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In reply to the discussion: Assault Weapons Ban Lacks Democratic Votes to Pass Senate [View all]Lurks Often
(5,455 posts)I share you concern about those seeking help may no longer choose to seek help if they feel they will end up on a list somewhere. I would object to any permanent list. .
Gun violence has been trending down for 20 years now, those are FBI & DOJ statistics
"Guns are readily and easily acquired throughout society in general" I don't think it is quite as simple as you make it out to be.
"the really bad stuff is obviously done by people who are mentally ill", I suppose that depends on how you define "really bad stuff", I'm not sure I am going to agree though. There are criminals who commit crime for financial gain. The FT Hood murderer committed his crime for political/religious reasons and would be considered perfectly sane by some in the Middle East or among the very militant Islamic believers.
I will say that most, if not all, mass shootings are committed by those mentally ill, but despite the horrifying aspect of a mass shooting, they represent a small number of the murders committed in the United States.
I think the real solutions to reducing gun violence is enforcing existing laws and addressing the social and economic issues that cause the majority of gun violence. If you look at a map of gun violence, you will find it in and around the major urban centers.