comment: >
  
  from his website:
  "40,000 Americans die due to gun-related deaths each year. The most vulnerable members of our society account for the majority of those deaths. Mass violence has robbed my generation of our childhoods and cut many of our lives short. The attempts to simply regulate the sale of weapons haven’t worked. That’s why I support a holistic approach to gun violence, developed and championed by the Gun Violence Prevention movement. 
  IN CONGRESS, I WILL WORK TO
  Ban assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines.
  Require background checks for all gun sales.
  Fund and support local community violence intervention programs, and ensure congress allocates at least $37 million to fully fund public research on gun violence.
  Fight to end the corruption of the gun lobby and dismantle the NRA, and ensure our courts enforce licensing revocation for gun dealers and manufacturers who break the law.
  Develop a national task force to end gun violence of which 25% of the membership is composed of youth and BIPOC representatives who are most affected by gun violence."
context: As a millennial who was in high school when columbine happened, I thought I was part of the mass shooting generation. I never imagined it would get as bad as it has. Fuck every politician who sits on their hands while our kids die. >
  
  I live in Colorado, which at this point is like the poster child for mass shootings.  There have been three mass shootings that made national news since I moved here.  I lived in Aurora for a while - you can guess what people's first reaction was when I told them that.
  It's fucking insane.  I've been lucky, my closest connection to a mass shooting was when a couple coworkers visited the Boulder King Sooper less than 24 hours before the shooting there, and a bunch of people texted me concerned because it's close to my office.  I was also within a couple blocks of the Planned Parenthood shooting when it happened.  Thankfully, nobody I know was hurt. But damn, it's horrible.
  While gun violence has many factors to be addressed, I think the phenomenon of mass shootings in particular has one major factor that sets it apart:
  Right wing radicalization.
  This isn't suicide due to unavailability of mental health care.  This isn't drug related violence.  This is a bunch of people radicalized online by far right propaganda and incel forums.  Until we figure out a way to eliminate those things, no amount of gun laws will make a difference. >
  
  I lived in CO for 12+ years and plan to return in a few years. It’s home. 
  Even thought the urban areas outvote the rural areas, it’s a very purple state. That allows  right-wing, radicalized, mentally ill terrorists close proximity to the targets of their disdain. 
  As a parent of school aged kids, I’m really enjoying living in a state with almost zero gun violence. Hawaii has the lowest rate at 3.4 (per 100k). Colorado is over 15. Hawaii definitely has its own issues but school shootings hasn’t made that list. >
  
  Hawaii just started issuing CCWs for the first time in history, in response to the Bruen decision.  So I would expect somewhat of an increase in gun violence.  Hopefully no mass shootings though. >
  
  The culture of Hawaii is drastically different than the mainland. I think it helps that everyone has access to free mental healthcare: the beach. >
  
  Oh, now we're blaming "culture" again. 
  If the beach is the solution, then why is Florida's murder rate so high? >
  
  Fair point. Honestly, Hawaii’s culture is extremely central to daily life. Ohana (family) is at the heart of everything and most families are very large and extended so you always have someone to help you, teach you, hold you accountable to yourself etc. Hawaii is far from perfect— believe me— but they take great pride in their traditions, legacy and interconnectedness. They gather regularly and love to celebrate so there’s almost always something to be happy about. 
  Mainland culture, however, is often pretty dysfunctional and independence and autonomy is often the goal. I think mainlanders struggle with more loneliness than interconnected Hawaiians. Chronic loneliness is a frequent precursor to major mental health issues. 
  All of this is just my own anecdotal impression. I’ve actually lived in Florida and it was a very isolating place. 
  Plus, in the beach:landmass ratio, Hawaii wins hands down. >
  
  I'm sure all those things play a role, but at the end of the day, I think that Hawaii's low gun ownership rate, stricter gun control laws, and the difficulty of bringing in guns across the ocean are the major factors, far more important than culture or familiy celebrations or whatever else. >
  
  You’re definitely right. More guns = more gun violence. >
  
  ^
  
  “I think we have an opportunity, even in a Republican Congress, to pass legislation that can help get money for community violence intervention programs that help end gun violence before it even happens,” he said.
  He further insists that any prospective legislation needs to have a mental health component.
  “Folks with serious mental health issues are often scapegoated as the reason why there’s gun violence,” Frost says. “But as someone who’s been doing the work, when you look into the numbers, having a serious mental health issue doesn’t make you more likely to shoot someone. It actually makes you more likely to be shot.”
  Frost intends to keep the pressure on both Republicans “who sweep the deaths of children under the rug” and on members of his own party who have been otherwise disinclined to take bold action. “I’d venture to say that gun control is the slowest-moving issue in the federal government that has the most media coverage when something happens,” he says. “I have to be the consistent voice.”
  
