Texas shooter struggled with mental health, family dysfunction, was fascinated with guns

interesting and valid points 557 Thank you !!

 

@MiaBleu,

I believe you have a background in healthcare. Keeping that healthcare context in mind, can you think of any aspects of American lifestyle (excluding firearms) that would cause American teens to have more propensity to this kind of violence than teens in other developed nations?

 

I know people with state issued photo id's that are not DL's.

Just sayin

 

is it?

 

take a look in the mirror, geesh, lol

 

setting up a well regulated milita training camp is "conspiracy to commit a crime"

 

I think that psychology plays a big role in what is happening. ........and the culture this collective psyche has been fostered. But I do think that far too many of these shooters fall through the cracks (I am repeating myself here.......sorry) ............. as in remain undiagnosed (mental issues).............or if diagnosed...........not followed up properly in long term care. Each shooter has had mental issues ...........but some were ignored, shunned, or simply disseminated as " that is just him/her" Or we usually hear: He is a little weird".............but no one is able to recognize the potential problems.

the weaknesses as I see it.......are inadequate mental healthcare...........and inadequate education in the area of human behavior........ so people can recognizing signs of potential trouble. Eg: if someone is alone too much. Has problems socializing with others. is being bullied ... or has a disability that s used to bully him/her. easily triggered into anger, or has fanciful and unrealistic ideas about things............like o obsession with weapons, wanting to get revenge in a cruel way.abuse / cruelty to animals. Or having beliefs not based in reality.........

The important thing is t o have this person see a medical advisor............for a professional opinion.............If there is need for further care (specialized)......as in psych care........then the medical advisor can help arrange for an appropriate therapist. One does not have to make big deal about it.........and if handled effectively..........and the subject gets connected with a support/ therapy set up.........it can prevent a lot issues later.........including strain on the family.

So far it seems just simpler to deal with these peple as criminals............ ignoring the fact that they are suffering in their own way.......and when the situation explodes into a mass shooting............their destiny is sealed....and we learn nothing.......

causes: varied........

 

some say it's the high carb, low fat diet kids are eating today that is causing kids brains to be dysfunctional

sugar\hfcs is in everything nowadays, even baby formula (and seed oils)

https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/mental-health-guides

"The steep rise in mental health problems around the world in recent decades closely parallels the pattern of many other so-called “diseases of civilization” associated with the industrialization of the human diet."

 

Possible to probable. But families are a lot more dysfunctional these days due to pressure to earn money..........have n active (socially acceptable life style). Kinds are ignored, neglected and even absurd...........Too much screen time and not enough active outdoor socialization time. Too much exposure to violence from a very young age. Kids grow up with weapons in their home........and that sets a tone that is not "family oriented". Social media is proving to be deadly for some and has contributed to many psyche problems in kids. The laptop is not baby sitter. The young are losing their language skills as they are now thinking in abbreviations...... and slogans. Their social skills and self image are affected in a negative way. They are conditioned to violence from an early age. They don't know how to effectively deal wit hanger etc. Who are their role models??

there is no reason that a progressive nation (in some areas) is so ill equipped to deal wit social and psychological problems.

 

that too

 

Thanks, MiaB. I'm not virtue signaling. I truly care about people and have done some type of advocacy work my whole life. I'm extremely happy that I taught and model that for my children. Both have been commended by several teachers and other parents for how kind and patient they are toward others.

It's heart-breaking that so many people can't or won't treat others the way they want to be treated. We don't know what anybody is going through or has gone through and kindness, or at least, civility, is not that difficult.

 

No I did not. You pay a tax and pass a background check. There is no license involved.

 

We already have the answer to this question.

There is a correlation between the number of guns in circulation in a society and the level of violence.

Nowhere else in the West is it as easy to buy a gun as in the US, the security measures surrounding its possession are ridiculous.

The impact is that all American crazies can buy AR-15s and slaughter children in schools.

60 innocent Americans die every month in mass shootings and only in the US - and nowhere else in the world's democracies - is this problem not tackled head on.

Which is: the proliferation of guns.

 

Yes! Now we are getting to actual causes that can be addressed and that will have positive ancillary and secondary effects.

@FreshAir is on to where I am going. Sugar consumption is now a prime suspect in behavioral disorders including aggression/violence.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/10/201016112903.htm

The US leads developed nations in sugar consumption by a wide margin.


But that’s not the only contributing factor that seems to be completely ignored in debates like this. Sedentary behaviors are known to increase propensity to violence.

https://www.ideafit.com/personal-training/exercise-eases-anger-in-kids/

And related to the above is obesity. There is a meta analysis of studies showing obesity is correlated with aggressive behavior.

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0165025417690265?journalCode=jbda

This meta analysis is paywalled for full text but there are numerous individual studies available as well.

Another factor in depression and behavioral problems is infant use of antibiotics.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27701771/

This is just the tip of the iceberg. As @MiaBleu points out mental healthcare is important. But I subscribe to the old adage “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”. I get weary of band aid solutions to arterial bleed problems. If we are serious about addressing violence we must acknowledge and pursue the root causes, not just attempt to control the tools used by the violent individuals our society creates.

