I think its increasing, in april 99 was one of the worst
Which "family" has existed since the beginning of time? By that I mean, what family structure(s) are you referencing?
On bad parenting - yes, it's probably at the root of most individual behavioural development problems (apart from where an individual suffers some sort of organic mental disease I mean).
"Unbloodybreakable" DCI Gene Hunt, 2008
Back on topic.
Mass murder isn't a particularly US phenomenon, it's happened across human history and in many societies. I don't believe the media has ever stopped itself from reporting mass murder incidents. Anyway, the US has 300 million people, that means you're going to have on average a fair few number of fruitcakes. Some of those fruitcakes are going to go postal when the strain becomes too much. Put this together with the high availability of firearms in the US and it's no wonder that you're going to get mass murders/shootings etc.
"Unbloodybreakable" DCI Gene Hunt, 2008
I think they come in 'rashes' because of copy cats. The Columbine shooters became mythic to those bordering on that type of behavior.
Today our local news reported that ISU, (Illinois State University), an investigation has begun regarding some graffiti found in a restroom. Some do it for attention, others will actually try. I know of no way to keep these out of the news.
Mass shootings increase because guns are more available and people are more stressed out. Why argue or reason with someone when you can shoot them?
People should not be afraid of their governments. Governments should be afraid of their people.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vp92vkXcC0w
In the 1930s, guns were far more available than they are now. Anybody, of any age, could buy them from hardware stores or the Sears catalog, with no waiting period, background checks, etc.
And during that period (the Great Depression, unemployment as high as 25%, farms failing, businesses failing, foreclosure and repo rates orders of magnitude higher than now), people were a lot more stressed out than now.
And mass shootings like we have today, were far lower. And most of those, were done by gangsters shooting other gangsters, not lone whacko misfits shooting up a school or shopping mall.
Nice research as usual, gabby.
BTW, something else that was true then but not now: There was a far greater chance that the crowd that the whacko loner decided to shoot into, contained a few people who were armed and could shoot back. And no way to tell which ones they were. Could this have had anything to do with the whackos existing back then, deciding not to shoot up the mall or school in the first place? Hence the lower number of mass shootings? Hmmmmm?
"The social contract exists so that everyone doesn’t have to squat in the dust holding a spear to protect his woman and his meat all day every day. It does not exist so that the government can take your spear, your meat, and your woman because it knows better what to do with them." - Instapundit.com
If ya can't prove it, don't say it.
Bikes, babes, and beer, it don't get no better than that.
t - try something new. Try arguing the point instead of the person, play the ball not the man, as we say.
And don't verbal me. If you're going to reference a point or a statement I make then do the right thing and keep it accurate as possible. I can understand errors because this is text but do your best and I'll appreciate it.
"Unbloodybreakable" DCI Gene Hunt, 2008