Positive Thoughts and Prayers Don’t Work

Another day, another mass shooting in the US of A. This time on the campus of Michigan State University. 3 dead, plus the gunman. Innocent young people, and a coward piece of shit who couldn’t deal with life without taking people to the grave alongside him

This should not come as a surprise to anyone, at this point. We’ve averaged almost two mass shootings every day of the year for going on five years now. That sounds hard to believe, but it’s true.

With over 600 mass shootings for four years straight, we’re on pace to make it a 5th year in a row. There are no simple solutions to this epidemic of violence that we’re becoming so used to in our country. Other countries don’t have gun violence like this.

When the number of weapons outnumbers the total number of citizens in a nation, what do we really expect?

Especially when that nation doesn’t take care of its citizens. It’s easy to scream and holler about gun control and weapons bans, but that’s not the solution. We have a broken society and one that will not be easily fixed any time soon.

To be clear: I don’t support a complete disarmament of the United States of America. Assuming you could even confiscate every gun on our soil without it causing The Civil War Part II, criminals would still find a way to kill.

There are a multitude of other weapons and methods to kill large numbers of innocent people if somebody was inclined to do so. I’ve seen cars mowing down crowds of people, bombs that have killed hundreds, and who can forget the horror of 9/11, with jets bringing down the Twin Towers in New York City.

To start to fix the issue of mass murders and random killings, we have to start by fixing our citizens. Sadly, positive thoughts and prayers aren’t doing shit to protect us all.

I can appreciate people’s religious views. It’s cool if that’s your thing. But there is absolutely no scientific proof that prayer prevents anything bad from happening. Otherwise, there would be no mass shootings. No war. No cancer. And no suicide.

People who offer positive thoughts and prayers might mean well. At least some of them. But for others, it’s just lip service. A thing to say to the families who lose their sons, daughters, parents, and friends to gun violence.

Many of the people offering thoughts and prayers would lose their minds if the government came for their guns. Many of them might commit mass shootings themselves, once the authorities showed up at their homes to confiscate their weapons. Again, this is not a disarmament issue.

We need change in a number of areas. Though I’m not in favor of a total gun ban, I do feel that we need some common-sense gun laws in place. Far better than the existing ones we have that aren’t helping. Unless we get thoughts and prayers to actually start working.

But they won’t. So what needs to change in order to see a reduction in the number of mass shootings and deaths from these occurrences? A LOT.

For starters, we need to have better gun laws. I’m talking about a higher minimum age to own weapons. The human brain isn’t fully formed until the age of 25. There is no way 18-year-old kids should be able to purchase a gun. Especially without a complete psychological exam.

We need to make a comprehensive psychological exam mandatory for anyone wanting to own a weapon that can kill. And no whining about it. If you’re on the up-and-up, it shouldn’t be a problem. I’d be happy to take one if I was interested in owning a gun.

I also don’t feel that assault rifles should be in the hands of most people. I’m not sure why a person needs to own such a high-powered weapon. Some feel that they need to be armed to the teeth in case of a home invasion or a government takeover. But your AR-15 isn’t going to stop a SWAT team or a drone strike.

Again, owning or banning guns isn’t the whole part of the equation. We also need to care for our mental health. The fact that a large percentage of men are still uncomfortable and unwilling to admit they need help is tragic.

Until we have easily accessible and affordable mental health care, there are still going to be men who are going to go off the deep end once they snap. Many mass shootings end in a hail of bullets or death by suicide. We need to make life worth living for all of our citizens.

Therein lies another problem. We don’t enable all citizens to succeed in life. 70 years ago, almost everyone had a full-time job and could afford to own a home while their wives stayed home raising children. Nowadays, a couple can both be working a job or two each and still not be able to afford to own their own home.

Inflation has jumped to an ungodly figure while most wages have remained stagnant. There hasn’t been enough growth in income for people to be financially secure. But as long as the CEOs have their private planes and yachts, right?

Until we make higher education and trade schools affordable and accessible to all, many citizens will continue to struggle below the poverty line. Being completely stressed out by not having enough to provide housing, food, and basic necessities for yourself or your family can ruin one’s mental health.

It can turn deadly. And it doesn’t have to be this way.

Our country needs change. We need sensible gun reform laws, easier access to health care and mental health options, and more education to allow our citizens to earn a liveable wage.

Until we stop being so damn prideful and decide to put our people and children ahead of our own selfish wants and desires, these mass shootings will continue to occur. We will never be a great country on the world stage if we value weapons more than lives.