Evelien wrote:Don't these shootings make you wish that guns weren't so easily available in your country?
YES!!!!
All the other factors are true too, but in other countries where guns are not so readily available you don't see these mass shootings happening, nor do you see nearly as much gun violence going on in smaller incidents either.
What drives me nuts are these people saying things like "If you enforce gun control then the criminals will still get guns and everyone else is an easy target".
The thing is these huge tragedies are kids or mentally ill people getting the guns from their relatives, who may not even have mental issues so just screening for mental issues or criminal background for gun control won't help. This guy got the 4 guns from his mother! What is an elementary school teacher doing owning 4 guns?!
And the gun nuts who say we just need to teach children properly about gun safety and respecting fire arms are full of it too, because again, that won't help these situations that are popping up everywhere. These people know perfectly well how deadly guns are and went out there with the intent to kill. These were obviously no accidents.
Also no matter how readily available psychiatric help may be or how little stigma may be attached to it, some mentally ill people will ALWAYS slip through the cracks. Some are just resistant to treatment, some don't even realize that there is something wrong with them. Even people who are getting help snap. So that's not a catch-all for prevention.
A few people have finally begun to acknowledge that even though they enjoy hunting and owning guns, in light of situations like this... so many young children being senselessly murdered... it may actually be time for a change. I think the fact that these were such young children is starting to wake up more people. *crosses fingers*