You are one person with their own ideas and feelings. A thorough study done by a German group said otherwise (sorry, no English translation). The study showed that owning a gun can and does change many people. It's a slow process but people buy a gun for a reason but often the image of themselves change to someone always looking for a reason.

@JackPedigo That study did nothing that explained why, for many years, we did not have rampant school shootings, then all of the sudden they start happening over and over again, which clearly, proves that guns are not a major part of the equation. It is society as a whole, and how it is being run. I'd even be willing to bet that beyond the capitalist greed, there is also a psycho-sexual element to it, after all what does a "gun" represent, symbolically and psychologically speaking? And when society has been corporatized, centralized, and power has been passed from the average citizen to the oligarchs and the government, those who feel the lack of power look for ways to express their power, even if it means taking other lives. Regardless what the explanation is, it clearly is NOT guns, because if it were, ALL eras of US history would have the same characteristic school shootings.

@Archeus_Lore Interesting but it seems a critical point is missing. Right now things are crashing; record number of homelessness, major storms and disasters that rob people of their homes and livelihood, inflation at an all time high and, of course, more and more of us are being added to the planet and we are experiencing a record number of refugees. When resources start to go down people compete (as do all life forms). We break up into tribes and fight others that are not members of our tribes. I'm trying to imagine how things would be if guns were not so readily available and the answer is clear. We would not have the carnage we do. Other countries are also hurting but we don't see even a fraction of the shootings there. People with guns ARE the problem.

@JackPedigo So far, you have said nothing that disproved what I said. "That study did nothing that explained why, for many years, we did not have rampant school shootings, then all of the sudden they start happening over and over again."

@Archeus_Lore One thing we just refuse to recognize is that when times get tough people get angry. Times are very tough right now.

You can't definitely proclaim one idea right and one idea wrong when your idea has not been effective. At the heart of her idea is getting rid of all guns in civilian hands and if we could do it, it would solve the problem. I don't know if your idea would solve the problem or if it is achievable in the foreseeable future, either. Unless one can prove that their idea is superior and actually achievable, I suggest that everyone should get to generate ideas without their ideas being dismissed outright.

Why do we feel we have to go to extremes? So many other things can be controlled (they are in other places of the world) why can't we!?

@JackPedigo I think it was very normal for this young lady to take an all or nothing approach and I think she should be encouraged not shot down for it. I am glad she is thinking about solutions to this problem particularly simultaneous to many of her contemporaries being more concerned with acquiring the latest violent video game.

@LovinLarge Somehow I missed the 'all or nothing' approach. It was simply asking for people to question the rampant use of guns which have led to children being killed and people not seeming to care.

@JackPedigo Her concluding sentence says it loud and clear.

@LovinLarge How could I have missed that (don't answer)?

@JackPedigo I just want you to know that I think I missed it the first time, also. But she's 13, she doesn't yet know how essential compromise is in life. But I do. And yes, I would like to see all guns confiscated and banned. Probably won't ever happen in this country so I an fully supportive of any measure of gun control that we can get. But my fundamental opinion that guns should be restricted to police and military will probably never change and I will always defend our right to have an unrealistic opinion. Thanks for hearing me out.

@LovinLarge You're welcome, but trying to ban guns outright is an over reach and to extreme to even be considered. It has to be done slowly in stages. I lived in Germany for 15 years. This country has a huge hunting and gun culture. They have put in place rules to control guns. Everyone must take a course and pass a test (like being able to drive a car). Hunters must belong to a club and the guns stored at the facility. People may own some collectible guns but not the ammo. Ditto for hearing me out as well. I think we may agree on the larger picture but not on all the details.

@JackPedigo Change is almost always incremental. I am always open to ideas, especially ones that take us in a healthy direction.

I don't need anyone to agree with me and I'm not trying to influence anyone. It is my opinion that one who values people over the right to own a gun would happily relinquish their guns to save lives. That is the cost of safety. Police and military actually need guns, civilians don't and I don't care that almost no one will acknowledge that fact. My opinions are educated and experienced and only change with the provision of new, factual information. I was raised and educated in Canada so I have the benefit of not having been groomed by the 2nd Amendment since childhood.

Fuck hunting. Fuck gun collecting. I want all those dead people back who died because of the outdated and entirely unnecessary 2nd Amendment.

The big problem is,as with soo many things, we use emotion to drive a point. We need more reasoned based evidence. Perhaps a true accounting on how much all the carnage is costing the country, financially.

What exactly is the "good point" they make about Fentanyl?

More and more states are taking the initiative. [wweek.com]