zlacker

>>KenCoc+(OP)
I can't wait until the part where we all don't talk about gun control and carry on as usual. Sigh.

EDIT: I see my post is being downvoted. I know that it may come across as insensitive to immediately leap to the gun control debate, but frankly I'm more angry than upset by this news. How many times does it have to happen? We have a good 48 hours of emotional outpouring and then everyone forgets it ever happened.

>>untog+M
I would really rather we talk about mental health and brain chemistry. Objects are easy to vilify, but we are ignoring mental health in this country and this is the result. The number of people walking around with untreated Schizophrenia is seriously problematic. The shooter in NM set off so many warnings that were ignored by people in power that it should have been seen. When the dust settles, I would expect a similar narrative on warning signs.

How many times are we going to find out someone had a history of mental issues and nothing was done? How many people are reluctant to take proper medication because they view the effects of the medication worse than what it trying to treat. We have a lot of people coming back with PTSD, we need to get better at this.

I remember OK and that was farm products (which some companies still sell at automated machines). IEDs, pipe bombs, propane canisters, Molotov cocktails are all capable of killing a lot people and are easier to build or acquire than guns.

>>protom+U3
Agreed. My wife is a psychotherapist and has seen a lot of what is happening. Mental-health spending by government is down, service is down, and more folks are going without competent mental health services.

Regardless of ones position on guns, it's almost universal that not nearly enough who need mental health care get it. And, our national attitude is still one of "Therapy is for crazy people!" - yeah, just like "the ER is a viable form of preventative healthcare" and "you only go to the mechanic when your car is on fire".

I'm a libertarian but in practice I'm not sure of a solution that isn't more government involvement.

>>MattRo+C6
Yeah, I think people would be amazed at how bad the mental health care has become in this country. I am a small government type also, but this is one of those things that government really needs to do. Our desire to get rid of asylums led us to do some amazingly stupid things. The mid-90's were a serious pain, but I hear from my friends still dealing with those systems that is even worse now.