What Americans blame most for mass shootings (Hint: it’s not gun laws)

[Anomalism]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...me-mental-health-failures-for-mass-shootings/

Regular mass shootings have brought the issue repeatedly to the nation's front pages. As of Oct. 1, 294 mass shootings have occurred in 2015 (defined as an incident where four or more people are killed or injured by gunfire). But while many have called for stricter gun laws in their wake, the Post-ABC poll finds far more point to problems treating people with mental health issues. By a more than 2-to-1 margin, more people say mass shootings reflect problems identifying and treating people with mental health problems rather than inadequate gun control laws (63 percent to 23 percent).

 

[MaggieD]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...me-mental-health-failures-for-mass-shootings/

Regular mass shootings have brought the issue repeatedly to the nation's front pages. As of Oct. 1, 294 mass shootings have occurred in 2015 (defined as an incident where four or more people are killed or injured by gunfire). But while many have called for stricter gun laws in their wake, the Post-ABC poll finds far more point to problems treating people with mental health issues. By a more than 2-to-1 margin, more people say mass shootings reflect problems identifying and treating people with mental health problems rather than inadequate gun control laws (63 percent to 23 percent).

That is good news, actually.

 

[OrphanSlug]

With any hope, this will lead to more productive conversation over the tired mentality of only looking at the tools used.

 

[TurtleDude]

With any hope, this will lead to more productive conversation over the tired mentality of only looking at the tools used.

sadly, since most banoids in office and those who spend a fair amount of time pushing for gun restrictions are not actually motivated by public safety concerns but rather other more pernicious desires, I doubt it

 

[betuadollar]

Family counseling and mental health are a huge business today, with an incredible amount of abuse, so I wouldn't expect anything productive to come out of those conversations.

 

[Crimefree]

With any hope, this will lead to more productive conversation over the tired mentality of only looking at the tools used.

The only way that is going to happen is if firearm owners do a better job of public education than gun control. Nothing speaks louder to government than VOTES. People willing to stand on principle becasue they know it is right are what is really needed. That takes education. Public education.

 

[CaptainCourtesy]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...me-mental-health-failures-for-mass-shootings/

Regular mass shootings have brought the issue repeatedly to the nation's front pages. As of Oct. 1, 294 mass shootings have occurred in 2015 (defined as an incident where four or more people are killed or injured by gunfire). But while many have called for stricter gun laws in their wake, the Post-ABC poll finds far more point to problems treating people with mental health issues. By a more than 2-to-1 margin, more people say mass shootings reflect problems identifying and treating people with mental health problems rather than inadequate gun control laws (63 percent to 23 percent).

I've been saying this for quite some time. Guns aren't the issue. Poor mental health treatment and the stigma attached to mental health treatment is.

 

[joG]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...me-mental-health-failures-for-mass-shootings/

Regular mass shootings have brought the issue repeatedly to the nation's front pages. As of Oct. 1, 294 mass shootings have occurred in 2015 (defined as an incident where four or more people are killed or injured by gunfire). But while many have called for stricter gun laws in their wake, the Post-ABC poll finds far more point to problems treating people with mental health issues. By a more than 2-to-1 margin, more people say mass shootings reflect problems identifying and treating people with mental health problems rather than inadequate gun control laws (63 percent to 23 percent).

The thing is that a majority might change the law. It will not change the facts. And they say that the level of ownership of guns in the population does not seem to support the notion that reduced ownership will reduce the number of murders. It would be another breech of the Constitution.

Now the liberals might think that the Constitution is deplorable and needs reinterpretation. They like Newspeak and use it happily to allow the state to act against citizens' rights. But that is the main reason why the right to bear arms was included in the document in the first place. And I would think that should overrule anything else. We do not want a majority dictatorship. We want majority democracy.

 

[dimensionallava]

good thing republicans want to end funding for mental health care


.....damn schizophrenics want medical treatment they should just get a job and pay for it like the rest of us!!!!

 

[QuadpolarNutjob]

i blame democrats, their endless crusade to disarm the American people and bring forth their agenda of communist-style genocide, has succeeded in creating large areas of the country where self defense is illegal.

 

[dimensionallava]

i blame democrats, their endless crusade to disarm the American people and bring forth their agenda of communist-style genocide

that sounds perfectly reasonable

 

[CaptainCourtesy]

good thing republicans want to end funding for mental health care


.....damn schizophrenics want medical treatment they should just get a job and pay for it like the rest of us!!!!

i blame democrats, their endless crusade to disarm the American people and bring forth their agenda of communist-style genocide, has succeeded in creating large areas of the country where self defense is illegal.

