Just wanted to contribute my opinion to the thread with this post. FWIW
1) I personally believe every US citizen has the right to own a gun. Whether that gun is for hunting, firing range use, or protection does not matter to me. With that said...
2) To own a weapon, I feel various laws should be strictly enforced (Some may already be in action. I'm not 100% familiar with the gun laws in their entirety).
a) Before buying a firearm, one should pass several tests including, but not limited to a written exam, a field exam, a drug test, a mental health test, a background check, and take a course in gun safety. (I'm still torn on this, but I'm leaning towards the idea that if you have a spouse or kid with a mental disorder, etc. then you should not be allowed to own a firearm.)
b) A person should be limited to the type of gun owned (I feel any weapon capable of a mass attack should be banned). The amount of ammunition should be strictly regulated. Any firearm should be required to be locked in a case, separate from the ammo and suspect to yearly, unannounced checks by the authorities.
c) I really like the idea of mandatory police officers at every school (or any public venue where masses of people may gather) and security check-ins, along with metal detectors at each entrance. Some of you may feel this to be overkill, but my thought process is that a mass killing has potential to happen anywhere and there should be certain measures taken to ensure the public's safety. Yes, it'll cost money, but how much would you pay to help ensure your family's safety?
3) I have a huge problem with our culture and the amount violence portrayed on tv, movies, video games, etc. That needs to be regulated better, imo. Sure this isn't the main problem, but if it helps, so be it.
4) I also have an issue with the way the media "celebrates" these killers giving the next person the chance to out-kill the previous. Someone already mentioned it, and I agree, that there should be a law restricting the media from giving details of the killers. A quick example: The death place of Hitler's bunker in Berlin is now a parking lot. People know where it is, but it's not a memorial or remembered in any fashion. They don't use it as a tourist trap or a way to raise money. In our guide's words, "It's simply a place where dogs come to **** and ****." America needs to remember/mourn the lives lost, but should "**** and ****" on the killers who took those lives, not plaster their names and pictures all over every tv and computer screen.
5) Lastly, I feel there needs to be better support for our mental health fields. Whether that be better insurance, more programs, or whatever..something needs to change to help these families who struggle with any disorder.
I have more feelings and thoughts on this subject, but I'll leave it at this for now. It's clear there isn't one specific issue that needs to be addressed. With that said, please don't dissect my every point. While I'm aware my ideas have holes and most certainly will never be enforced, I'm also not looking for a debate. I just wanted to express my gut reaction to these tragic events. My wife is an elementary school teacher, and after listening to her countless stories of parent-child relationships, perhaps the best "regulation" this country should enforce is for parents to spend more time loving and teaching their children, caring for others, and taking greater responsibility for themselves and their family.
