Ideas for addressing gun problem

It's true that the lack of morality supports our gun problem, which is connects to another problem.

Committing a mass murder is the moral imbecile's path to an Academy Award, a way to get great recognition, because their names and pictures are quickly printed in the media. These people lack the talent to be artists, athletes, entrepreneurs, or employees, and the relationship skill for a rewarding personal relationship. For them, a gun equals self esteem.

Schools should assign students to "buddy groups" in kindergarten. These "buddies" would stay with them through grade 12. They could switch to a different group if there was trouble, but they have to be in one at all times, communicating about any subjects on their minds.

These groups would be accompanied by education on Mental Health First Aid, including the warning signs of violence and the personality type that is at higher risk. Any student who showed troubles that could not be resolved within the group would be urged to get additional help or reported for a referral.

This can communicate caring to people who may not otherwise feel cared about. These violent people are loners. Let's remove the aloneness to decrease the main motive for mass shootings.

I'd also like a law that forbids media from showing the names and pictures of such perpetrators. It can be said it collides with the First Amendment, but not if we redefine "freedom" to exclude "license," or being an accessory to it, which the mass media currently is. Before that law exists, we can boycott enabling media.

After a "successful" Middle East suicide bombing, a loudspeaker declares, "I have good news to report. The virgins of Heaven are welcoming a new groom." The crowd cheers.

We do something similar by publishing names and pictures of mass murderers.

Diana L. Carter

Elgin