I am putting this here not just because of today, but because of a long term problem that started decades ago.
First off there are lots of aspects to a given society that will combine to make it either more stable and less violent, or when neglected, make it less stable and more violent. If all sides involved say they want less violence, then meeting cost of living and health care are a big key in getting to a less violent more economically stable society.
But, 36 years ago, Reagan started the age of deregulation and "don't tax the rich" and since then the pay gap has exploded between the top and the rest. This also has to do with guns because like any other product, a business sets out to gain profits and shareholders and expand their market. Most marketing, of any product takes one of two paths, it either sells through appeals to vanity or fear.
"You'll look great in this sports car" is the vanity side, but the same with makeup and even beer "Drink this and you will be the life of the party". Fear sells anything too, "If you don't buy this, something bad might happen to you". "Check your credit or you might not be able to get a loan". "Buy this zit cream or your face will break out".
There was a time long ago when the NRA was sane back when it started. But, it got hijacked by a greedy few looking to make money being another corporate lobby. So you may be wondering by now, "What does the word motive have to do with any of what you just said?"
Just like any other product, when you paint a narrative it can lead a person to buy that product being motivated by vanity or fear. In the case of firearms the media gets easy ratings by talking about motives with cliche's like "bullied teen", "begrudged worker", "mentally ill", "Terrorist", or "gang violence". Now framed like that, who wouldn't want something to protect themselves from all that right? BAM, instant market preying on the fears of society whom currently in the middle class and working poor, don't make enough.
The GOP/NRA for 36 years have pulled the same con, create a needless problem, and sell a solution that does not work, and for nothing more than the worship of profit.
It does not matter to me this time the guy was a democrat. What matters is that in the case of all types of public shootings be they from mentally ill, begrudged worker, terrorist, ect ect, what matters in all these cases is they all got access to firearms. The fear marketing of the gun lobby heat shield and the 36 years of "you are a commie if you question the private sector" is why things like this keep happening.
If the news media would stop focusing on motive, and start focusing on gun injury/death statistics, that would go a long way in reducing events like this. Dead is dead no matter what the motive of the killer is, the victim's status will not change because it was a domestic murder, bullied teen, begrudged worker, political or religious. The real issue not enough people want to focus on, or flat out ignore is the amount we make and ease of access.
First off there are lots of aspects to a given society that will combine to make it either more stable and less violent, or when neglected, make it less stable and more violent. If all sides involved say they want less violence, then meeting cost of living and health care are a big key in getting to a less violent more economically stable society.
But, 36 years ago, Reagan started the age of deregulation and "don't tax the rich" and since then the pay gap has exploded between the top and the rest. This also has to do with guns because like any other product, a business sets out to gain profits and shareholders and expand their market. Most marketing, of any product takes one of two paths, it either sells through appeals to vanity or fear.
"You'll look great in this sports car" is the vanity side, but the same with makeup and even beer "Drink this and you will be the life of the party". Fear sells anything too, "If you don't buy this, something bad might happen to you". "Check your credit or you might not be able to get a loan". "Buy this zit cream or your face will break out".
There was a time long ago when the NRA was sane back when it started. But, it got hijacked by a greedy few looking to make money being another corporate lobby. So you may be wondering by now, "What does the word motive have to do with any of what you just said?"
Just like any other product, when you paint a narrative it can lead a person to buy that product being motivated by vanity or fear. In the case of firearms the media gets easy ratings by talking about motives with cliche's like "bullied teen", "begrudged worker", "mentally ill", "Terrorist", or "gang violence". Now framed like that, who wouldn't want something to protect themselves from all that right? BAM, instant market preying on the fears of society whom currently in the middle class and working poor, don't make enough.
The GOP/NRA for 36 years have pulled the same con, create a needless problem, and sell a solution that does not work, and for nothing more than the worship of profit.
It does not matter to me this time the guy was a democrat. What matters is that in the case of all types of public shootings be they from mentally ill, begrudged worker, terrorist, ect ect, what matters in all these cases is they all got access to firearms. The fear marketing of the gun lobby heat shield and the 36 years of "you are a commie if you question the private sector" is why things like this keep happening.
If the news media would stop focusing on motive, and start focusing on gun injury/death statistics, that would go a long way in reducing events like this. Dead is dead no matter what the motive of the killer is, the victim's status will not change because it was a domestic murder, bullied teen, begrudged worker, political or religious. The real issue not enough people want to focus on, or flat out ignore is the amount we make and ease of access.
