NEWTOWN, CONNECTICUT SCHOOLS IN LOCKDOWN AFTER SHOOTING AT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

[JimandChristy 1,689]

For comparison purposes, since Columbine there have been 31 school shootings in America and across the rest of the world there have been 14....

[Usui Takumi 1,562]

My assessment of US gun violence is as follows:

There are three divisions of gun violence.

1. Gang violence, and violence related to drug and sex trafficking - this is probably half of all such crimes

2. Violence through relationships, i.e. domestic violence etc.

3. Mental Health violence - rare but often there are warning signs that go unheeded.

When you jump to another nation with gun ownership similar to ours like say Switzerland, 1 and 3 are typically missing or much lower.

This current situation is a bit unique because it appears to be both 2 & 3 where as Portland and Aurora are likely 3. In fact, I question whether James Holmes cried for help prior to his attack but was partially ignored.

[JimandChristy 1,689]

My assessment of US gun violence is as follows:

There are three divisions of gun violence.

1. Gang violence, and violence related to drug and sex trafficking - this is probably half of all such crimes

2. Violence through relationships, i.e. domestic violence etc.

3. Mental Health violence - rare but often there are warning signs that go unheeded.

When you jump to another nation with gun ownership similar to ours like say Switzerland, 1 and 3 are typically missing or much lower.

This current situation is a bit unique because it appears to be both 2 & 3 where as Portland and Aurora are likely 3. In fact, I question whether James Holmes cried for help prior to his attack but was partially ignored.

Agree, point number three I made a few posts back, access to mental health care/health care in this country is severely restricted (Due to cost) and that's why these senseless mass killings are so frequent in the USA.

[The Nature Boy 4,224]

My assessment of US gun violence is as follows:

There are three divisions of gun violence.

1. Gang violence, and violence related to drug and sex trafficking - this is probably half of all such crimes

2. Violence through relationships, i.e. domestic violence etc.

3. Mental Health violence - rare but often there are warning signs that go unheeded.

When you jump to another nation with gun ownership similar to ours like say Switzerland, 1 and 3 are typically missing or much lower.

This current situation is a bit unique because it appears to be both 2 & 3 where as Portland and Aurora are likely 3. In fact, I question whether James Holmes cried for help prior to his attack but was partially ignored.

You made some good points, but going back to when I was a kid, there was basically almost no mental health care and ZERO gun control, but yet we had none of this.. What has changed. I don't claim to have an answer. However if it were strictly Mental health care and Guns this kind of thing would have been the norm back in the 60's and 70's

[JimandChristy 1,689]

You made some good points, but going back to when I was a kid, there was basically almost no mental health care and ZERO gun control, but yet we had none of this.. What has changed. I don't claim to have an answer. However if it were strictly Mental health care and Guns this kind of thing would have been the norm back in the 60's and 70's

Hmmmm....possibly because of stress and the fast paced society we currently live in?? Which in turn leads into an increase in the likelihood of mental illness? Looking at the list of school shootings in the USA, it seemed to really take off in terms of frequency in the late 1980s/early 1990s.

Edited December 14, 2012 by JimandChristy

[chaine1 116]

Been lurking around this thread...just found this article and thought I'd add it to the discussion.

Mythbusting: Israel and Switzerland are not gun-toting utopias

I wish it was more developed, but it does cast doubt on the popular thought that gun ownership in Switzerland is just as easy as the USA.

[MyLittlePony 340]

I think we should take away freedoom of speech and the right to vote while we are at it. Force it

Just keep the guns out of citizens hands they are not mature enough to handle one.

[Harsh_77 716]

For comparison purposes, since Columbine there have been 31 school shootings in America and across the rest of the world there have been 14....

There has been more drug abuse in American school as well, prob more bullying problem at schools too but the main question is what is leading kids to take such an action.

Like this one seemed there was some family problem as kid shot her own mother and kids in her class.

[rade2rising 205]

Been lurking around this thread...just found this article and thought I'd add it to the discussion.

Mythbusting: Israel and Switzerland are not gun-toting utopias

I wish it was more developed, but it does cast doubt on the popular thought that gun ownership in Switzerland is just as easy as the USA.

so if that is the case then how do you solve the issue of these massacres? what is your solution? tell us.

I noticed NRA lovers never offer any solution to gun violence. they only argue about their right to bear arms. No one is taking that away from you but please speak on the issue of gun violence and what needs to be done to reduce it.

[Harsh_77 716]

Just keep the guns out of citizens hands they are not mature enough to handle one.

Really....... citizens cannot handle guns?

[Usui Takumi 1,562]

Okay, more details.

The firearms were the mother's. If he had a known mental illness, she may have broken the law by not securing the firearms if he lived with her.

(This may just be a California law, not Federal)

Edited December 14, 2012 by Sousuke

[Harsh_77 716]

so if that is the case then how do you solve the issue of these massacres? what is your solution? tell us.

I noticed NRA lovers never offer any solution to gun violence. they only argue about their right to bear arms. No one is taking that away from you but please speak on the issue of gun violence and what needs to be done to reduce it.

There are other reason to the gun violence... when a son shoots her own mother there is something far more serious going on in the background.

Our culture has developed such where more and more violene is accpeted, just look at the movies, videogames etc.

[Harsh_77 716]

Hmmmm....possibly because of stress and the fast paced society we currently live in?? Which in turn leads into an increase in the likelihood of mental illness? Looking at the list of school shootings in the USA, it seemed to really take off in terms of frequency in the late 1980s/early 1990s.

Yes our fast paced lives, parents dont have time to spend with their children.

How many days does normally ppl in Europe have for vaccation compared to US where they can go out with family or by themself destress and return back to everyday life.

How many hours an average American works compared to someone in rest of the world... definately adds stress to the ones own life and families life.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

What is the root cause in your opinion?

People not fit to handle firearms having easy and ready access to firearms. That's the root cause.

I don't want to throw either. What does that make me?

A freak.

[chaine1 116]

so if that is the case then how do you solve the issue of these massacres? what is your solution? tell us.

I noticed NRA lovers never offer any solution to gun violence. they only argue about their right to bear arms. No one is taking that away from you but please speak on the issue of gun violence and what needs to be done to reduce it.

huh? How does me posting this article lead you to believe that I am an NRA lover?! If the tables were turned, I think I'd conclude the opposite!

I'm not offering solutions, because I have none. This problem, in my opinion, is way bigger than can be addressed in an online forum. So, so, many variables. I do think it has something to do with the lack of a sense of community in the USA, a lack of feeling like you belong to something, or somewhere. That you have important responsibilities to someone or something.

I dunno.