The recent shooting in Florida is yet another terrible tragedy. Innocent lives lost for pointless reasons. There have been 29 shootings in 2018, and our dear president is more concerned with building a fucking wall. That tells you what the problem with our country is.

It would be easy to say push for gun control, or ban all guns. However, the second amendment was established so that every citizen is allowed to own a gun in case if our country was invaded or if we needed to fight off our own government. Additionally, it's not necessarily the gun that did the killing, it's the person behind the gun. Their thoughts were for violent actions.

Perhaps it is not guns that need to be controlled but people. Perhaps it is time to root out anyone that has the potential to be violent. We round up the Ku Klux Klan, round up the Neo Nazis, round up the Westboro Baptist Church members, round up all violent offenders. Then we strap them to a table and perform multiple lobotomies. Turn them into mindless zombies until they die by choking on their own saliva. Unfortunately, no government official is going to pass such an act or law.

Perhaps we should increase security around schools or other public places. Install metal detectors, hire security guards, search pockets, the works. Educate people the signs of potential danger, be able to identify behavioral issues, and see to it that it gets reported right away so help can be provided to the disturbed. Unfortunately, in the wake of the Florida shooting, the shooter was reported months ago to Trump's FBI, and nobody anything to prevent it.

So what can really be done to prevent mass shootings? I'm afraid I don't have an answer for you right now. I can tell you what you can do in the events of a mass shooting. You help the friends and families of the victims. You show your love and support for them. You go day by day proving that you're better than those who wish to use violence to ensure their pitiful and pointless motives.

I am convinced that all men and women should have a gun—not "access" to purchase or borrow one— but one guaranteed to own in their possession at all times. I feel equally strongly, that they should each have, by law, a telephone, a tv, a radio, a computer, a car... in fact every invention pertaining to personal well being and safety (be it weapon, mode of communication, or means of transportation). Not separate-but-equal semi-equivalency. Apple for Apple— meaning top of the line of human invention. And if a technological innovation cannot be so produced and distributed, on whatever grounds of objection, it should not be permitted to be manufactured at all for individual monopolization. (I understand this is a tall order.) 

Barring the feasibility of such fairness of distribution within the family, prudence should dictate that grand inventions be confined to public exhibition where we can all enjoy them equally as examples of Mankind's ingenuity— a display naturally of empty shells, so as not to invite temptation for theft. Concurrently, every effort should be directed towards public application of the technology for community wide benefit. By this I mean, shared easily accessible efficient transportation; freely shared public hot spots for accessing all cultural and informational broadcasts via tv, radio, or internet, as well as for personal or business telephone connections; and open and accountable public defense mechanism... which I suspect would not be needed, if social connectivity (physical mobility and intellectual exchange) were a priority. We are after all less afraid of bogeymen when we know ourselves and our neighbors. (Call me out if you wish, there is something in this that sounds suspiciously like the foundations of communism.)

However, I do not at all mean to suggest that violence is an economic issue. The pressures of material inequality is but one component. Though it's an instigating factor. We ought to seek to understand the underlying source of violent outbursts; and I believe it has to do with one particularly human quality. Human beings have... ambition. I have never met a person without it— though there are of course those who give the appearance of lack thereof, while the goal oriented can be identified as having a lot, if not excess... But in my observation, the labeled lousy-good-for-nothing sitting in the corner of nowhere sulking, is equally nagged, albeit by un-directed ambition. Those driven to derision by being stuck in a god-forsaken cul-de-sac of indecision, are I believe immobilized as a result of their conflicted ambition, which without direction boils into high pressured of frustration. Ambition is the "ardent desire for distinction," according to the Oxford Dictionary. We know in our heart of hearts our own craving to be good at Something, anything; Most critically that need to be Good at something in our own Eyes... We suffer so many personal roadblocks (doubt, physical growing pains, interpersonal drama, etc.) that any material obstructions/ stratifications simply fuel the scales of our preconceived defeat. The odds are against us. From the start, biologically; and societal rules are designed as if to drive this point firmly into our flesh and intellect. It is hard to expect otherwise, but that individuals will become unbalanced from these pressures and lash out (in violence, vandalism, or theft) or implode (in annihilation, self-mutilation, insanity, depression or other forms of mental illness). 

