Do something! Not that, something else. And don't forget to add something more.
In Dayton this weekend, one unhinged guy shot 35 people, killing six in under a minute before nearby police neutralized him. This happened just hours after a self-avowed white nationalist shot nearly 50 people, killing 22 in and around a Walmart in El Paso, Texas.
These were less than a week after a confused 19 year old unleashed 39 rounds in under a minute at a festival in Gilroy, California, killing 3 and injuring 13 more before police intervened and he shot himself.
All three shooters used assault style semi-automatic weapons with high capacity magazines. All three guns were purchased legally. All three were white males under the age of 25.
The Dayton shooter had a history that should have led to psychological intervention, but the other two seemed normal. The white nationalist, it appears, only revealed his true beliefs in a manifesto posted minutes before he opened fire.
In other words, two of these mass murderers wouldn't have tripped alarms even if we did have reliable public health and background check systems.
The El Paso shooter railed against the immigrant invasion and vowed to kill Mexicans, so he traveled to a border city in the United States where 80% of the citizens are Hispanic. Guess who else has railed and paid for advertising regarding the immigrant invasion?
No ideological or political motivations have materialized with the Dayton shooter. The Gilroy shooter was heard to say he "was really angry" in the midst of his attack, but authorities are baffled at what else drove him.
It should be noted elected Republicans have blamed video games, rap music, queer culture, Hollywood, Antifa, and lack of guns for the weekend carnage. What they haven't blamed is readily available war grade weaponry, lack of public health systems to identify mental health issues, or a non-stop propoganda campaign of hate speech and anti-immigrant xenophobia.
Since the National Rifle Association owns the Republican Party, it's doubtful we'll hear many of them suggest maybe just anybody shouldn't be able to get a gun capable of shooting 35 people in 30 seconds. We probably aren't going to hear them call for a public health system that works, either.
And you know the Party of Trump will go right after video games, rap music and Hollywood for putting crazy thoughts in people's heads while dismissing any notion that the ravings of their figurehead lead to violence.
That 226% increase in hate crimes in counties that hosted his campaign rallies and 20% increase nationally since his election is just a coincidence.
It is true, as one of his merry-go-round of staff members pointed out, that this problem was around long before Trump. We've had mass murder, mental health problems and hatred in our country since it's founding. But it has gotten much worse in the last 40 years or so even with all the thoughts and prayers.
It's probably also just a coincidence the NRA went from being all about gun safety to being about all no gun laws around 1977.
Mass shooters live out the NRA motto. You usually only get their guns from their cold, dead hands.