Are there ways to effect the rate of gun violence without going anywhere near the gun control controversy? Are there underlying issues that can be realistically addressed?
I’ll just paste what I posted in the other thread:
Imagine that the rate of gun ownership, and the “gun culture” of America, however that may be defined, remains exactly the same as it is now over the next 10 years. But imagine that during those 10 years, more of these boys - and let’s face it, it’s almost always boys - instead of sitting at home in their rooms on their computers or other devices, when they’re not at school, are, even just two or three days a week, spending time involved in some kind of productive activity. Whether it’s a sports team, an engineering club where they can work on machines, an outdoorsmanship class of some kind where they do some activity relating to nature, or virtually any other kind of activity you can imagine. Here’s something that I think is crucial not only to the mental state that motivates these shootings but to depressive and maladaptive personality disorders in general: when you’re DOING something, that is time that’s NOT being spent on just sitting around drowning in your own thoughts.
I’ve read enough backstory on enough of these school shooters to know that their lives are typically lacking in camaraderie and productivity. A focused effort to study kids with emotional problems, figure out how they can be targeted with opportunities to alleviate these problems by offering them some meaning in their lives, and allocate funds for some kind of nationwide mentorship program, could seriously reduce the number of potential school shooters. And, unlike gun control, there aren’t going to be millions of people shouting down this proposal. It’s something that anyone with any common sense should be able to agree on.
All of the programs you mention cost money, at a time when a lot of us have taken up belt-tightening as a hobby. How are these programs funded?
I’m of the opinion that the spike in school/mass shootings has occurred largely because it’s seen as a way to make oneself important and maybe famous, and I think that occurred mostly because of the social networking programs and the 24 hour news cycle. So destroying the internet and multichannel television would probably result in a gradual reduction in school/mass shootings.
At the very least you wouldn’t hear about so many of them.
Remember this part of the OP?
(bolding mine)
Same way anything is funded. Including totally worthless and idiotic things. Online fundraising campaigns, or money from the government.
As to begbert’s idea, I was kind of hoping that the thread would stick to things that are actually achievable, instead of totally impossible.
In various other threads, I’m told that “Criminals don’t buy guns legally”.
What if we force everyone to purchase a gun legally? Then there won’t be any more criminals.
Please re-read the OP.
We could try loving one another, and view people all as equals in humanity.
To really address this:
Address the divisiveness of the country. (And most, if not all politicians)
Address the media (and directly the hyperbolic coverage)
Address Poverty and the cultures stuck there
Only one of those has a significant dollar amount attached. The other 2 are probably impossible
I’m just going to disregard that, but since you’re here, your avatar and namesake are actually relevant to this discussion.
Marilyn Manson was an alienated and angry teenager at one point. What did he do? He took that anger and alienation and he channeled it into something productive, something that entertained millions of people, something that actually made him a millionaire.
Back when Columbine happened, everyone was pointing fingers at Manson. But what nobody said was, “hey, here is this guy who, instead of shooting people because he’s angry and alienated, he made music about it instead.” Nobody said, “you guys in high school, maybe you should follow that example.”
Well I’m saying it now. I’ve seen memes on FB to the effect of, “hey school shooters, when you’re going to the pawn shop to buy a gun, how about buying a guitar instead?” It’s goddamn true.
I’m pretty sure MY idea is more realistic than this 
I would like to see businesses, restaurants, communities, cities, etc., try the same thing that the anti-smoking campaigns did. Simply prohibit firearms in places of business by posting signs: “This is a gun free establishment.” I suppose it would be most effective in places where there are open/conceal carry laws. Less effective in NYC, for example. Still, that would target awareness where it’s needed most.
Commercial campaigns like “The Truth About Tobacco”, but with gun deaths statistics.
I suppose an immediate, “Liberal gun grabbers!” backlash would immediately ensue. But so does anything that even suggests an anti-gun stance.
Yes, Brian Warner is an intelligent guy.
It’s good to see that so many people have read the OP.
We could absolutely destroy our internet routing, broadcasting, and cell systems. To do so is most definitely within the power of the american government.
We’re not going to do so, of course, but the thread is about how to resolve gun violence when we’re not willing to get rid of the guns. Things we’re not going to do is a theme of this thread.
Why do you think that private businesses couldn’t elect to post “no guns allowed” signs?
Make bullets $1000 each?
Jesus H. Christ, man, the OP said “without going anywhere near the gun control controversy.” Here I am trying to make a good faith effort to actually discuss ideas, and everyone else seems to just be threadshitting.
Read what I said once more, with feeling.