  Article continues.. >
  
  Most of that is true. But it's not folks with serious mental illness. To be sure,  mental illness definitely plays a role. Lack of care options, stigmas, and undiagnosed mental health problems are absolutely part of the problem. But what we really see far more is a correlation between poverty and gun violence. It's got to be the most reliable correlation. >
  
  Please don't conflate the two things like everyone loves to to fit their story. Poverty and gun violence and crime as a whole are definitely correlated. But when we talk about school shootings, Mall shootings, black church shootings, sikh temple shootings, gay club shootings, supermarket shootings, that's a different topic >
  
  There's one pretty clear constant when it comes to gun violence in the US: an overabundance of guns. If we want to tackle gun violence, we have to address the absolutely insane number of guns our citizens possess. >
  
  Sure but, pointing out that we had record gun sales in 2020 and that they clearly has an impact on the increase in shootings and gun violence makes you a screeching woke lib or something. It's completely impossible to get any one to just acknowledge that more guns=more shootings as an objective fact. >
  
  I wonder how much of those record sales was liberals reacting to the conservative attempt to overthrow the government. >
  
  Anecdotally, I purchased a handgun due to that exact reason. So that's at least 1. >
  
  Another anecdote, my experience at the range has been a huge influx of new gun owners from all walks of life.  
  I'm a gun owner in an extremely liberal state.  So it's somewhat more safe here for all kinds of people to show up at a range.  
  And honestly, I'm delighted to see new gun owners putting in the time to build habits and proficiency.  Way too many of these panic buyers will just buy a gun and stick it in the nightstand, hoping they'll magically become John Wick in a crisis. >
  
  Come down to Houston, the ranges here are generally very diverse and just about everyone here owns. >
  
  I had a school lockdown in college that thankfully no one was hurt in. But hearing the alarms and realizing it was a real lockdown was terrifying. Having to hide and the door opening because students were looking for a place to hide and wait for the all clear still stays with me. Our professor was near tears and I was praying to anyone who would hear just in case. I just wanted to go home. 
  Luckily we got the all clear and able to get home safe and sound. Next day, Sandy hook was all over the news. All I think about is those kids and teachers every time a shooting happens. Realizing they probably felt that same fear and just wanted to go home. It hurts to see nothing has changed but gotten worse since. My heart aches for anyone having to experience that feeling of uncertainty and not being able to get home. >
  
  Keep going for the jugular, kid.
  -a Millenial who's watched this shit for far too long. >
  
  Gen-Z:  Hey can you stop us from getting murdered at school?
  GOP:  haha no fuck you
  Gen-Z:  Hi we're adults now and we're never voting for you.
  GOP:  why tho >
  
  Can throw that in with "hey can you keep our climate from slipping out of control" and "hey can you make it so I can afford healthcare and education" and "hey can we have laws dictated by researched policy and not religious zealotry?"
  and a couple dozen more points I'm sure >
  
  The cost of 2a is paid everyday in American blood and lives >
  
  The US Supreme Court has ruled that concealed carry is a constitutional right.
  But they won't allow concealed carry in their own building while they are hearing cases. 
  Force them to follow the same rules as they are imposing on the rest of us, and watch how quickly they change their tune. >
  
  It’s such a uniquely American problem that we have the highest rates of gun ownership of any country by an absurd margin and the highest rates of gun violence of any country by an absurd margin and our elected officials believe the two are unconnected. Somehow. >
  
  But we need more guns to stop all the guns! 
  This forest fire is out of control! Quick! Get the flame thrower! >
  
  To be fair, they do burn shit to control fires >
  
  The difference being that when they grab the flamethrowers, they don’t aim them at elementary schools, theaters, and churches. They surround the fire itself >
  
  It’s interesting that some American think that taking away a gun is infringement of their rights while taking away a persons freedom to go freely into society isn’t. >
  
  Are boomers then the "serial killer" generation? >
  
  He's not wrong. >
  
  I feel like it's been a few generations at this point. >
  
  Yes, Gen Z has produced more mass shooters than other generations. >
  
  That’s cool. Now let’s get more like him. Maybe in 50 years we can finally repeal the 2nd amendment. Hopefully I’ll still be alive to see that day. Probably not though. >
  
  I was 5 when Columbine happened. I obviously didn’t know what happened at the time but as I got into junior high and high school I started to see it in the news. I was always so scared sitting in class and being in crowded hallways where I wouldn’t be able to easily run away if shooting started to happen terrified me. In college, I always picked a seat near an exit and I was constantly paranoid that someone was going to come in and start shooting. I have kids of my own now and I’m seriously considering homeschooling them because I can’t imagine sending them to school and something happening. >
  
  MSG is bad for you 😢 >
  
  I'm for this guy. Fuck the 2A. We have a military that rivals any other countries, our citizens have no need for military hardware. Restrict it to single shot or breech loaders for hunting use, enact a buyback, and throw anyone caught with an illegal weapon in jail for max penalty. >
  
  So...what are your solutions buddy?