What will it take to end these senseless school shootings?

[Pea-n-Me]

There is a very simple, easy, cheap, logical way to reduce the number of shootings. You can guess what I'm going to say next. I'm not going there. Like previous posters, I don't want points.

I’m glad posters not even from the USA have all the solutions to our problems! Too bad they won’t say what these easy answers are!

 

[Dan Murphy]

The four young students killed, 14-year-old Hana St. Juliana, 16-year-old Tate Myre, 15 year-old Justin Shilling and 17 year-old Madisyn Baldwin. Their whole lifetimes ahead of them, cut so short. Look at them. 6 other students and 1 teacher wounded.

There have been 48 shootings in K-12 schools this calendar year, 32 of them since August 1st, the start of current school year. For what? Why?

 

[JimMIA]

Yes, interesting there were terrorism charges right away here, while just the opposite with the parade killer - no terrorism Maybe someone can explain the differences?

The only thing I can think is that maybe Michigan law says that ANY attack against a school is terrorism.

 

[LuvOrlando]

I had really hoped that increased access to cyber learning might stop this completely, need to let kids out who aren't doing well socially and let them go in a way without penalty because that's a deterrent.

 

[Neapolitan Ice Cream]

I’m glad posters not even from the USA have all the solutions to our problems! Too bad they won’t say what these easy answers are!

Just out of curiosity, why would the opinion of a foreigner be any less pertinent than the opinion of someone geographically located in your boundaries? I mean, the average IQ for EVERYONE in the world IS 100.

 

[GreatLakes]

The default answer is always guns but there has to be a much bigger root cause. Normal people can be handed a rocket launcher every morning and not kill people with it. Guns have been readily available for a hundred years yet the frequency of shootings has skyrocketed. It was no harder to get a gun in 1992 than it is today yet I was never afraid of a shooting in school. I had family and friends that had unlocked weapons going back as long as I could remember but it never crossed my mind to even pick one up let alone shoot people with it.

I don't own a gun and have no desire to but the root cause isn't guns and the root cause is what needs treated, not a symptom.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Just out of curiosity, why would the opinion of a foreigner be any less pertinent than the opinion of someone geographically located in your boundaries? I mean, the average IQ for EVERYONE in the world IS 100.

Seriously?

 

[lisaviolet]

Students were allowed to hit and assault teachers and the teachers were not allowed to do anything about it.

Oh it is worse than that. They can defend their own bodies during such assaults and have a report on them for the rest of their lives for putting a child's welfare in jeopardy. It is insane.

Because even if you enact all the gun control in the world, it won’t eliminate school violence. The criminal will just switch to another form of violence. Stabbing people, for example. Ok, so then make it against the law for people to carry knives on campus. Good idea. Then the criminal student will switch to pens & pencils and scissors as stabbing weapons. A few years ago at my kids’ school, one girl stabbed another girl in the neck with a pencil. The stabber was expelled. The victim’s parents sued the stabber. The stabber was seriously mentally disturbed. This was a 12 year old kid we’re talking about here.

This is what I will never understand about these discussions. Help me understand.

Where is the middle ground with guns? Of course they can get a knife. Of course they can grab scissors, pencils. Even a handgun with no extras attached.

But in all of those instances there is time. Time to physically get behind a shooter, a stabbing etc. Time to try to catch him off guard. Time to take him down. Even with injuries. Or possible death. But not multiple.deaths and injuries in seconds. Time for authorities. Time to maybe even friggin' think.

Magazines - high rounds - high power = many deaths and injuries. In so little time. Why can there not be more changes in this area?

Why is that such an absolute affront? Guns in your possession, understood. But why no limitations for the greater good?

I agree that in this case if the father did not have his gun properly locked up he should be charged. No need to charge the mother unless it is found that she gave the gun to her son.
Guns being too easy available isn't why kids go and shoot up their school. Nobody sees a gun and suddenly decides to become a mass murderer.
There was a time in the not so distant past where teens would literally drive around with their rifles in their cars, even to school. Talk about easy access- just run out to the parking lot. Or if your school was one that had it's own shooting range just go to your locker and grab it. Yet, school shootings didn't happen.
What has changed in society in the last 30-40 years?

Of course there are other factors. Agreed.

But those guns mentioned could not do the damage of what we are facing here. (He used magazines)

Guns are your right. Got it. Understood. No argument.

But why no middle ground? Because the average person now enjoys their add-ons and/or high powered assault style? Is that all it is? I enjoy, I will never have it stolen? I enjoy and can always be trusted? I enjoy so so what?

 

[lisaviolet]

Seriously?

Yes seriously.

I learn from different perspectives outside of my own wheelhouse daily. So why do you think we have nothing to add?

I read about measures taken in other countries all the time, including yours, and given them great thought. And often see better possibilities beyond what is going on at home.

 

[Neapolitan Ice Cream]

Seriously?

Well, yeah. I mean, if a Brazilian person had an opinion, I'd at least listen to them. Their thoughts are worth nothing less than my own.

 

[lisaviolet]

I don't have an answer. Frankly....after Sandy Hook, when not a dang thing changed after those babies were murdered, I figured it is never going to change.

