To make it simple: as gun control discussions pop up again, here are 5 things I think we need:
1. We need better facts than the most common ones of gun deaths in US vs. heavily restricted countries, because for one gun deaths account for a wide range of deaths, some of which (accidents, self-defense, suicide) are not relevant towards discussions on gun violence especially in relation to mass murder. Therefore, we need statistics comparing mass murder (not mass shootings) in the US vs. regulated countries to even explore if gun control can curb body counts or simply moves them from one statistic to another.
2. We need to discuss more than just gun control. That is a technical solution to a far more adaptive problem. Only trying to stop one way of killing without addressing the systems that facilitate creating the desire for monstrous violence is a token solution meant more to make us feel safe than address the full problem we have in this country. That does not mean we don't have to address guns, but that the political preoccupation has manipulated too many into thinking that is all we can/should/must do. We should legitimately care about what in the current status quo are the shooters trying to upset and why they resort to power dynamics of fear, force, and terror (and conversely as others are down make them feel powerful) which guns certainly can help facilitate. The glorification of glory, power, and strength (especially for men) is an age old, sin old problem to be sure, yet we should look at how we can try to combat it.
3. We need gun minded people to not simply fight against gun reform but actually enter into it so it is not left up to the general public or social advocates who understand little about the weapons themselves and care little about any impact upon the second amendment. Instead, those who want their rights preserved and have better grasp of the weapons should be at the front of saying what is the most logical legislation that would help make these weapons less effective mass killers while preventing unnecessary restrictions. Instead of simply telling us what won't help, tell us what will, and be the ones advocating for it so legislators cannot hide behind you.
4. We need to discuss rights and implications. While 2nd amendment is the chief right talked about, it seems to me also that since we live in a nation that determines one is innocent until proven guilty that too makes preemptive action difficult. Not only that, but how much we are willing to sacrifice a right simply because we have had no need to exercise it is a dangerous position to take, because there are other rights (like for me my right to free exercise of religion) that I don't want that principle extended to by those who do not exercise that right. The clash of rights is a delicate matter, which is why mass shooting - a massive loss of life - is about the only matter that can get us talking with great disregard for the 2nd amendment.
5. We need to address the state of affairs that preserves the status quo. There is a reason lobby groups direct politicians, and we lament it but too often do not discuss unseating it. Both sides have championed partisanship to the point that politicians do themselves damage by being bipartison and lose votes and financial support from their party. Just as much as our culture is corrupt enough to produce mass killers (which is why we need more than gun control) it is corrupt enough it seems to be more about talk than action - especially in how it has allowed talking at each other instead of legitimately talking with each other towards a stated goal. And the fact that we let tragedy get politicized immediately to where you are attacked for praying for someone, immediately have to blame mental illness, or religion, or radicalism to protect your political interests, to where national grief is always turned into righteous anger (and always at our political opponents), the point being we are sucked into a system that lets the same narrative play out and we feel like we did something when we simply followed suit. In fact, that's probably what I'm doing with this post sadly; trying to get out, but getting drawn right back in (insert Godfather III quote).
My 2 cents. For what it's worth.
