Analysis: Why does the U.S. have so many mass shootings?

[CarlosAlberto]

Posted: 8/27/15 at 12:24pm

Interesting analysis in light of the horrific shootings that are occuring in our country on an almost day-to-day basis.

 

On Sunday, criminal justice professor Adam Lankford stood in front of a crowd of sociologists to explain how American culture contributes to the all-too-frequent American mass shootings. It’s not just that we have a lot of guns, he said — though he does believe that the high rates of firearm ownership are partially to blame. It’s the social strains of American life — the false promise of the American dream, which guarantees a level of success that can’t always be achieved through hard work and sheer willpower; the devotion to individualism and the desire for fame or notoriety.

 

Millions of Americans feel these strains and never commit a crime. But for a small handful, they breed the kind of resentment and fury that can explode into violence.

 

When an embittered former Roanoke reporter opened fire on his onetime colleagues three days later, interrupting their live broadcast to ensure that his attack made it on TV, it was as though he was trying to prove Lankford’s point.

 

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 8/27/15 at 2:59pm

Really makes you think. 

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 8/30/15 at 6:19am

Our most undying love, fervent romance and honored tradition is for-with-of violence.
And we have a ****load of guns.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 8/30/15 at 11:05am

No, the problem is, not enough people have guns.  If everyone carried a gun, it would put an end to shooting-related deaths.  I don't know what that article is about, but the American dream is gun ownership and the right to shoot.

[tazber]

Posted: 8/31/15 at 7:06am

Well clearly we're having too many masses.

The Pops needs to cancel all masses and then watch those stats drop!

[South Florida]

Posted: 8/31/15 at 6:23pm

Gonna venture to say guns are easy to get as part of the answer.  When I hear mental health is the reason I cringe.  "Part of this is mental health", by that we're saying we're more mentally handicapped then the rest of the world.

 

Updated On: 8/31/15 at 06:23 PM

[candydog2]

Posted: 8/31/15 at 6:57pm

The bottom line is that the US has so many gun-related deaths because there are too many guns owned by civilians. Other countries have citizens who struggle with mental illness or anger issues and still gun related deaths are far less common.

You can develop better mental health or counselling programmes, but they will not end gun crime. The only thing that will help is to ban guns and try to squash out the ridiculous rampant gun culture.

[South Florida]

Posted: 8/31/15 at 6:59pm

Yes

 

[sabrelady]

Posted: 8/31/15 at 11:36pm

the US has so many gun-related deaths because...

you don't like each other. each American is potentially someone who can take away or has what is rightfully yours. Be it jobs, money, sex. So Bang Bang, you lose I win.