 

That's why I said "photo ID"

 

Perhaps I should have been more clear. It was designed to wound more often than it killed adults, in consideration that some, most, or all of them would be wearing body armor of some kind. This is because a wounded soldier distracts the enemy more, and uses more resources and time, than a dead one does. But not unprotected 8-year-olds. Of course, for children of that size, any sort of gunpower propelled rounds is more than enough to kill, maybe even more than once after it enters and then leaves it's first victim.

The point I was trying to make, which apparently whooshed right over your head, is that long guns that fire .223s might as well be water pistols compared to the more common and more powerful ones like a .3030, a .30-06., or a 7.62mm.

Completely unnecessary, the intent is to protect them from a gunman or two carrying small arms and bent on causing death and destruction, not a GBU-12. Having mag-sealed doors controlled from a central location to lock down all classrooms and external access doors would, all by itself, go a long way. Add hard to climb fencing (the fences at the Texas school were no higher than 4'), with some sort of triggered alerts would add another layer of protection. Armed staff and LEOs yet another. Maybe consider requiring all glass to be bullet-proof, at least those that face outside, and a hundred other things.

Guns have already proliferated, not to mention they are simple easy to make mechanical devices that require access to a CNC machine (or increasingly, a professional level 3d printer like I own, but haven't tried making any guns with), the right design files, which are easy to find and protected by the 1A, and BOOM... You can make pretty much any firearm you would like to make.

So there is no law that you could pass that would make them go away, even if you somehow managed to get the 2A repealed. Plus with just a bit of maintenance, they can last for centuries. Like I said, they're pretty simple mechanical devices.

 

Why is the US the only nation in the West to fortify its schools and arm its teachers?

 

Excuse me, I said before and I meant after

The police were outgunned outside of the school before he entered the building, which is not irrelevant to the amount of firepower that the gunman had. Not to mention the amount of time a person might have to escape during reload time. Of course if that's not right, then perhaps you can give an example of a single person being able to kill that many people in a mass shooting using a shotgun?

There's no example in US history of someone killing that many people using a firearm that wasn't fully or semi-automatic + magazines that hold at least 15 rounds. It has never happened, ever

Witnesses say there were police outside the building, but the reports are that there was an exchange of gunfire between the police and the gunman before he entered the school. Realistically speaking, if trained officers were outgunned, then I wouldn't expect a teacher to fair any better. We have several examples to refer to where mass shootings like this do not occur, none of which follow either of those policies

I wouldn't say it would completely eradicate mass shootings, but it definitely would significantly reduce the magnitude of them. The amount of damage we allow a single person to commit only encourages the next psychopath to commit the same crime all over again. We're the only first world country that doesn't try to limit citizens from carrying that kind of firepower without a license, or in many cases a background check. Hence why we are the only first world country that has this reoccurring problem

Hell, most third world countries don't have this problem, anywhere else in the world, only gangs of people are capable of committing this kind of damage. This is exclusively an American problem, and yes it absolutely has to do with the amount of firepower we allow one person to have unchecked

 

The police were not outgunned, the kid had an AR model rifle and most cops carry those as well as shotguns. They all had pistols with 15 round mags and spares. They were not outgunned.

 

An armed adult with a gun threatened directly by an armed attacker is far more likely to shoot and kill the attacker than any disengaged LEO.

The survival instinct is far stronger than any "sense of duty".
This incident proved that obvious fact -- again.

 

No, but mentally ill people should.

 

Well stated. excellent questions. Your are right.......No simple fixes..........heck.....no complex fixes But IMHO.......sometimes it starts with serious open discussion of these challenging issues......and taking the time to reflect on the bigger picture ......There are fixes....... even if not perfect..........but there is no motivation do follow them up ........Political power has gone extreme..........and priorities have changed so as not to reflect what a population really Needs in the area of Health care and smart weapons policies. There is too much money (greed)involved now. If guns are s important .........then make sure each buyer has had some form of weapons training..... ( professional"........ in preparation for gun ownership. And has to prove they had this training That would emphasize the RESPONSIBILITY part of gun ownership. And how to care for a weapon) This should be a mandatory part of obtaining a weapon.

We have requirements for other things.....and yet very little when it comes to LETHAL weapons,. That is insane. You have to take lessons in driving before getting a licence to drive. Perhaps the same principle.

So the emphasis would not be weapons "control".........but proper weapons management though education. And yes. folks should be screened.........with thorough background checks.......as weapons ownership is serious business. and not anything like the movies that influence so many.
Any ownership of an illegal gun.........should be seriously fined...........with removal of weapons until they QUALIFY ............for a legit weapon.

Weapons should no be sold over the internet. There s no need for that.........as there is a multitude of in person places to make this purchase.......

 

The shooter wasn't trans. That was a lie spread by fringe right trolls. Please research before blindly parroting their lies.