The recent shooting in California has provoked yet another discussion of gun violence in the United States. The discussion follows the typical curve of shock, outrage, calls for solutions, and then explanations from various quarters about why there are no solutions, and finally an acceptance that "nothing can be done in this political climate". Like global warming, it seems we have gone way beyond the point of no return. It seems there's no way to put that genie back in the bottle.
The problem with most of the discussion is that it is a distraction from the core problems. Everyone focuses on that shooter's manifesto and our misogynistic culture, and how - despite all the warning bells going off - he was still
legally able to buy guns in California. Arguing the problem based on anecdotal events is a loser's game, because the pro-gun advocates can match anecdote-for-anecdote those rare occasions when someone stopped a crime because they had a gun.
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