I am asking questions. I am venting. But this is exactly where I am Jennasis. It truly seems like it has been decided.

With every school shooting I often think of those children. Some with zero chance to live - given the power of the chosen weapon. And like today I feel sick to my stomach.

I don't know how their families do it.

 

[Sinder]

Of course there are other factors. Agreed.

But those guns mentioned could not do the damage of what we are facing here. (He used magazines)

Guns are your right. Got it. Understood. No argument.

But why no middle ground? Because the average person now enjoys their add-ons and/or high powered assault style? Is that all it is? I enjoy, I will never have it stolen? I enjoy and can always be trusted? I enjoy so so what?

There is plenty of middle ground, there are many laws and restrictions on guns already.
If you want more middle ground let's hear some specifics on what you want to do to stop school shootings? I have no problem with common sense gun laws, as long as they utilize common sense. All the gun owners I know would say the same. It isn't an all or nothing, but since it is the government's job to protect our 2A rights and not infringe on them, there needs to laws that make sense not laws that are just there to make people feel good about "doing something". And they can't just punish the 100 of millions of law abiding gun owners out there for doing nothing except exercising our Constitutional rights.

And what exactly is an "assault style" gun?

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Yes seriously.

I learn from different perspectives outside of my own wheelhouse daily. So why do you think we have nothing to add?

I read about measures taken in other countries all the time, including yours, and given them great thought. And often see better possibilities beyond what is going on at home.

Something to add is one thing. Your post above was very good.

These posters claim to have complete solutions that are easy, yet they post cryptically. Not helpful.

 

[longboard55]

Lots of reasons for this and I don’t feel it will stop. The breakdown of families. The idea that a father is not needed in the home, or at all. Folks like Mads and Rosie telling society that fatherless homes is ok. That police are bad. That teachers don’t have to be respected. There are many reason. And it all started 40 to 50 years ago. IMO.

The father bought the gun

 

[prairie_girl]

double post

 

[prairie_girl]

I think this is part of what a pp was referring to when referring to fatherless homes. The days of “Wait till your father gets home” to successfully deter problems weren’t so long ago. I agree that children benefit from perspectives and involvement of both mothers and fathers. But when people try to talk about this, they’re shut down. Oh, and I don’t think the pp was referring just to this case necessarily, but in general.


Hmm, let’s see. Social media and related psychiatric disturbances in children; violent video games; violent movies - for which Hollywood has some ‘splaining to do. Seems if it makes them money, it doesn’t matter much to them. Very hypocritical for them to make violent movies and then speak out about the hazards of guns.


Yes, interesting there were terrorism charges right away here, while just the opposite with the parade killer - no terrorism Maybe someone can explain the differences?


Easy, huh? I wish you’d enlighten us so we can be as informed as you are!

Like I said, which you conveniently left out, is that I don’t want points, so no thank you.

 

[White Cat]

The father bought the gun

No one is disputing that that I have read.

 

[longboard55]

There is plenty of middle ground, there are many laws and restrictions on guns already.
If you want more middle ground let's hear some specifics on what you want to do to stop school shootings? I have no problem with common sense gun laws, as long as they utilize common sense. All the gun owners I know would say the same. It isn't an all or nothing, but since it is the government's job to protect our 2A rights and not infringe on them, there needs to laws that make sense not laws that are just there to make people feel good about "doing something". And they can't just punish the 100 of millions of law abiding gun owners out there for doing nothing except exercising our Constitutional rights.

And what exactly is an "assault style" gun?

Outlaw removable magazines. It would do no harm to responsible gun owners.

 

[mefordis]

The default answer is always guns but there has to be a much bigger root cause. Normal people can be handed a rocket launcher every morning and not kill people with it. Guns have been readily available for a hundred years yet the frequency of shootings has skyrocketed. It was no harder to get a gun in 1992 than it is today yet I was never afraid of a shooting in school. I had family and friends that had unlocked weapons going back as long as I could remember but it never crossed my mind to even pick one up let alone shoot people with it.

I don't own a gun and have no desire to but the root cause isn't guns and the root cause is what needs treated, not a symptom.

To add to this, back in the 70's and 80's kids in our town could go hunting in the morning and go straight to school with their hunting rifles in the back of their cars/trucks. Never once was there a school shooting in our town or any other town that I've heard of. I think something needs to be addressed but I won't say what it is here because I'll get jumped on because it's like a religion for many people.

 

[lisaviolet]

There is plenty of middle ground, there are many laws and restrictions on guns already.
If you want more middle ground let's hear some specifics on what you want to do to stop school shootings? I have no problem with common sense gun laws, as long as they utilize common sense. All the gun owners I know would say the same. It isn't an all or nothing, but since it is the government's job to protect our 2A rights and not infringe on them, there needs to laws that make sense not laws that are just there to make people feel good about "doing something".

And what exactly is an "assault style" gun?

Thank you for sharing. And for giving me some insight on where you are at, and most gun owners. I would no idea how to stop school shootings Sinder, how could I? But the defense of access to what makes a gun more lethal, is beyond important in my eyes.

And please don't jump on my absolute ignorance to use the correct terminology. It is an easy out. I almost did not post because I knew I would of course make a mistake.