It's the Meds

[Adelaide]

40 million Americans take psychiatric drugs, which doesn't include medications used off-label. The medication theory is labored when you actually break down the medications, what the diagnosis is, what the side-effects are, how frequently those side-effects occur, and so on. Every medication has a warning for something like homicidal behavior because even one case requires they include it on the "rare" side-effects list.

Medication might be a factor, but they are taking medication for a reason. A lot of school shooters have other things in common, like being bullied or showing signs of violence throughout their childhood/adolescence (which isn't caused by medication).

[Ravens Fan]

Me? No.

However the fact remains that they all had easy access to items that allowed them to kill and injure many people in a short period of time. Without that access casualties would have been much lighter.

Maybe if we addressed the underlying issues that make people do things like this, there would be no casualties at all? Do you really think that reducing access to one style of gun, or even all guns would stop someone determined to kill from doing so? He could just as easily have stolen a car and mowed down even more kids at once. He could have gone to the local hardware store, built a bomb and taken out half the school.

A gun is just a tool, take it away and those bent on killing will find another.

[Peter1469]

We do know that all of the school mass shooters were on medication. We do not have any idea whether they were all bullied or not.

Absent mind altering drugs, a bully victim isn't going to resort to mass murder.

40 million Americans take psychiatric drugs, which doesn't include medications used off-label. The medication theory is labored when you actually break down the medications, what the diagnosis is, what the side-effects are, how frequently those side-effects occur, and so on. Every medication has a warning for something like homicidal behavior because even one case requires they include it on the "rare" side-effects list.

Medication might be a factor, but they are taking medication for a reason. A lot of school shooters have other things in common, like being bullied or showing signs of violence throughout their childhood/adolescence (which isn't caused by medication).

[Peter1469]

I agree. But we really don't need to sell rifles to teenagers.

Maybe if we addressed the underlying issues that make people do things like this, there would be no casualties at all? Do you really think that reducing access to one style of gun, or even all guns would stop someone determined to kill from doing so? He could just as easily have stolen a car and mowed down even more kids at once. He could have gone to the local hardware store, built a bomb and taken out half the school.

A gun is just a tool, take it away and those bent on killing will find another.

[Adelaide]

We do know that all of the school mass shooters were on medication. We do not have any idea whether they were all bullied or not.

Absent mind altering drugs, a bully victim isn't going to resort to mass murder.

They weren't all on medication. Some had stopped taking medication or had never been on medication.

[Ravens Fan]

I agree. But we really don't need to sell rifles to teenagers.

I have thought about that aspect, and cannot think of any good reason to deny any adult that passes the screening process from owning a firearm. He was 18 at the time he bought it, and at that age could have joined the Army and been given a rifle for free. Either 18 is an adult, or not.

[Peter1469]

They weren't all on medication. Some had stopped taking medication or had never been on medication.

I don't believe that any were never on medication. Some may have stopped- that is just as bad as taking it in the first place.

[Peter1469]

I have thought about that aspect, and cannot think of any good reason to deny any adult that passes the screening process from owning a firearm. He was 18 at the time he bought it, and at that age could have joined the Army and been given a rifle for free. Either 18 is an adult, or not.

Fair enough.

But don't equate it to the military. Weapons are controlled to the extreme.

[Ransom]

Me? No.

However the fact remains that they all had easy access to items that allowed them to kill and injure many people in a short period of time. Without that access casualties would have been much lighter.

I'm on Crepitus' side here. It is true, the fact remains that they all had easy access to items(like a flatbed pickup truck from a Home Depot) that allowed them to kill and injure many people in a short period of time. Without that access casualties would have been much lighter.
http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/...icle-1.3604051

For once we agree, Crep. Great post.

[Adelaide]

I don't believe that any were never on medication. Some may have stopped- that is just as bad as taking it in the first place.

"Natural News" doesn't seem like an unbiased source.

40 million Americans aren't committing mass shootings. 43.8 million Americans with mental illness are not committing mass shootings. 17% of American students who are bullied do not commit mass shootings. 7.2 million American children per year who experience abuse are not committing mass shootings.

It is a combination of factors. Most of these shooters show callous-unemotional traits and a fascination with violence a long time before they start taking medication if they take medication. Medication doesn't do anything for personality issues.