Mass Shootings -- Becoming More Common? Done mainly by Crazy People? And those Video Games?

We should always be suspicious of supposed knowledge that "Everyone knows" is true, or knowledge which is "just common sense". We need to be doubly-suspicious when the 'everyone knows' or 'common sense' is about something that conforms to our deeply-held political beliefs.

The only way to be really rational when thinking about a subject which is about empirical facts -- as opposed to moral stances -- is to be open to -- ideally to seek out -- "disconfirming evidence". The question you should always ask about an empirical subject -- one to which there is a definite answer, such as 'true' or 'false', or a number -- is, "What evidence would make me change my mind?" Although this is easy to formulate for some things, for many issues, things are complex enough -- often involving conflicting or overlapping or unclear definitions -- so that a definite answer can't be found -- no single piece of evidence will be enough. Then you have to use your judgement to work your way through conflicting data. Since most of us don't have the time or expertise to study every subject in detail, so we have to rely on experts. If they disagree, we have to choose to follow the ones we feel are most reliable. Beware of experts whose employment situation, or political/religious views, will make it very difficult for them to reach certain conclusions.

Anyway, here is an interesting study on mass shootings: have they become more frequent?
Are they mainly committed by people who would otherwise be classified as mentally ill? By white supremacists? Are violent video games a contributing factor?

It's from one of my favorite websites, Intellectual Takeout, to which you can subscribe for free. Because some conclusions are congruent to my own view of the world, and others are not, I'm going to reserve judgement -- and perhaps do some more web-searching -- before I simply endorse this man's conclusions. But they were so interesting that I thought people on this forum would like to read them. And perhaps learn about this website. So here they are:

 

The Mass Shootings are the result of angry men (mostly white) easily obtaining weapons of war due to America's lax so-called gun laws///Now you know

 

Of course. Racist liberals love to blame whitey for all mass shootings. Many here have done it over and over again. Especially and magically the recently joined.

See racism can be condemned when its white on another race but racism against whites cannot be condemned by the same people. Nor can far left extremists like the Ohio shooter. No one dared blame Warren for her words that triggered this evil kid to shoot up people. Only white men like Trump can be the cause of shootings.

Its a sick but ugly reality in the world of the left today that only one kind of racism should be condemned.

Even blacks killing blacks should be ignored because it has nothing to do with whites so black communities are left to be run by the same anti white racists who have been doing so for years and any time the high crime is pointed out, its somehow whitey's fault.

Even in the dictionary there is no definition for an Hispanic Nationalist or Asian nationalist which should tell you something about the dishonesty and racism in our society today pretending only certain forms of racism exist and to ignore the others.

 

Do you think repeating the same fake statement will ever make it true?

You've already been owned by the facts.

51% OF MASS SHOOTERS IN 2019 WERE BLACK: ONLY 29% WERE WHITE

https://www.frontpagemag.com/fpm/27...019-were-black-only-29-were-daniel-greenfield

 

The first post in response, not unexpectedly, given the source, perfectly illustrates the problem of knowing something without actually knowing anything.
"Of course the earth is flat ... any fool can see that ... and everyone knows it."

Note for those who actually want to read the post, which contains some useful information: the graphs are too small to read as posted, but you just have to click on them to get them enlarged to viewable size.

 

Sometimes, mental illness is definitely the cause. Holmes comes to mind (the Aurora shooter). Quite a few are clinically depressed and determined to take out as many people as possible with them when they check out.

 

Of the young white men, it's starting to look like the common denominator is heavy pot use.

 

So after all the blather about “evidence” you offer an OP Ed piece from a blog. And you do not even provide a link to the original article, which seems quoted in full, read the rules of the forum, naughty!

Why not read a solidly researched source?

https://www.fbi.gov/about/partnerships/office-of-partner-engagement/active-shooter-resources

The FBI.

THEY away “active shooter” incidents ARE increasing in the USA so as soon as I saw that your boy said they weren’t I smelt the odour of NRA “buy our own opinion” misinformation

 

About 30% according to the FBI

 

I did supply a link to the website it appeared on. Click on it and just scroll down a bit -- it's on the left side of the page. And at the bottom of the piece is this:
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Go to my OP and you can click on that link -- the emboldened one -- and read the original article,

The article is by a PhD in psychology with relevant experience -- the sort of 'expert' on whom we have to rely, while also consultng the views of other experts as well. I'm happy to incorporate the FBI's views, and I often link to their Uniform Crime Statistics, a source of data liberals don't usually like to look at because it's so badly prejudiced against People of Color. That's why I said "Because some conclusions are congruent to my own view of the world, and others are not, I'm going to reserve judgement -- and perhaps do some more web-searching -- before I simply endorse this man's conclusions."

However, most people find it nearly impossible to study sources of information that may contradict their personal beliefs. So they take a quick look, decide it's the NRA at work, and don't bother to look at the data. Few people want to risk cognitive dissonance. Nothing new here.

 

Might be, since pot has gotten a lot stronger since the hippies. But the most important thing you can learn when you study statistics is this:

Correlation is not necessarily causation.

 

What weapon of war are you referring to?

 

What did Warren say that triggered the Ohio shooter? Do you have a source on why he did what he did?

 

No mass shooting this century has involved a weapon of war.

 

Oh sorry...I mean "sporting rifle".....LOL......You NRA types have your own phony definition

 

Yes, but there is no causation without correlation.

If there is a proven correlation between serious mental disorders, heavy pot use, and mass-murder, don't you think it's time for a national conversation on universal background checks and red flag laws for pot users?

 

According to the FBI, in 2016 there were 374 murders using rifles. By contrast, there were 7,105 murders with handguns, 262 with shotguns, 1,604 with knives, 472 with blunt objects and 656 people were beaten to death.

How come the left isn't focused on handguns since they do the most killing? We all know why and there are two reasons for that: First is 'weapons of war' and assault weapons just have a ring to it that gets people's attention even though it's a lie. The second reason is it would be racist to look at who is doing all the killing with handguns.

https://ucr.fbi.gov/crime-in-the-u....016/tables/expanded-homicide-data-table-4.xls

And do us all a favor, don't be criticizing something as a phony definition when you guys toss around the incredibility inaccurate and totally fake term of women's health.

 

Fake news. The majority of mass shooters are not White.

 

Not for purchasing guns, but for purchasing marijuana.

 

So maybe include drug tests for all gun purchases? I’m ok with that.

 

Try again. Most mass shootings are NOT white men. But that’s what the MSM is pushing. Poor you spreading lies. Collect that paycheck dude. The Russians are paying you well.

 

Yes I do.

 

Exactly my point. Trump didn't trigger this guy either. He admitted it in his own manifesto.

Or are you going to claim he lied about that but believe when he said he wanted to kill Mexicans?

 

Over 70% are white.
https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2012/12/mass-shootings-mother-jones-full-data/