We are painfully aware, if only subconsciously, that we cannot "be what we want to be," even if we knew what that want was!! There are limitations imposed all around us. We cannot simply declare that we want to be a doctor or a lawyer, no matter how much our predisposition may fit such a profession... we need access to the knowledge and training that would allow us entry into the field. And that takes— before any Hard-Work— money and connections that will allow access to opportunity. It is naive to put emphasis on hard-work and sheer will as applied to acquired attributes, as much as to the physical innate attributes that we are born with. What we—and only we— do have control of is our own internal discipline. Of being hard-working and grateful towards whatever it is that we are tasked with at any given moment in time as an opportunity to show our better side of human nature. That which might help us to channel our natural ambitions... We are all too often burdened by the perceived meagerness of our efforts, especially in what it means to "do well" or to "take good care of ourselves, our families and surroundings." It's as if we tend to raise the bar just beyond our current means... in what might be termed false ambition. In large part this is due to our culture of divisiveness... technology is "not for everyone." People are teased by "better" ways/ things that are "not for them," and fuel their inherent tendencies towards self-deprecation. Demeaning of groups of people, whether men, women, children, races, ethnicities, oriententations, beliefs, illnesses, disabilities etc. happens on a regular basis in our culture, as if with full intent, to fuel self-doubt and self-hate and contention among peoples... people fall into conviction that they are indeed inferior, not worth the kind of life projected as possible for "successsful people."

There is fundamentally the need to treat each person, regardless of any attribute, with due equal respect as a human being. If there were an across the board understanding, that each of us regardless of circumstances of birth, has this same need to feel like they too have a chance towards growth, and security in life, perhaps there would be less internal torment, frustration and consequently less violence. It would be a start, in my opinion, to have a social contract towards equalizing access to information and cultural goods. Perhaps this would simultaneously be a step towards curbing waste and pollution...

#PreventionOfViolence #Challenge

<font face="Helvetica" size="3" color="silver">02.26.2018</font>

Mass shootings are a huge issue. And though semi-automatic firearms and similar weapons may make it easier for these shootings to be carried out, the weapon never pulls its trigger on its own. There is always someone behind the trigger. By "people behind the trigger" I don't mean just the person pointing the gun. I am talking about every single person that has helped to push the assailant to even pick up and point the gun in the first place. There is an underlying cause to this madness that can be traced back to all of our childhoods. There is a flaw in the education system, and there is a problem with how some people were raised or treated growing up. Bullying has always been a major part of childhood and even life in general, although many of us choose to feign ignorance and ignore the fact. But dispite all these campaigns to bring an end to bullying, schools and even parents all too often choose to close their eyes and cover their ears from countless desperate cries for help. Factors such as trauma, intolerance, racism, homophobia, among many other things are all roots connected to the same tree and grown from the same seed. They are forced onto us in our youth and further embedded as we develop. Morality. Love. These compose the seed that should be planted. Unfortunately, many seeds are watered with toxic water full of the world's hate. This hate or lack of morality is the true problem that must be controlled. It is the stem holding up the gun.

If our world was a world of love, we would have no need for this debate. Make sure the others in your life know they are loved. The difference between being loved and knowing you are a valued human being is so big we have allowed a place in our society for people who think it's okay to kill innocent children. Reach out to your neighbors, family, friends, students, teachers, peers. Anyone and everyone. If everyone is a valued part of their society, they will not feel the need to lash out. Do your part by loving the unlovable. You never know what thoughts are in the back of their minds.

Let’s make a law that says you’re not supposed to kill. Instead of worrying about magazine capacities, and three day waiting contingencies, let’s just say, “No killing” Nip it in the bud. Then someone determined-and-crazy will read that law and say, “Oh okay guess, I'm not killing anyone today… because the law.”

