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Ginger's avatar

Yes, on all counts. The 800 lb. gorilla in the room though is addiction to guns. Shooting an AR-15 is addictive. One young, attractive woman that the NRA trots out claims that while she doesn't really know why she enjoys target practice with her assault weapon, she, "Just feels better when she does. I get a kick of power." I know many people in and out of recovery from alcoholism who cross-addict on guns. They are obsessed with them, shooting them. Relatives of mine have 'Sunday Gunday' when a bunch of 20-something males go out on the back 40, drink beers, do shots and ...do shots. They shoot AR-15's that they have 'souped up', handguns, rifles, shotguns, you name it. How sick is that? Well, that's addiction for you. Why in Heaven's name would you own so many of these? Eventually, these school shooters, many of whom are alcoholic or adult children thereof and/or child abuse victims cross-addict on violent video gaming (Harris, Klebold, Lanza, et. al.), child porn or just porn, and eventually hit a psychotic break. It's on. I think, although there's no public evidence yet, that Audrey Hale was a child abuse victim (probably at the school or church), went trans to empower herself, got addicted to guns and... it's on. Psychotic revenge against the school and so very horribly, the kids.

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RMDolddave's avatar

The MSM is once again saturated with the latest gun violence-related story (until the next disaster) and offers the same coverage pabulum without ever acknowledging the actual root cause (other than lame references to the NRA). Just like the last shooting, as long as the gun oligarchs can control enough of our public sector decision-makers with their free speech money, they will maintain their status quo. I know that concept isn’t popular nor is it discussed in the media because those that profit from their powers of corporate personhood also control the propaganda that is generated 168 hours/week. If we ever elect a super-majority of competent progressives to office, the second thing they need to do is amend the 2nd Amendment so it makes sense and acknowledges that Congress is responsible for legislation that can help protect our citizens from gun violence, like including the regulations that Thom has in today’s op-ed (license, register and insure guns). The first thing that competent elected officials must do is to amend the Constitution with the nullification of the powers of corporate personhood.

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