Excellent. Back to back posts by two partisans who have no interest in looking at solutions, but would much prefer just to blame the other guy and sit around and do NOTHING. Good job.

 

[dimensionallava]

Excellent. Back to back posts by two partisans who have no interest in looking at solutions, but would much prefer just to blame the other guy and sit around and do NOTHING. Good job.

heres my solution increase funding for mental healthcare, but we can't because that would be government spending. Therefore a discussion about the solution is pointless.

 

[CaptainCourtesy]

heres my solution increase funding for mental healthcare, but we can't because that would be government spending. Therefore a discussion about the solution is pointless.

Good. I applaud you for at least coming up with a solution.

 

[le bouffon]

This is why a single payer system would be a viable option, or something to be explored.

Norway and Switzerland have a large percentage of their populations owning firearms, but gun violence is substantially lower in those countries, per capita, than in the United States. A safety net, which provides adequate funding to mental health and family counseling initiatives would accessible to anyone, regardless of income. This should appeal to the far right, as a single payer system wouldn't threaten "to take away their guns" and this would open up competition between the government healthcare system and the private insurance sector, as seen in Spain, for example. This helps drive down the price of insurance premiums. This should appease the left, as the social issue would be addressed.

However, I'm not holding my breath when it comes to Congressional consensus on this.

 

[dimensionallava]

Good. I applaud you for at least coming up with a solution.

well what did you think the other solutions were?

 

[CaptainCourtesy]

well what did you think the other solutions were?

There are a variety of ways to look at increasing funding or access for mental health treatment. Though it's a general solution, it's not a simple one.

 

[dimensionallava]

There are a variety of ways to look at increasing funding or access for mental health treatment. Though it's a general solution, it's not a simple one.

It is a general solution, but any meaningful change would require a dramatic increase in spending on something that republicans are actively cutting funding for.

 

[Alyssa T.]

Well, if this is mainly a mental health issue, then how are these sick people getting access to all those guns to shoot people? Isn't there a problem with both? This can't just be a single issue problem, right?

 

[Anomalism]

Well, if this is mainly a mental health issue, then how are these sick people getting access to all those guns to shoot people? Isn't there a problem with both? This can't just be a single issue problem, right?

What liberals apparently haven't learned from prohibition and the drug war is that when you make a high demand item illegal or difficult to obtain all you've done is give the black market an opportunity to make a lot of money. Those guns will be out there and somebody will be selling them. Gun laws and regulations simply determine who will be selling them.

 

[Alyssa T.]

What liberals apparently haven't learned from prohibition and the drug war is that when you make a high demand item illegal all you've done is give the black market an opportunity to make a lot of money. Those guns will be out there and somebody will be selling them. All laws and regulations do is determine who will be selling them.

So, are you saying we just shouldn't do anything about guns at all then? They have played a very important role in the mass "shootings" discussed in the OP.

 

[Anomalism]

So, are you saying we just shouldn't do anything about guns at all then? They have played a very important role in the mass "shootings" discussed in the OP.

If doing something means making certain guns illegal or more difficult to obtain then no, we shouldn't do anything. You're using the wrong method to try to fix the problem. Being hard on guns will not stop lunatics from obtaining them and killing people. Would you prefer they buy them legally or would you rather empower the black market?

 

[Alyssa T.]

If doing something means making certain guns illegal or more difficult to obtain then no, we shouldn't do anything. You're using the wrong method to try to fix the problem. Being hard on guns will not stop lunatics from obtaining them and killing people. Would you prefer they buy them legally or would you rather empower the black market?

I would rather make it as difficult as possible for lunatics to find a gun.

 

[Dragonfly]

heres my solution increase funding for mental healthcare, but we can't because that would be government spending. Therefore a discussion about the solution is pointless.

Good. I applaud you for at least coming up with a solution.

Decriminalize marijuana on a federal and state level for all states, towns, and provinces.
Make it legal for recreational use on equal footing with alcohol.

Use the money saved to fund mental health care.

Tax the sales of marijuana and use the tax money received for mental health care.

 

[Anomalism]

I would rather make it as difficult as possible for lunatics to find a gun.

Somebody is going to sell that lunatic that gun regardless of what the law says.