tell me.

Look at Mexico, our southern neighbor who is just over a border as porous as Swiss cheese. They have very, very strict gun laws. Private citizens there can't own them, and yet, they have astronomical rates of gun violence (mostly thanks to Chinese made weapons, not US despite the best efforts of the last admin and Fast and Furious to create that narrative). The cartels who smuggle drugs freely over our border would be more than happy to add gun running to their inventories in the event of any US gun bans.

US criminal gangs will always have more than enough guns, so will US crooks.

originally posted by: Finspiracy

originally posted by: ketsuko
Well, shoot! Aren't you glad you dodged that bullet by living in Finland? It's not your issue to worry about.

No, i am not glad about that. I am not glad about the fact that this Las Vegas incident happened on my home planet. It is my issue to worry about because it makes me frustrated and helpless.

Anders Breevik still managed to kill more in a country with a gun ban.

It's all good. We will learn how to outrun continuous barrages of bullets. Run like cheetas.

I know all of those points. I know second amendment. My point is that guns will always exist, and their mechanics is constantly improved to be more deadly. Criminals will always have them. And the police and the military. I don't think it is a good idea to sell guns and bullets to average Joe because they might snap and then what happened in Vegas will not stay in Vegas anymore, it goes global.

a reply to: Finspiracy

"Regular citizen"?

So there are two types of citizen now? "Regular" and what? "Upgraded"?

Will we be seperate but equal?

originally posted by: bigfatfurrytexan
a reply to: Finspiracy

"Regular citizen"?

So there are two types of citizen now? "Regular" and what? "Upgraded"?

Will we be seperate but equal?

You know what i was saying, this is a futile detail.

a reply to: joemoe

True - man is evil. Been like that since the beginning of time.

But I find it hard to believe that the human race is intelligent enough to land a satellite on a moving comet, create technology that allows us to have the world's information in the palm of our hands, cure smallpox, prevent an Ebola outbreak of Armageddon proportions, but not smart enough to prevent 600 people from being shot by one man?

Setting aside that point, and we focus just on the issue of this (rampage shootings) being a major issue in the USA.

Some Statistics

Summed up by this:


Isn't it time to look at 1. why mass shootings like this are so prevalent in the USA and 2. what can be learned from countries where this is a non-issue?