"Now, more than ever, the illusions of division threaten our very existence. We all know the truth: more connects us than separates us. But in times of crisis the wise build bridges, while the foolish build barriers. We must find a way to look after one another as if we were one single tribe.” -King T'Challa, Black Panther
The truth is incontrovertible. Malice may attack it. ignorance may deride it, but in the end, there it is. ~Winston Churchill
No, I think need to start treating mental health issues instead of dismissing them or popping another pill for them. I wonder if this perp was on any prescription anti depressant drugs
Agreed. Is it going too far to require regular counselor visits with people who own guns? Check in 2X a year like you do with the dentist? You don't do the visits, you lose your firearms. Can a therapist even figure out a problem with two visits a year? We can't ban guns, that doesn't fix the root of the problem. Even making them less automated is only a band-aid, killing with a gun is too easy and impersonal, and you can do a lot of damage with even a handgun in a short amount of time.
Our mental health system is broken, people who need help aren't getting it for whatever reason, and they're turning to violence because we have a culture that sensationalizes events like this so they can go down in a blaze of glory. I mean, what greater way to have your name immortalized than to do something like this, or to make sure you hurt those you love most by taking their lives and then yours right in front of others (thinking of the KC Chief who killed his child's mom right in front of his own mother, then himself right in front of his GM and coach - that's a statement folks).
We have a media system that thrives on emotional impact and could give a damn less whether their facts are right just so long as they get it out first, and to hell with decency, let's interview those kids who just came out of the school and traumatize them more. And to stop that, they ALL have to agree to change their ways, or the public will reward the ones who don't and the rest who try to report responsibly will lose ratings and go out of business.
Fixing all of this, and more, requires tough solutions that take time, money, and effort to implement and maintain. Do we have the motivation yet, or will it take a few more of these tragedies for our disgust to rise enough?
"Now, more than ever, the illusions of division threaten our very existence. We all know the truth: more connects us than separates us. But in times of crisis the wise build bridges, while the foolish build barriers. We must find a way to look after one another as if we were one single tribe.” -King T'Challa, Black Panther
The truth is incontrovertible. Malice may attack it. ignorance may deride it, but in the end, there it is. ~Winston Churchill
Science Chic wrote: We have a media system that thrives on emotional impact and could give a damn less whether their facts are right just so long as they get it out first, and to hell with decency, let's interview those kids who just came out of the school and traumatize them more. And to stop that, they ALL have to agree to change their ways, or the public will reward the ones who don't and the rest who try to report responsibly will lose ratings and go out of business.
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I think that is backwards. When the public stops rewarding the ghouls it will change. Asking journalists to change ahead of ratings is like asking politicians to do the right thing on principal.
Banning handguns or gun altogether is not the solution. Stricter guns laws no the solution either. If a person wants to do others harm it will happen(by what means is the question), look at what happen in Wyoming, bow and arrow, so do we ban those also. What about all those killed by cars or the knife stabbings etc. I would like to see the background on this guy, that would answer some questions, not all but some.
Hmmm, perhaps you are right Blazer Bob, but # of public > # of journalists. I was thinking of targeting the smaller 'n' to be more efficient; however, that is not always the most effective solution. How to get the public following through...
I have to say this is the 2nd time I recall seeing this feedback request, and I like the comments I'm seeing. Maybe it does mark a shift?
From
https://www.facebook.com/denverpost
- it's the top post at the moment so you can check out the comments easily.
"Now, more than ever, the illusions of division threaten our very existence. We all know the truth: more connects us than separates us. But in times of crisis the wise build bridges, while the foolish build barriers. We must find a way to look after one another as if we were one single tribe.” -King T'Challa, Black Panther
The truth is incontrovertible. Malice may attack it. ignorance may deride it, but in the end, there it is. ~Winston Churchill
Science Chic wrote: Agreed. Is it going too far to require regular counselor visits with people who own guns? Check in 2X a year like you do with the dentist? You don't do the visits, you lose your firearms.
Problem is some people would howl about that being a "tax" on their rights.
The guns used today were purchased by the suspect's mother. I think that people who have guns should take more care in storing them more securely. That way, if someone in their family or household is mentally ill, it would be very difficult for them to gain access and control of them.
When you plant ice you're going to harvest wind. - Robert Hunter
Science Chic wrote: Agreed. Is it going too far to require regular counselor visits with people who own guns? Check in 2X a year like you do with the dentist? You don't do the visits, you lose your firearms. Can a therapist even figure out a problem with two visits a year?
Could a therapist figure it out if they lived in the guest room?
Science Chic wrote: Agreed. Is it going too far to require regular counselor visits with people who own guns? Check in 2X a year like you do with the dentist? You don't do the visits, you lose your firearms.
Problem is some people would howl about that being a "tax" on their rights.
The guns used today were purchased by the suspect's mother. I think that people who have guns should take more care in storing them more securely. That way, if someone in their family or household is mentally ill, it would be very difficult for them to gain access and control of them.
Yes, but we need consequences. Too much of what I see as a problem today is that there are no consequences for one's actions, no accountability, and there's little common sense being used. This lady can't be punished for not properly storing them, but what about a future incident? Does a person get punished in some way if another person steals their gun and kills someone with it? Or is it the fault of the institution for not providing proper security? Should the mother of the boy who killed Jessica Ridgeway also go to jail for not noticing her son was seriously messed up and getting him help, even though she is the one who ultimately called the cops and turned him in? Or is she suffering enough? Should Jessica Ridgeway's mother be sent to jail for allowing her 10 year old to walk alone to school, thus making her vulnerable to predators?
Trying to play devil's advocate here, not taking sides one way or the other, just presenting things to think about. Requiring counseling may or may not be effective, it may shift blame and burden onto health providers instead of family members or individuals. (Remember the story of the scientists in Italy who were tried and convicted of murder for failing to properly warn residents that an earthquake was imminent and when it occurred it ended up killing 79 villagers? Should they rot, or is it the townspeople's fault for not heeding their own common sense?). It seems to me that we need more personal responsibility, a greater understanding and less stigmatization of mental problems, and more assistance to those who need the help and don't know where to get it, or can't afford it. Or does that turn us into bigger pansies? I don't like the slope we've started down of trying to fix everything with drugs alone, but acknowledge that they do indeed help in many cases when combined with therapy. The pharmaceutical industry would LOVE it if we started making more people go to counseling = $$$.
I'm full of questions (sorry if they're all over the board), and pretty much an emotional wreck right now (got nothing productive done today either), so I don't know what the answers are, I'm just trying to make sense of it all and figure out where to go from here. It just seems to me that we are causing our own destruction, both on a micro-scale and a macro-scale, and I wonder that if there does exist a higher power who created us, then why the fuck did they create us so fucked up that there's no hope for us to evolve before we kill ourselves off?
"Now, more than ever, the illusions of division threaten our very existence. We all know the truth: more connects us than separates us. But in times of crisis the wise build bridges, while the foolish build barriers. We must find a way to look after one another as if we were one single tribe.” -King T'Challa, Black Panther
The truth is incontrovertible. Malice may attack it. ignorance may deride it, but in the end, there it is. ~Winston Churchill
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