Shooting at CT elementary school leaves at least 27 dead, 18 of them children

[Beet]

I'm in favor of moderate gun control, against further liberalizing of gun laws.

But the real problem is the sacred place that guns have in our society. In my personal opinion a lot of people in this country have an exaggerated opinion of the usefulness of guns and emotional investment in seeing guns as cool and rebellious. The whole notion that it's a political statement to ostentatiously have big guns or carry a gun around, like it makes them a better person. A lot of people think that. Guns are what they are, neither inherently good or bad, I wish we would not invest them with all of this spiritual significance. They're a tool and a potential weapon, but there's nothing magical about them. I honestly think that if people saw guns like they saw everything else, in a more objective way, the entire gun control debate would be unnecessary because we as a society would just pass whatever makes the most sense and no one would object. And if people stopped seeing guns as cool or attractive or glamorous and saw them as unattractive, ugly objects, and voluntarily opt out of them, that would do more than any law to reduce the number of guns out there and the chance for gun violence. Meanwhile those who really do have a good use for guns would have to contend with let crap from all the people who shouldn't have but do and give all gun owners a bad name.

But that's not my call to make, since I was never a part of that culture to begin with.

[Beet]

Yeah, that's exactly my point. The NRA isn't just advocating against laws restricting guns, they're advocating for the inherent goodness of guns themselves. It's as if Planned Parenthood spent its days propagandizing for abortion itself, rather than simply the right to have them. That's my objection to the pro-gun groups these days. I'm willing to live with lax gun laws but I don't see why they have to push their lifestyle.

[Beet]

The Colorado shooter was receiving psychiatric care and it didn't stop him.

[Beet]

http://www.economist.com/blogs/democracyinamerica/2012/12/newtown-massacre