Spree killers and the culture of violence

In the wake of any tragedy like this, I keep hearing people (columnists, journalists, bloggers, politicians, and celebrities) complaining about the "Gun Culture" in America. The problem is not the "Gun Culture", but the "Culture of Violence" and lack of consequences. Simply owning a gun doesn't make you part of the "Gun Culture". There are even members of the "Gun Culture" who don't own guns (lots of military members don't own a gun of their own, for example, and some older gun enthusiasts have to give up their guns when they move to "senior living communities" where guns are banned). In the "Gun Culture", safety and respect are the foundations. Members of the "Gun Culture" know and respect the capabilities of firearms, and place safety first. They know that while the shooting sports can be fun, guns are not toys. They know that there are consequences if they are unsafe, or make mistakes, so they are careful. If you want to see the "Gun Culture" go to your local gun club and meet some regular Americans. If you want to experience the "Culture of Violence" and lack of consequences, turn on you radio or TV, and listen to or watch the celebrities. The same celebrities who complain about the "Gun Culture" when a violent massacre occurs make films, television shows, and CDs that promote and glorify violence - often random violence and killing innocents. Some of these celebrities will refuse to do nude or sexual scenes, because it "goes against their values" - yet even the most anti-gun actors have no qualms about making violent action pictures where they use firearms in ways that are often unsafe and indiscriminate, thus glorifying violence and desensitizing their audiences to killing. Look to the news media who glamorize and sensationalize these violent crimes, in a transparent attempt to boost ratings by generating an environment of fear and uncertainty. Look at the politicians who rush to the scene, to grab the spotlight and make sure that they capitalize on the tragedy to further their own agendas. This is how the "Culture of Violence" responds to a tragedy - by hypocritically mouthing the right words of condolence while seeking to capitalize on the tragedy to gain more fame, power, prestige, or money for themselves. When a person is new to the "Gun Culture" they often have to unlearn bad habits that the media's "Culture of Violence" has indoctrinated them into. In the "Gun Culture" you don't point a firearm at anyone or anything you are not willing to shoot. And shooting someone means they may be killed, and will certainly be harmed - just as shooting something will damage and possibly destroy it. The first precept in the "Gun Culture" is safety, because firearms are dangerous tools. Close behind it comes responsibility - because there are consequences if you mishandle a firearm. The concept of consequences is not drilled into average Americans to any great extent - and certainly not to the extent that it is taught in the "Gun Culture".* The third is respect - because you need to respect the capabilities of the firearm, and of the shooter, as well as respecting those around you. When a novice starts to make a mistake, such as unsafely handling a firearm, other members of the "Gun Culture" don't shoot them down in their tracks - they stop them, and explain to them what they are doing, why it's unsafe, what the consequences could be, and why they must respect the potential consequences and the safety of others. There is a lot of truth in the old saying that "An armed society is a polite society". Of course, manners and politeness are other areas where the "Gun Culture" is quite different from the rest of American society - the "Culture of Violence" is often one of self-centered disrespect. Most of the violent crime (both with and without guns) in America takes place in large urban areas - where the "Culture of Violence" is much more prevalent than the "Gun Culture". When we talk about violence and guns, and start demanding solutions, maybe we should look at what the actual causes of the problems are, before jumping into action without thinking it through. *In American schools, children will often be "socially promoted" to the next grade, even if they fail every subject. A student who misses class, doesn't pay attention to the lessons, refuses to do their work, and fails to learn will not suffer any consequences - at least not until they are an adult, and are expected to earn a living (or at least be able to fill out welfare forms). A youth who joins a gang, and engages in criminal behaviors may be arrested dozens of times without ever seeing the inside of a jail or prison - there will be an army of social workers, attorneys, case managers, and ethnic advocates to help to protect them from ever experiencing any real consequences for their criminal acts - at least until they reach adulthood.