And get rid of all PAC money so there's no financial incentive to let it remain the way it is. God, I just imagined people that are accepting money to let people be shot down and it made me ill.

@Lauren they don't care because those cowards have lots of protection

My heart breaks with this violence

The thing about it is this. Guns are way too accessible for these angry young men. Gun are easy to conceal and use on unsuspecting people.

Please don't forget that some of this is also a power trip

Agreed, @balou. @AmelieMatisse, I think they may be connected. The power trip is often a symptom of severe depression or other disorders. The attitude of, "I'll show them how powerful I am!" or "They'll be sorry they messed with me!". It scares me when I consider that this is an environmental creation, although perhaps initiated by a physiological disorder. I dunno ... just wingin' it here.

@Lauren you are making an excellent point

@AmelieMatisse Is this how the meek are trying to inherit the world?

@JackPedigo I don't know but it is all so saddening

In this country at least there's no safety net for parents that have out-of-control children. My neighbor had a 16 year old that was becoming totally unruly and completely out of control. She eventually had to give up custody of her kid and pay the County child support payments. She was tired of him running away and getting into trouble. She knew he needed help, but there was no other option for her.

@AmelieMatisse For me it goes waaaay beyond saddening. More like infuriating. Even though I live on a very peaceful and community oriented island it could happen even here.

@JackPedigo I hear you. I am infuriated with our congress and my heart breaks for parents and their families. The young man doing the shooting supposedly was a victim of severe bullying. I think another step in this is to figure out why kids bully so severely and then why the bullies person reacts in such a violent way

@AmelieMatisse 2 items: [thehumanist.com] and [thehumanist.com] I was bullied in elementary school. I was smaller than the others and the Catholic school I went to was comprised mostly of Italian families. I was not a member of this tribe. Luckily, my family was peaceful and the bulling stopped once I left the Catholic school (and Texass.

Good articles, @JackPedigo, particularly the first. I was bullied in school as well. I guess the anger is either suppressed, or it comes out in these outwardly violent ways. It's horrible either way, although I have a tough time comprehending how it can compel someone to kill those not directly responsible for their bullying. Tragic.