The new targets

[PJMcK]

Mentally unhinged or radicalized people who want to stage spectacular mass killings now have a target rich environment in our country.

Consider the events in just the last month:

Outdoor gatherings like concerts and sporting events bring thousands of people into a relatively small space. A gunman in a strategic sniper's nest can cause tremendous damage and death.

On a sunny afternoon, a public park with walkways for strollers and joggers will be filled with people walking or on bicycles. A vehicle driven by a motivated killer can cause many deaths and injuries. Using a truck or car in this manner is also nefariously effective at political or other rallies.

Churches on Sunday mornings bring together many people in a relatively confined space. Someone intent on causing many deaths has the proverbial "fish in a barrel" before them.

Weapons and ammunition are plentiful in our country. We also have some people with mental issues, some with radical political drives and others who wish to create harm and societal chaos.

I'm perplexed, however, about the increase and acceleration of these kinds of acts of terror. The polarized political views of our governmental leaders has deadlocked us from any meaningful solutions.

The result is that we will have more and more of these awful events and nothing will be done to make us a safe AND free nation.

[Zoonart]

1. Require every gun purchased

be covered by an insurance policy that will cover damages caused by misuse and fatality caused by that fire arm.
The more damage one can do with the gun the higher the amount of the insurance. Potential beneficiaries of the policy should be the families of anyone deceased from the use of said firearm in an amount that would cover all funeral expenses... at the least.
and or, hospitalization.
If the policies are expensive.... more people will think first before buying weapons and it will be easier to track black market purchases.

The NRA is very fond of using the car analogy when it comes to gun violence, lets treat a weapon like a car and mandate insurance.

[PJMcK]

2. That's a great idea

Only problem is that any such law will never pass either House of Congress nor most of the State Legislatures.

And any gun regulation would be irrelevant should someone use a cement mixer as a weapon.

Sorry for my Monday morning pessimism, Zoonart!

[Zoonart]

3. No worries...

I'm pessimistic too. It's very sad that we have a government that is unwilling to discuss real ideas. When I was younger, I used to think that protests and resistance was both aspirational ( it produced good leaders) and inspirational. Now I find it futile.

Guess I have a "case of the Mondays".

[crazycatlady]

4. this shooting changed my mom's mind about something

She was going to take my niece (5) to the Radio City Christmas show this year. Now she's reconsidering as she's worried about her safety.

[PJMcK]

5. Radio City Music Hall...

... is a fantastic venue. For years, I worked in the building it's attached to and the Christmas Show always drew huge crowds. I think they perform 5 or 6 shows a day and they're almost all sold out.

Because of its diversity and pluralism, NYC has felt very safe. But after last week, I don't know what to recommend.

[crazycatlady]

6. I told her to find a local production of the Nutcracker

Less crowds (which can be overwhelming for a 5 yo) and probably friendlier on the wallet.