School Shootings

I knew it was just a matter of time before it happened again. It was inevitable, but the most infuriating part of it all was that I knew we would just go through the same motions as last time. "Thoughts and prayers" come in droves but very little substantial action is taken. People mourn the horrendous loss and want action to be taken to prevent the events from repeating themselves but those who are so cemented in their ways will never relent and never compromise. I think that stringent gun control is absolutely crucial to prevent more catastrophes like this latest one from occurring but the NRA and the politicians that they've bought are and will forever be relentless. They simply don't care. They don't care how many people die. They don't care how much blood is spilt. They don't care how much irreparable damage is done. All they care about are their guns, that's it. I find it absolutely sickening to see the politicians that line their pockets with NRA money, offering their "thoughts and prayers" and nothing else. I've already heard all of the typical talking points that are thrown around every time this happens. "Criminals don't follow laws, so more gun control laws are pointless." Then by that logic we shouldn't have any laws at all. Let's do away with speed limits because some people ignore them. Let's let people take whatever the hell they want from stores without paying because shoplifting occurs occasionally. Let's legalize every single drug because there are many individuals who will do them anyway. Let's live in complete anarchy without any rules because some people break them. God, I can't stand that talking point. "We should arm teachers. After all, the only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun." Ok, sure, because that's just what we need; more guns to solve the gun problem. Let's arm untrained educators because their keen reflexes will stop a gunman who's planned out every aspect of his massacre to the last detail. Give me a fucking break. "Guns don't kill people, people kill people." Well without guns, it's sure as shit a lot harder isn't it? Guns are made for the specific purpose of killing. They're made to be lethal in the first place so the whole "if guns kill people, then cars drive drunk, pencils misspell words, and spoons make people fat" argument falls flat on its face. When a gun is used to kill, it isn't being misused, it's being used for its intended purpose, which is why I believe that they need to be strictly regulated. "Guns are a deterrent" well that's just complete bull shit. There have been numerous studies done that have proven that more guns=more crime. The problem is that there are just so many firearms in circulation in this country that it's as easy for a sociopath to get their hands on one as it is for anybody else. I think intensive psychological evaluations should just be standard practice in the process of someone purchasing a weapon. Not only that, I don't think periodic reevaluations of mental health for gun ownership would be the worst idea either. I we need to not only take any and every measure possible to keep guns out of the hands of criminals, but we need to seriously reduce the amount of firearms that are currently in circulation since they seem to all too easily find their way into the hands of psychopaths as is. I'm not opposed to the idea of buy back programs for semi and fully automatic weapons that are currently in circulation for anybody who finally wakes up and realizes there are too many guns out there. All in all, guns ARE the problem. Sure, mental health is an issue, but it's secondary in the big picture. Children shouldn't have to fear for their lives when getting an education. Innocent people shouldn't have to die because you're just too stubborn to admit there is a problem. This death and destruction needs to stop. PERIOD. The biggest obstacle to this isn't criminals, it's the NRA and all of the politicians they've paid for. In my opinion, action starts with voting out those politicians and taking serious measures to counter the absurdity of the NRA. I simply refuse to accept the fact that this is just how life in America is, because it doesn't have to be. It's up to us as a society to secure a future where we don't have to fear for our lives, a future where we don't have to bury children because of the failures of politicians, a future where the world is a better place. It's our responsibility to take action. Right here. Right now.