Let’s compare “gun places” to “safe spaces”. Because if guns are the problem, then gun stores and shooting ranges, would be constantly on the front pages for their non-stop violent rampages. So many guns in close proximity, these body-count atrocities must be happening there constantly. Am I right?

But instead, it’s these so called “safe places” with no-guns-allowed that invite the crazies to shoot-up-a-crowd and somehow we haven’t figured out’ that maybe guns keep the assholes from coming around?

But the police, they’re supposed to protect us, right? Well our brave blue line' has a tendency to just wait outside. In two years, two tragedies-- it’s happened two times. Club Pulse in Orlando had a cop moonlighting at the door, He waited for backup and fifty people never got back up from the dance floor. The on-campus sheriff at Parkland' knew there was an armed man’ and He waited for backup and seventeen people never got back up again.

Because "no guns" means you’re at the mercy of the government. Lest we forget the orange tufted head at this country's helm. If you believe he’s compassionate and just, reasonable and worthy of our trust, then by all means give up the guns. But… if you think his regime is not as it seems, then the last thing you want to do is give up the peoples' means-- to fight back.

A person can kill a lot more people with a gun. and dsturbed people with guns are fucking dngerous. Don't make it easy for them. But equally look for the problem behind this deranged behavoir.

The problem lies in the the way we live. We are missing that profound and natural understanding that the health of each individual benefits the health of everyone. This awareness of collective mental health creates transparency. Familial and friendship issues would be brought into the fore and discussed. One's sadness is everyones. None of these behind closed doors abuses leading to more disturbed states of mind growing unchecked in isolation.

We have an innate attraction to community. True communty is not only missing in our societal setup, we miss it intuitively and this lack manifests emotionally as anger and frustration, as lonliness. Our current way of life breeds discontent and disconnect. Cyber socialising and consumerism can't replace that desire for a real community where one is fully accepted for who they are, flaws to talents. To survive we need community whch in turn leads to a connection with all things.

What we think is community these days demands a certain conformity and behavoir. In a true community, yes there are duties to perform for the welfare of the group, but equally the survival of everyone relies on mental health and that health is promoted through acceptance.

But why guns anyway? An NRA love affair with guns is just another search for a group to belong to and feel empowered by. As well, this gun obsession equated with protection, strengthens the isolation and dog eat dog mentality that is poisoning everyone. Criminals vs the decent citizens. Foreigners vs locals, unemployed vs employed, men vs women, teenagers vs adults, and on and on. Our modern way of life epitomized in the American way of life doesnt allow for weakness. Repressed vulnerability is like a land mine awaiting its explosion, especially in a male.

Laws that state guns can be carried by eligible people were created back when people needed them for hunting and fighting in the Revolutionary War, so, we don’t need to carry them around anymore. Teachers could be bad people, so take precautions or just send them to the military. They’re the only ones who need them.

Security passes with metal detectors on them is what

is used by every student in which they would use their

fingerprint to get in school. The metal detectors are

made to a frequency of two miles from the schools each way. When they scan their passes to bring up a place to put the print, the detector would say if the student has any metal on their body. After putting their cell phones in

a basket. Principals and faculty are to have a weekly meeting with children with attitude problems or have problems with other children. Our reserved military personnel should roam the hallways all day at school and be planted at each entrance. Yes, it seems like a Fort Nox but I want to protect our GOLDEN MINDS for a better

future. This is my opinion only.

Guns are supposed to be for personal protection, you do not need an automatic, fast firing weapon or a bazooka to protect yourself, your home or anything else.

A single hand gun should only be sold to each member of the public who requires one, not huge arsenal of weapons.

Moderation, education and sanity is needed.

That way they can be monitored better, stored securely and the law enforcement agencies will be able to control any major situations better. It is easier to stop someone with a hand gun than it is if they are shooting a machine gun!