December 8, 2018
As more and more of the country's citizens have experienced and survived mass shootings, many around the United States are trying to solve the gun violence epidemic. What is the best way forward?
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Thousand Oaks, California becomes the latest city to experience the horror and tragedy of a mass shooting. A former Marine (who shall remain nameless) walked into a country bar in Thousand Oaks and starting firing indiscriminately with a Glock semi-automatic pistol. Many of those inside the Borderline Bar and Grill were college students enjoying a night out, as many their age do so around the country. The shooter fired more than 50 rounds into a crowded bar, killing 12 people, and later himself. Once he arrived at the location, he immediately shot the security guard and the cashier at the front. When he was close to the dance floor, the shooter proceeded to fire randomly into the crowd, while also throwing smoke grenades to sow chaos and confusion. Many started to scatter and hide once they identified an intruder was firing on them. A local Ventura County Sheriff, Ron Helus, responded to the 911 dispatcher and when he arrived on the scene, proceeded to enter the bar and find the shooter. Recent media reports state that a responding CHP officer, who either mistakenly made out Mr. Helus as the suspect, or in the confusion of gunfire, shot and fatally wounded him. It was an immense show of bravery considering the Sheriff's deputy did not know how many attackers there were and did his best to save as many people as he could. By the time other deputies arrived on the scene, it is believed that the shooter shot himself in the head.
The days that followed the national media went through their rehearsed motions, talking about acts of bravery, despite heavy confusion amongst the first responders. Survivors were interviewed, and viral clips of anger, despair, and sadness were replayed over and over again. Additionally, questions were asked about this epidemic ad nausea. Liberal (CNN, MSNBC) and conservative (Fox News) media took their usual positions and accused the other side of sowing division and inciting emotions from their respective viewers. Nothing new was brought to the discussion.
As with many Americans who watched with sadness, I wanted to know how to move this issue in a different direction. Liberals want more effective gun purchasing legislation, while conservatives dig in their defense of the 2nd Amendment. The starting point should be that many Americans, who support the amendment, have guns themselves and for the most part, are respectful and law-abiding gun owners. It would be foolish to think any member of Congress will introduce legislation to overturn the ability for Americans to purchase and own firearms. At the same time, those who are responsible gun owners should listen to see what both sides can agree on and work out a sensible solution, something most Americans support.
Some surveys show that Americans are open background checks on ALL gun purchases, regardless of where they are purchased. Gun shows are a point of contention with gun control advocates. Gun owners who support the 2nd Amendment proclaim that even at gun shows, there are forms of regulation. While increased background checks for all purchases are necessary, both sides of the debate do not focus on the facts that there are many problems that are part of the gun tragedies. On one level, society is changing, with more women entering the workforce, and so men's roles are changing too. While most men have grown up with and have experienced women in the workforce, there are some that cannot transition, and so they act out against a society that does not recognize them or feel their pain. Secondly, many of the jobs men dominated, such as construction, manufacturing, and trucking, are slowly being phased out, and for many men, the future is not so optimistic. Politicians in both parties do not seem to care about solutions and are more attentive to the Silicon Valley tech companies, whose advances in certain industries could be a reason that many male-dominated jobs are being eliminated.
American society is coming to grips with a myriad of problems that are causes, in my opinion, of gun violence. Including the aforementioned job losses and difficult life transitions for men, there are issues relating to opioid drug abuse, thousands of (mostly) men returning from drawn-out wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, Internet voyeurism and expanding interactive video game usage (where gun violence is common). These issues are some of the reasons America is producing thousands of emotionally stunted and broken people. Women use other means (sex) to combat low self-esteem and lack of worth, while men tend to use violence as a means to an end. This is compounded by the relative ease of purchasing firearms.
That is where the discussion amongst Americans needs to start. It is not about more gun legislation or protecting the 2nd Amendment. It is the confluence of damaged people (mostly men) who have easy access to firearms and using that weapon to exact vengeance on society. A frequent subject mentioned is more access and treatment of mental illness, but I feel that is only part of the problem, and may not be the best way to handle this problem.
The core issue is that American society at large is not very forgiving. If you struggle, financially, emotionally, physically, the United States can be a daunting place to live. The massive influx of social media in our lives, the ease of commerce through online purchases, the commonality of both parents working, the lack of after-school options for kids all lead declining contact with other people and which lead to breakdowns on all levels between family members, teachers, and leaders in the communities around the country. In fact, when five police officers were killed by a deranged gunman in Dallas, Texas, a few years ago, the former chief of police said that one of the problems in his community was that his police department had to be social workers, counselors, law enforcement officers, and therapists. It was overburdened in terms of what the community was asking of his police force. A small group of people was expected to maintain order for millions. This may be an important factor contributing to gun violence in the United States of America. When society breaks down, compounded with the ease to buy guns, and a large supply of those guns in society, mass shootings is the end result. Enacting more gun legislation or infringing on the 2nd Amendment, which many people are passionate about, will not make inroads into the gun violence problem.
Some pragmatic solutions that can be implemented are offered below:
1) Mandatory mental health reviews for students (all school districts should find a discreet way to implement this. If health officials are able to keep tabs on troubled students and collaborate with local law enforcement, hopefully, future Sandy Hook massacres can be avoided or diminished).
2) Better coordination between social workers, local law enforcement and federal agencies like the FBI when noting experiences with troubled students and individuals who have been known to cause trouble, or make troubling statements online through social media, so that those individuals can be dealt with.
