'No Way To Prevent This,' says Only Nation Where This Regularly Happens

Another school shooting in rural Georgia today. Sad times. 

We need more prayers.
We need to pray these elected officials who refuse to even start working on gun reforms get VOTED OUT in the next election. That is what we should be praying for.
Let us pray they all get sent packing.
 

I hate to be the ass here….but how’s drug reform working? Gun reform will do what exactly? Stricter laws won’t stop anyone who has the means from getting one. I don’t care if you extend the background check or whatever to however long. As a law abiding citizen, I’m fine with that. The ATF has my picture and prints on file. Nothing to hide here. Bottom line is gun reform will accomplish exactly nothing. 

you’re not being an ass. maybe pessimistic and also drawing a lazy parallel to drugs. 

the path out of this mess is long and multi pronged.  the 2nd amendment interpretations grant attitudes that prevent open minds. 

the problem is everyone picking apart every gun scenario separately to show how it can be defeated then saying “we well we cant do that so lets shift the blame”

yes there are mental health items to do. yes there are marketing issues to fix. yes there are glorifications of violence in society. yes there are adults that are careless with storage and access by children and tempered or drunk adults. yes there are unnecessarily high powered weapons that only exist to feed an arms race for an imaginary war fueled by fear and fantasy.  yes there are crime cultures where bad people have guns around all the time.

so the focus isnt on one thing— unless the one thing is “get our heads out of our ass and agree we will all be better off if we try and do 20 things with as little whining as possible.”

In this case the shooters father is being charged with 4 counts of manslaughter by the state of Georgia. Personally I don't see the thrill or utility of owning a 5.56mm in  either bolt or semi automatic. In most states it is illegal to hunt with that caliber, or it was back when I used to hunt. My current rifle, if I were to take it up again, is a 6.5 Creedmoor bolt action. In addition I have one pump shotgun, 1 .22 target pistol and 1 0.40 pistol. None of which have been fired in years. Add to that it is illegal to give an underaged person cigarettes, alcohol, drugs, or guns. Most states allow minor use of alcohol or use(not possession) of firearms if under direct parental supervision at the time of use. 
One question is if the FBI was notified of the comments of this person in the Discord server, why did they not at least contact the parents? Another is with minors in the house, why weren't the firearms under lock and key?

ColbyLang said:

I hate to be the ass here…. .... Gun reform will do what exactly? Stricter laws won’t stop anyone who has the means from getting one. .... Bottom line is gun reform will accomplish exactly nothing. 

If you asked me that question, I'd have to say, "I don't know".  The US has, by far, the worst civilian gun violence problem on the planet, and it compares quite starkly to other countries, with different local situations:

- Is it our culture of violence that makes the US more susceptible?  Japan's love of violent video games dwarfs our own (no idea about movies, etc); gun ownership is legal in Japan but very highly regulated (dare I say "well-regulated"?)  Mass shootings are nearly unheard-of in Japan.
 
- Is it our access to firearms that makes the US more susceptible?  While we have more firearms than citizens in the US, every single household in Sweden has a firearm; it's required, by law (having over 2,500 miles of border with Russia changes things).  Mass shootings are nearly unheard-of in Sweden.  
 
- Is it our ease of purchase/local manufacture of firearms in the US, making us more susceptible?  Gun ownership, and manufacture, in Mexico is illegal; but their gun violence is very frightening to them and close to our own (again, google "the iron river").  To be fair, their shootings involve drug turfs and money flows, not schoolchildren.  
 
- Is our lack of mental health care making us more susceptible?  I don't have a good feel/read on that at all.  
 
 
So, what kind of gun reform, in this country, would accomplish anything?  Would it make sense to establish a worldwide study of all these countries, compare/contrast all the different factors, and come up with a logical plan?  Yes, yes it would, and in fact it's been tried many times over the years.  But, surprise-surprise, the NRA immediately quashed any such plans, and ordered their lackeys in congress to vote against any such studies.  Every time.  The NRA (who preach "a good guy with a gun" but require metal detectors for their own conventions) have weakened in power lately, and along with the flushing of the trumplicans I'm hoping for in two months, may get a study like this pushed thru.  As a retired military guy and lifelong republican, I fully support the 2nd Amendment, including the phrase "well-regulated", the gun nuts do not (the trumplicans also ignore the Constitutional requirements about insurrectionists holding office, but whatever).  
 
@ColbyLang, you are not an ass for asking a legitimate question; I've tried to give you my best answer.  fwiw.  
 

DoubleEgger said:

@ColbyLang

https://ohiocapitaljournal.com/2022/06/15/did-the-assault-weapons-ban-of-1994-bring-down-mass-shootings-heres-what-the-data-tells-us/

I’m not saying reform isn’t the answer. I’m saying broad stroke reform gets us no where. You can’t come up and ban all semi autos. You have to have specifics. The gun industry is very good at finding the loopholes. You wanna know why they sell so many AR’s or MSRs as they’re now called? Marketing

YukonRon said:

The second amendment is not a biblical commandment. Breaking down each sentence, will provide opportunity for better definition and opportunity to study for a stronger approach to lawfully owning firearms.

I support those who wish to instill change for our country and remain willing to abide by the law. I am a gun owner; in fact, I own several. I am also a lifelong registered republican (I have not voted Republican since Reagan shook hands with Falwell and brought the cult of evangelical hypocrisy into the GOP).

I am often reminded by those that oppose any changes in the philosophy of gun control; cars can kill people much more rapidly and efficiently than a gun. Which, yes, driving into a crowd will likely lead to such a scenario. however, they have yet to drive into a classroom to do so. Also, automobiles are registered you have to pass a drivers test, you have to have insurance, you must reapply for your license, and so much more, than you have with weapons. not a great argument for the sanctity of guns.

Standing back, believing nothing will change is ensuring nothing will change. I hope serious efforts are deployed, eventually get through the painful parts, and we move forward.

As long as the number 1 cause of death for our children is gun related, it should be a call to every citizen of the USA to jettison selfish attitudes, and strive for change, immediately.

I don't own Guns but for ever reason this made me think of drones and self driving car bombs. Things will probably be worse in the not so distant future

Legume said:

Colorado doing something.

@Legume - That is a forward thinking and rational measure on many levels.

Gulfcoastguy said:

And done on a state by state basis.

Is that better? 

DoubleEgger said:

That’s the exact same thing that was done with cigarette tax money. I don’t remember voting to do it with the heaters. 

Shockingly, the constitution doesn't address cigarettes. Maybe Moses Mike can get started on addressing that.