Best article I have read on what can and cannot be done to prevent shooting tragedies

[vito]

Long article, but well worth reading. http://www.thedailybeast.com/article...-massacre.html

[Patriot86]

Good article but you had better post a short summer or they might lock this thread for a "drive by"

[Technosavant]

The TL;DR version of the article:

- The assorted proposed gun control laws might somewhat reduce these tragedies, but will not and can not stop them.
- Improved social services for mental illness might somewhat reduce these tragedies, but even in this particular instance it did nothing; there was all the help possible that was available, and it was unsuccessful.
- Therefore, continued tragedies are unfortunately not just likely, but certain.
- The one thing that might have any kind of reasonable effect would be a confiscatory ban. That is not only not going to be attainable for reasons of public support or constitutional reasons, but it itself is not going to be fully effective.
- Ultimately, there is no excellent answer to the problem of violence in our society.

While the author and I would differ on what we consider reasonable laws to pass, I think she is likely correct- the core causes are more insidious than simple social safety nets and inanimate objects, and not likely changed without stepping on yet other rights (not just gun rights). All we can do is figure out what can be done when the next evil whackjob begins to put his plans into effect.

[Armorer-at-Law]

She addresses almost all the options, including:

I'd also like us to encourage people to gang rush shooters, rather than following their instincts to hide; if we drilled it into young people that the correct thing to do is for everyone to instantly run at the guy with the gun, these sorts of mass shootings would be less deadly, because even a guy with a very powerful weapon can be brought down by 8-12 unarmed bodies piling on him at once. Would it work? Would people do it? I have no idea; all I can say is that both these things would be more effective than banning rifles with pistol grips.

yet she still omits any discussion of removing the laws that prohibit people in schools who are responsible for the safety of the children from having effecting defensive tools.

[8MM Mauser]

yet she still omits any discussion of removing the laws that prohibit people in schools who are responsible for the safety of the children from having effecting defensive tools.

She almost got there. But not quite... Very articulate article and I respect her for putting up facts in a sea of emotion.

[jimbob86]

yet she still omits any discussion of removing the laws that prohibit people in schools who are responsible for the safety of the children from having effecting defensive tools.

THIS.

I want the people ostensibly responsible for the safety of my kids to have the best tools for the job ..... and the only thing with a track record of stopping a bad man with a gun is a good man with one.

[Tom Servo]

It's a very good article and worth reading, but readers should not have to go off site to get the gist of it. Since the OP is a drive-by, I'm shutting this one down.