3) Establish a free national hotline for those persons who want assistance, or have psychiatric issues and need an outlet. This channel should also be available for those who know of loved ones, or individuals in the community who could pose a danger to society due to their behavior. Friends and family should be able to refer loved ones who exhibit warning signs, were bullied in school, are dealing with trauma of any sort, and have their referrals investigated when manpower allows. This hotline must have certified negotiators, trained medical staff and also have the ability to contact local law enforcement and first responders to coordinate emergencies. These measures will cost taxpayers more for the near future, but in the long run will be worthwhile.
4) The NRA and Congress must work together to provide legislation that warrants serious investigation and background checks for ALL gun purchases (and individuals too) in the United States. Public opinion supports this measure, and it is up to the powerful gun rights organization to work with members of Congress to get this legislation passed.
5) American society, in general, must seek ways to provide a safety net or a network of support for the care of our returning veterans of foreign wars, opioid and general use drug addicts, and those who are lost in the fabric of American life. Job programs, available mental health options, and counseling must be provided to those individuals who pose the greatest risk to themselves, and society. This will allow dangerous people to either have options to address their grievances or help the police apprehend those before crimes are committed.
I think of most of these ideas can be implemented, the number of gun massacres will decline to a point of rarity. Every American citizen can play a vital role in helping to solve this dreadful problem.
Some surveys show that Americans are open background checks on ALL gun purchases, regardless of where they are purchased. Gun shows are a point of contention with gun control advocates. Gun owners who support the 2nd Amendment proclaim that even at gun shows, there are forms of regulation. While increased background checks for all purchases are necessary, both sides of the debate do not focus on the facts that there are many problems that are part of the gun tragedies. On one level, society is changing, with more women entering the workforce, and so men's roles are changing too. While most men have grown up with and have experienced women in the workforce, there are some that cannot transition, and so they act out against a society that does not recognize them or feel their pain. Secondly, many of the jobs men dominated, such as construction, manufacturing, and trucking, are slowly being phased out, and for many men, the future is not so optimistic. Politicians in both parties do not seem to care about solutions and are more attentive to the Silicon Valley tech companies, whose advances in certain industries could be a reason that many male-dominated jobs are being eliminated.
American society is coming to grips with a myriad of problems that are causes, in my opinion, of gun violence. Including the aforementioned job losses and difficult life transitions for men, there are issues relating to opioid drug abuse, thousands of (mostly) men returning from drawn-out wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, Internet voyeurism and expanding interactive video game usage (where gun violence is common). These issues are some of the reasons America is producing thousands of emotionally stunted and broken people. Women use other means (sex) to combat low self-esteem and lack of worth, while men tend to use violence as a means to an end. This is compounded by the relative ease of purchasing firearms.
That is where the discussion amongst Americans needs to start. It is not about more gun legislation or protecting the 2nd Amendment. It is the confluence of damaged people (mostly men) who have easy access to firearms and using that weapon to exact vengeance on society. A frequent subject mentioned is more access and treatment of mental illness, but I feel that is only part of the problem, and may not be the best way to handle this problem.
The core issue is that American society at large is not very forgiving. If you struggle, financially, emotionally, physically, the United States can be a daunting place to live. The massive influx of social media in our lives, the ease of commerce through online purchases, the commonality of both parents working, the lack of after-school options for kids all lead declining contact with other people and which lead to breakdowns on all levels between family members, teachers, and leaders in the communities around the country. In fact, when five police officers were killed by a deranged gunman in Dallas, Texas, a few years ago, the former chief of police said that one of the problems in his community was that his police department had to be social workers, counselors, law enforcement officers, and therapists. It was overburdened in terms of what the community was asking of his police force. A small group of people was expected to maintain order for millions. This may be an important factor contributing to gun violence in the United States of America. When society breaks down, compounded with the ease to buy guns, and a large supply of those guns in society, mass shootings is the end result. Enacting more gun legislation or infringing on the 2nd Amendment, which many people are passionate about, will not make inroads into the gun violence problem.
Some pragmatic solutions that can be implemented are offered below:
1) Mandatory mental health reviews for students (all school districts should find a discreet way to implement this. If health officials are able to keep tabs on troubled students and collaborate with local law enforcement, hopefully, future Sandy Hook massacres can be avoided or diminished).
2) Better coordination between social workers, local law enforcement and federal agencies like the FBI when noting experiences with troubled students and individuals who have been known to cause trouble, or make troubling statements online through social media, so that those individuals can be dealt with.
3) Establish a free national hotline for those persons who want assistance, or have psychiatric issues and need an outlet. This channel should also be available for those who know of loved ones, or individuals in the community who could pose a danger to society due to their behavior. Friends and family should be able to refer loved ones who exhibit warning signs, were bullied in school, are dealing with trauma of any sort, and have their referrals investigated when manpower allows. This hotline must have certified negotiators, trained medical staff and also have the ability to contact local law enforcement and first responders to coordinate emergencies. These measures will cost taxpayers more for the near future, but in the long run will be worthwhile.
4) The NRA and Congress must work together to provide legislation that warrants serious investigation and background checks for ALL gun purchases (and individuals too) in the United States. Public opinion supports this measure, and it is up to the powerful gun rights organization to work with members of Congress to get this legislation passed.
5) American society, in general, must seek ways to provide a safety net or a network of support for the care of our returning veterans of foreign wars, opioid and general use drug addicts, and those who are lost in the fabric of American life. Job programs, available mental health options, and counseling must be provided to those individuals who pose the greatest risk to themselves, and society. This will allow dangerous people to either have options to address their grievances or help the police apprehend those before crimes are committed.
I think of most of these ideas can be implemented, the number of gun massacres will decline to a point of rarity. Every American citizen can play a vital role in helping to solve this dreadful problem.
