Posted on Oct 5, 2015
SGT Ben Keen
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As most of you know, I normally try to stay away from starting some of the more politically fuels threads on here. However, recently, the Washington Post ran a story following the Oregon shooting that outlines exactly how crazy this year has been. With 274 days (at the time of publishing) gone already in 2015, we have seen 294 mass shootings. The WP defines a "mass shooting as an event with 4 or more people killed (can include the shooter).

So RP, is there something that we as a Veterans population do to make sure 2016 isn't a repeat? Are we at risk of seeing these type of events continue? And I might be asking for trouble with this, but what do you think is the main reason that we are seeing such a high level of events like these?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonkblog/wp/2015/10/01/2015-274-days-294-mass-shootings-hundreds-dead/
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Responses: 8
Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS
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I brought this up the other day, but you have to look at each of these instances as specific events and what was involved.

The WP is playing a game and juggling terminology trying to make each of these events seem like a "rampage shooting" like the one in Oregon as compared to what they are.

A drive by shooting (criminal activity) with a specific goal where 4 people are shot (not killed) is a Mass Shooting (correction to the statement in main post) whereas Mass Killing is 4 people have been killed. An instance where a family member shoots up his own house then himself, is a mass shooting. These aren't generally "reported" because they don't cause the same emotional reaction.

That said, they have not statistically affected the (Gun) Violence trend (Decline) in the US over the last 30 years. It has been a steady decline. These are Isolated incidents, which are emotionally jarring, but they are isolated. It's a big nation. Things like this happen in a nation of 320M. It sounds cold, but just because something is scary, doesn't mean it is statistically relevant.
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SGT Ben Keen
SGT Ben Keen
9 y
All great points Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS, I really enjoy you giving your point of view. There is no doubt that gun violence over the last 30 years has gone done and yes there is a huge difference between a mass shooting and a mass killing. Thankfully, most of these events are mass shootings and not mass killings. Yet, it leaves one to think though.
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SGT Ben Keen
SGT Ben Keen
9 y
PVT James Strait - I'm all for people owning guns. As I said before, it's not the gun's fault. The gun doesn't load itself, nor does it discharge the round by itself. It requires someone else doing that. And it doesn't mean that everyone that owns a gun will go out and take part in one of these type of events. 99.9% of all legal gun owners will not. However it is those that gain access to weapons through illegal means that go out and do this. And I believe that no matter what the government says or do, they will continue to get their hands on weapons while those that own a weapon legally are forced to comply with whatever law(s) are passed.
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LCDR Sales & Proposals Manager Gas Turbine Products
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Within days of the shooting in Oregon, an 11 year old boy shot an 8 year old girl over a puppy...Folks, we've gone off the rails.

It isn't guns. If you want to talk sheer volume, we've come a long way since the days when you carried a rifle, shotgun or pistol, same as we carry cell phones today.

It's an attitude that embraces a general hopelessness and lack of accountability. It's children being raised to question everything and believe in nothing. It's a society whose values have become so eroded, life itself is of little consequence.

This only stops when we realize monsters are made, not born...It starts when we threaten parents for punishing unruly kids and ends when a person who has never been made to conform decides they have an "excuse" to exact their own ruthless, soul-less vengeance on the innocent.
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SGT Ben Keen
SGT Ben Keen
9 y
Some great points LCDR (Join to see). It isn't the fault of the gun, rather the fault of the person pulling the trigger. Generally speaking, when born, people aren't monsters yet as you mentioned they are made into them. I know with me personally, I draw a lot of lessons from watching my kids interact with people.

My daughter who is 9 truly only wants the best for people. Last year, she received a gift card to Toys R Us for being in my cousin's wedding as did my son. As we drove to the store the three of us were talking and my daughter's first concern was that her one friend's birthday was coming up and she wanted to use this gift card to purchase a gift for her friend. In the end, she decided to buy two things, one was something she wanted and the other was for her friend.

If only we as a nation would listen to children and only want the best for people rather than what is best for the individual, I feel we would be a much better place.
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PO3 Electrician's Mate
PO3 (Join to see)
9 y
make it short, blame the person, not the tools he/she used. right? ... but this will not get to "them".
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SSG Warren Swan
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Question on this....it mentions this as being the deadliest year, but is it because of better data tracking, easier access to data through social media and 24hr news, or the fact that it used it's own definition instead of the FBI's which would definitely change the outcome. If memory serves Chicago had 40 people shot over one weekend. I forget how many died, but in this case, and add in all the other large cities with high crimes with weapons, wouldn't this data be seriously flawed? We are powerless overall. Not in a negative sense though. We can influence through education and deeds, but in the end, it comes down to the individual to accept what is being taught and implement what was taught. Also outside influences are heavier with this generation than in ones past. I'll speak to mine. When I was a child, my parents personally knew who my friends were. There was no online buddies or stuff like that, so they held a stronger grip on me and what I did because more of it was seen by them. In todays world, you can chat, game, make friends, do whatever and not leave your bedroom. How does that work on interpersonal skills? Coping skills? Managing true crisis? When I was young, you get mad, you fight, you both go home. Now you get mad, grab a weapon and shoot everything in sight. Has America changed? No. has the ability to parent, be a mentor and a role model, along with the influx of technology changed the people yes. The genie is out of the bottle forever. But what we can do is manage through talking, and judicious application of laws how that genie gets used. This cannot be through the use of political parties, but through the use of congress and the presidents office as parents, and eyewitnesses to the tragedies that are hammering us today.
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SSG Gene Carroll SR.
SSG Gene Carroll SR.
9 y
I agree
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