<p>Facts about guns and mass shootings, with graphs:
[Nine</a> facts about guns and mass shootings in the United States](<a href=“http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2012/12/14/nine-facts-about-guns-and-mass-shootings-in-the-united-states/]Nine”>http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2012/12/14/nine-facts-about-guns-and-mass-shootings-in-the-united-states/)</p>
<p>Most killers in mass shootings in the US got their guns legally.</p>
<p>Add a lack of a universally accepted moral system (I’m an agnostic, so not claiming that it has to be Christianity), declining economic prospects for most (not blaming Obama as he is powerless to turn around this doomed ocean liner), a war between the sexes in which non-wealthy men keep losing ground, and a culture that seems to glorify violence to an abundance of easily available guns, and you get a large number of very angry and desperate young and middle-aged men with the will and the means to cause mayhem.</p>
<p>This is still part of the beginning.</p>
<p>Heartbreaking news.</p>
<p>This is incomprehensible to me. How does a person shoot and kill a young child. How does a person kill 18 young children. Why? Why? Why? When will this ever stop? Why must we watch these horrible tragedies unfold over and over again? I am sick that our children are growing up in a time when this is part of their normal. Lots of tears today. Lots of heartbreak. I just can’t even begin to wrap my mind around any of this…</p>
<p>Over and over and over again. I fear we will never learn. 
:(:(</p>
<p>Can’t comprehend why…Just terribly sad and tragic</p>
<p>How many times does this have to happen? Can we please get rid of these types of weapons!</p>
<p>We watch it happen again and again because WE do not have the political will to hold our politicians accountable for policy change in this area. Gun control was never discussed ONCE in the final months of the presidential campaign by either candidate. It isn’t that we don’t learn… it is that we do not make it a high enough priority to insist that it be dealt with.</p>
<p>All societies have sick individuals. The question is what tools do they have access to in order to act on their sicknesses. </p>
<p>My heart just breaks for these families, and their extended families. Such a loss is a wound that will never completely heal. I’ll think about policy later.</p>
<p>Sad sad day. Condolences to all in Connecticut and in the school systems.</p>
<p>Sadly these kind of attacks have been happening for a while. This shooting reminds me of one that happened at an elementary school in a wealthy Chicago suburb back in the 80’s. I’m shocked that the shooter has a wikipedia page… [Laurie</a> Dann - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia](<a href=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laurie_Dann]Laurie”>Murder of Nick Corwin - Wikipedia)</p>
<p>So sad. Prayers for all involved.
Add me to the list in favor of banning all auto/semi-auto guns. The US has the highest death by firearm of any civilized nation. This includes legal and illegal firearm deaths. In my area, two infant kids have been accidentally shot (one died, one is serious) THIS WEEK by toddler siblings who somehow got their hands on guns in their homes (parents’ fault, I know) and a pastor shot his granddaughter thinking she was an intruder.</p>
<p>This is so awful. Nothing bad should happen to you in kindergarten. And nothing this bad should happen to anyone, ever.</p>
<p>At first I thought they said the shooter was the parent of one of the students. Now to hear he’s a kid who killed his own mother? What could she have possibly done that was so bad? And why kill these innocent children?</p>
<p>I’m already hearing the endless rehashing that will occur – they’ll talk of a “deeply troubled man” etc. Nothing will bring these little angels back to life.</p>
<p>Oh, DocT (post #45), I am so sorry to hear this.</p>
<p>I believe intparent is correct: politicians respond to public pressure – sustained, persistant and consistent pressure. But today is no day for that conversation. I work in a primary school and we have preparedness plans for this sort of thing - where the children will hide, which staff call 911, who can get children out of the building, who is at highest risk. It is chilling and scary but you can be sure those teachers were ready to defend their children with their lives, if need be. Can you imagine hiding in a coat closet while listening to gunfire? There are no words today. No words.</p>
<p>“It isn’t that we don’t learn… it is that we do not make it a high enough priority to insist that it be dealt with.”</p>
<p>Sadly, I don’t think it’s that. I think “we” are out numbered. Once again it will simply be chalked up as an evil madman (followed by the inevitable “if only the teachers were armed,” ) and that it has nothing to do with any Tom, Dick or Harry being able to buy as many guns and as much ammo as they please.</p>
<p>What a senseless tragedy. Sending prayers to all affected.</p>
<p>“But today is no day for that conversation.”</p>
<p>When, if not today, should we have this conversation? That is all I ever hear, every time, and not surprisingly the conversation never does takes place.</p>
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</p>
<p>No, today is the VERY DAY for that conversation to begin, and not stop until this odious gun culture is eradicated.</p>
<p>This is so horribly tragic. I cannot even imagine being a parent of one of these children and the children who witnessed this horrible attack. I was heartbroken last night seeing the mother of the Oregon shooter being interviewed while holding her scrapbook of him as a toddler and young child…</p>
<p>My congressional representative is Carolyn McCarthy who came to elected office after her husband was one of those killed in another mass shooting on the LIRR and her son, only child I believe, was seriously injured and never regained full mobility. I support her for many reasons but whenever the opposition campaigns against her while I await the railroad in the morning or we receive phone calls… I ask what their position and stand will be on banning automatic weapons, putting extra checks and wait-times, banning sales of multiple ammunition clips or cartridges and so on… that usually leaves them without any answer.</p>
<p>Enough with guns. Enough with a culture that will not confront mental illness. I just became politically charged. ENOUGH</p>