While this is tragic, it may have exactly zero to do with these mass shootings. Suicide is always epidemic and being a suicide “survivor” puts you into the largest club you never knew existed and never wanted to be a member of. The numbers of suicide deaths in the US (Yay guns!), is staggering. It is somewhere around the 10th leading cause of death.
“…Many people will dig in because to admit to themselves that they have been on the wrong side of the issue…”
Excellent point. In a casual way I’ve tried to study cult-like thinking for years. I’ve learned there’s no why to it except that we humans need structure – or what appears to be reality-- “reasons” that aren’t reasons, but irrational justifications.
. Expert propagandists like the NRA know this and know how to exploit it.
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I really think so, too - it’s tragic
It’s a fact that sometimes they miss, just like some Golden Gate Bridge jumpers don’t die and they live on wishing they were dead.
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Yeah I had a cousin who tried many times and finally ran his car into a bridge abutment and lived. That was just the worst - he was partially paralyzed for the rest of his life.
National Geographic did a long story this past summer on a young woman who shot her face off and her journey to a face transplant.
Hers was a split second decision - she picked that gun up and fired.
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O I love your avatar - the original art deco Nancy Drew! I loved the original. I hated all the rest, but the original with the art deco clothes was to die for.
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And one can’t help but wonder if that fact that NZ acted swiftly to address the problem, opposed to stupid american gun-mania, made it even worse for them.
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And a very fucked up state, local and federal system of government.
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One Nation’s James Ashby filmed seeking $20m from NRA to weaken Australia’s gun laws
Al-Jazeera journalist posing as gun campaigner films senior party figures in Washington DC soliciting financial support to help One Nation seize the balance of power
Importan for “headline only”-readers:
There is no evidence One Nation was successful in its efforts to solicit funding from the NRA, Koch Industries or any of the other American groups the pair met on their trip.
One Nation's James Ashby filmed seeking $20m from NRA to weaken Australia's gun laws | Gun control | The Guardian