This thread is tzzzzz.
Firearms are tools of death, and exclusively so. they are designed to hurt and to kill, nothing else. This is what they excel in, they are of no other use. Like a Katana is optimized to cut only one material: human flesh, firearms are optimized to bring as much death as often and quickly as possible.
america makes a fetish of weapons, but this idol is a cruel god, and from time to time it demands your first-borne as a sacrifice.
If it is argued that a problem caused by firearms - can be healed by even more firearms and easy access to them, then the debate is beyond any hope. If the problem is compared to drug abuse, and Iraq war, then it has already dissappeared in the swamps of irrationality. - As expected.
the part of the bill of rights (I think the weapons thing is anchored in that, right?) that allowed citizens to carry weapons - was written in a different world, and time, when the young US where under threat by the British, and huge parts of the wilderness still were a "non-civilised" country. but these threats are gone. The Queen does not demand the submission of amerian citizens anymore. Would the bill of rights, if written today, include this part on weapons, too? I don't think so. Those minds authoring it were no idiots, and were considering the situation and it's future developement only so far, and not beyond. This passage today - is abused only. Or better: it's content and context gets perverted.
Violance is omni-present in media, film, TV, computer games. It serves as en example for social learning by example-setting. It influences thinking, and behavior patterns, especially of young ones still developing. But be assured that it has no effect on the minds of people and especially young ones.
Weapons are a very lucratice business in the the US. We all know that this has nothing to do with lobbying for less gun control laws.
I can assure you that none of the things anyone of you may grew fond of has anything to do with these events. So don't worry, none of you have to change his habits, and everything can happily stay as it is.
Seen that way, the shooting event has it's good sides. It tells us that everything is good.
Firearms... every idiot can use them and cause havoc at short range without training. No quality in character is needed. No education. No self-discipline or self-restraint. Some very clever even are stupid enough to hurt themselves with them. Go on, sell them even more. See where it will lead you. - Probably straight to hell.
You arm yourself as if you expect to fight wars in your streets and cities, homes and living rooms? Guns, rifles, even automatic rifles, ha!: even explosives? Well, yesterday the fruits of your deeds have found you again. Stop complaining, these events are results of your very own society you have built. Welcome to the jungle. Both perpetrator and victims are your sons and daughters. They are no Martians who just fell down from the sky.
On the level of individual fates I express my condolences.
On a national, community-wide level I say: you got what you deserved. If you play with fire, you get your fingers burned.