Animate Vs. Inanimate.

After the latest school shooting and the obligatory politicking, I fee the need to explain the difference between animate and inanimate objects, since there are so many people that blame the incident on firearms.

animate objects are things like people and animals. They are called animate because they are able to act on their own.

Inanimate objects, on the other hand, are things like computers, cars and rifles. They are unable to do anything without something causing them to do so.

This leads to the first of my two main issues with the reaction to the latest shooting:

Blaming inanimate objects.

Since firearms are inanimate, this means they are also unable to load or fire themselves. Since they are unable to fire themselves, it is ridiculous to believe that they could cause someone to decide to fire them, as that is a task that is far more difficult than firing themselves. Yet, there are many that think that the availability of firearms is the causal factor in the shootings.

That is as reasonable as saying that the availability of spoons makes people fat.

Which leads to problem number two:

scapegoating as a means of avoiding the underlying problem.


The reasons for these mass shootings are many, and are complex, but a recurring theme is poor mental health. But this part of the puzzle receives little attention, in part because sensationalism, and partly because of those who use these shootings as a means of promoting an agenda that requires scaremongering.

One problem with their "solution" is that it will not work, as the goal of these shooters is not shooting, but hurting others, shooting is merely the means to that end.
restrictions on firearm ownership will only be effective in controlling "gun violence" if they are completely banned, and no firearms are available. Since we all know how good the government is at enforcing bans of other items, this proposal seems not only doomed to failure from its conception, but will serve to create another criminal underclass to take advantage of the demand. Even if there was a way to ban firearms effectively, and such a ban did eliminate violent crimes committed with firearms, it still would not work because the problem has not been addressed:

Some people are Violently insane, are not taking meds to take care of their violent insanity, and they decide that committing violent acts against others is an acceptable thing to do. This is the problem. Instead of listening to assholes who use these tragic incidents as an excuse to further their agenda based on the idea that an inanimate object is the problem. We need to use reason, and find ways to ensure that those who suffer mental illness receive treatment. Anything less than that is foolish and criminal.