I had a good conversation with a Facebook friend about gun control, which most equate with “doing something” in these instances.
But then I got to thinking: Gun control might possibly “solve” a portion of the problem, but as people who want guns can still very likely get them illegally or legally, gun control, to me, seems like putting a concrete cap on a volcano as it’s in the act of erupting.
Let’s look at a CNN story on the Dayton, Ohio, shooting as an example.
The story says the gunman “took a deep interest in violence.”
He kept a “hit list” of people he wanted to kill or rape, including the names of “female students who . . . turned him down for dates.”
He was a member of a “pornogrind” band that sang “extremely graphic, violent lyrics.”
Authorities searching his home “found writings that expressed an interest in killing people.”
His Twitter feed was littered with “extreme left-wing and anti-police posts, as well as tweets supporting Antifa,” including one retweet that read “Millennials have a message for the Joe Biden generation: hurry up and die.”
The gunman “often simulated shooting other students and threatened to kill himself and others on several occasions.”
He also enjoyed guns, shooting guns, and teaching others to shoot.
It’s important that this last statement not be taken in a vacuum.
I have family members, friends, and neighbors who enjoy guns, shooting guns, and teaching others to shoot. What they don’t have in common with this particular gunman – and with a lot of similar mass shooters – is that long list of other negative behavior, warnings, cries for help, whatever you choose to call them. I just came back from a week at Island Park Scout Camp, where Scouts can learn to shoot .22 rifles and are taught by people who enjoy guns, shooting guns, and teaching others to shoot.
Do I think that people should have access to high-caliber rifles and ammunition drums capable of letting them shoot 41 bullets in less than 30 seconds? Signs point to no, if I were to use a Magic 8 Ball. But I can’[t compute the fact that every person who enjoys guns, shooting guns, and teaching others to shoot is going to take such weaponry and turn them on family or the general populace.
The other indicators just aren’t in place.
It’s hard to pour concrete on a volcano that’s blowing up. Or does little to stop a volcano that’s about to blow.
Who saw these indicators in this poor soul’s life and did nothing, or laughed them off as harmless? O figured it wasn’t their business, or that singing pornographic and violent lyrics is just a game, just who he is, or protected speech? Who lets a friend keep ongoing “hit lists,” when that person knows that friend also enjoyed simulated killings of others, or had harbored suicidal thoughts? Who laughed at Walmart when they said they’d take down displays promoting violent video games, but allow gun sales to continue? (No mention whether they’ll still sell the violent video games, a band-aid being a band-aid.)
Hell, I don’t like it if my kids are playing Minecraft and are killing each other in that little world. They brought something more violent into the house, I’d probably pop a blood vessel.
I don’t know if this guy was getting the mental health care he needed. Maybe he was getting it in spades. But I have to conclude, given the current evidence, that little was being done, that these thoughts and actions were a deep subset of who this young man is, and that all along the line while there may have been people caring and concerned for him, there were also many who look at what he did and did nothing.
That’s the kind of “doing something” I’d like to advocate. Help the hurting before he becomes harmful.
And maybe this is a stupid argument.
But we panic when nations suddenly reveal they are nuclear powers but do little or only lip service when those same nations are showing signs of developing nuclear weapons technology. It’s hypocritical to act surprised when they’ve suddenly got The Bomb.
I hope I’m wrong about this guy. Maybe gun control would have lessened the toll. Or maybe not. Maybe he needed a lot more love and care and attention before he decided to pick up something that far many more use as a harmless hobby and say, “Today, I use this to kill people.”
So what am I doing?
I’m watching my own sons. I’m involved in Scouting, where we work to instill values of friendship, honesty, and virtue, no matter how much the world may snigger or point out that I’m “in cahoots” with an organization that is being nearly litigated to death over allegations of sexual abuse. I’m involved in my church, in a nation where the church of which I’m a member is still regarded as a cult, or too controlling, or misogynistic, or out of touch, led by old men, teaching outdated dogma preached by a charlatan and a neat little Hebrew guy who may not even exist. I’m trying to pay attention to what my kids are doing and saying online, who their friends are, so I can be that jerk of a parent to pull the plug on behaviors or friendships that may be leading my own onto dark paths.
I’m being an asshole, matter of fact, in beating back the worldly influences that would get my kids, my neighbors’ kids, into those other habits and indicators that show up on the Dayton killer’s list. I’m the narc who watches the Scout trailers stored at the church, ready to call the cops when I see kids hanging out there, dealing in drugs.
I’m the meanie calling out my sons when they’re caught looking at naughty pictures on the Internet. The jerk reminding our daughter that boyfriends are great, but not perfect.
I hope the Dayton shooter has such influences in his life. I’m sure they’re hurting now. But all indicators are he sure could have used a hell of lot more controlling, fusspotting assholes in his life than what he got.
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