Absence of understanding is central to how and why these and other atrocities are growing in frequency and depravity. That fostering deficiency doesn't belong to perpetrators, but the public at large. Two primary facts underpinning these terrible events aren't given proper attention and they're huge clues that can lead to discovery of many of the secondary causes, none of which, incidentally, are related to the instruments of murder and mayhem.

Fact #1 relates to worsening over time; not a decade or two, but a much longer duration. The many decades long, gradual increase screams at us that, like other sicknesses, instead of correcting or erasing them, we're fostering them. There is no such thing as 'a pound of cure' to block this accelerating problem. It will require tons of cure aimed at the sources!

Fact #2 can't be any clearer These crimes (school specific) are committed by men; usually Caucasian and young. Other mass murders are an adjacent but obviously related issue. The racial aspect shouldn't carry nearly as much significance because our population is overwhelmingly white, but I think it still remains a valuable clue.

Little, if any courage, let alone reasoning power, is being mobilized to eliminate causes. That 'take' isn't some misguided excuse-making, trying to avoid necessary attention to a vital question of who's right to weapon possession deserves liberty of exercise suspended or forbidden. Constructive and destructive actions have causes. Yes, actions are required to mitigate destructive potential at least in temporary terms, but an oft used example of an upstairs bathtub overflowing clarifies. Mop and squeegy? Oh yes, vigorously! However, if the flow isn't stopped upstairs, the problem will remain and damage will increase.

To terminate a life, human or animal, is extremely discomforting; less so if survival or well being are 'on the line'. Harboring sentiments to harm or kill indiscriminately is but one of a host of symptoms, all of which point to emotional separation phenomena. Culturally, we boys are conditioned to this as part of our sexual role identity, allegedly as a sign of strength. To do what is perceived to be necessary and overcoming emotional resistance, relatively healthy character must 'separate' from and overpower instinctual distaste in order to kill. Thought of it alone, not only creates frightening anxiety, but deep, penetrating regret and loss of some high regard for self, after the fact. I know, this personally and my duties only pertained to animals. A person who derives any type of satisfaction or pleasure in such acts possesses a sick and potentially dangerous character structure.

Our 'civilization' manufactures sick character structures. Except for bombs, it is what our nation produces best! Fortunately, those damaged to an extent that they commit atrocities like school shootings and other 'mass murders' are still a small and often detectable minority. They are growing, however, and we as a people have a choice in how to correct it.

Our choice has always been there to use human properties, physical and functional, of mind and reasoning. If we don't stop what we're doing to create these people, recent history has proven that more bitter tragedies are on the way. Prevention is only to be found at the primary source. Thinking requires more than mind, though without mind all is lost. It demands the courage to 'follow findings' where they lead. This, because those of us who've survived the gauntlet of becoming civilized , are far greater in number and comfort than the deeply, sometimes permanently damaged. 'The comfortable' possess superb sub-conscious radar, detecting in advance (like lesser addicts) discomforting assertions about our way of life. They too, in their comfort, have also been harmed in development (nobody gets away free). No matter whom, you or I or our parents or progeny; we have all sustained pathogenic thwarting of primary drives to some extent. We survivors developed personal survive and thrive tactics that worked and in less severe developmental environments by and large. "So, we're okay, what the Hell's wrong with THEM?" We apply a falsely founded moralistic question like 'who farted' to those who could only consume the left-over beans and cabbage...

As with just about any kind of trauma, physical or psychic, females of our kind are stronger, more resilient and immensely better equipped to survive and 'carry-on' with demands of our pathogenic social organization. Males? Well, we pay dearly in many ways for those androgens turning us into what we are at about ten weeks into this life. We're endowed with many, often tragically misused, abilities that are called 'superior' only in a few narrowly defined sets of circumstances; for the good of and survival of the family, tribe, etc. of course.

My reason for commenting here isn't to try presenting a solution. Lack of herd courage keeps it just out of reach. It is to point to the fear instilling road not traveled because our dilemma demands brave questioning of so many principles we hold as dear as they are seriously in error.

Many participating here have managed to overcome what I call existence in 'the theological brine' but many disappointingly consider residues worth preserving until a new brine can be found or mixed'; a new, perhaps secular, salvation racket can favorably coat their skin and continue insulation from raw realities.

Theologies, incidentally, share something meaningful with Fact #2. Their sourcing and execution remain exclusively male dominated. Good clues shouldn't go to waste.

I've been thinking about this too, and I believe it should be made public.

Well programmed the public is.

This is the first photo of American war dead during WW2 that most American saw of their own dead. Here is LIFE magazine’s reason for publishing the photo.

“Here lie three Americans [the editorial began].
What shall we say of them? Shall we say that this is a noble sight? Shall we say that this is a fine thing, that they should give their lives for their country?
Or shall we say that this is too horrible to look at?
Why print this picture, anyway, of three American boys dead upon an alien shore? Is it to hurt people? To be morbid?
Those are not the reasons.
The reason is that words are never enough. The eye sees. The mind knows. The heart feels. But the words do not exist to make us see, or know, or feel what it is like, what actually happens. The words are never right. . . .
The reason we print it now is that, last week, President Roosevelt and [Director of the Office of War Information] Elmer Davis and the War Department decided that the American people ought to be able to see their own boys as they fall in battle; to come directly and without words into the presence of their own dead.
And so here it is. This is the reality that lies behind the names that come to rest at last on monuments in the leafy squares of busy American towns.”

WORDS ARE NEVER ENOUGH.

That's probably what the perpetrators would like. As much as I would like to think the intention is to highlight the unnecessary horror of the spectacle and push GOP members to finally enact strict (or even just SOME) controls, I suspect they've already demonstrated how likely they are to do so. They're too well paid to work against those interests. In the end, you end up rewarding the shooters and putting the families through it all over again, every time the media puts it on loop.

I concur with the other responders...I'm glad the media on such hate crimes has been limited...I feel we talk enough about it...and apparently we continue to tolerate the killing.

Only if the families approve.

Anything that might drive the point home works for me, if the families are agreeable.

We don't need to look any further for our next mass shooter than anyone who doesn't value human life over firearm possession.