I got into a gun control argument on Facebook with a friend of a friend of a friend, and here is the magnitude of the idiocy we're up against. Some of their ideas:

- Make everyone home school.

- Metal detectors and armed guards at every school as a sure fire solution. They think my opposition is only because of the cost. They ignore every explanation of the reasons this will not work and circle back to, "We must spend whatever necessary to secure our kids!"

- Gun sniffing dogs in all our schools as a genius, sure fire solution. Same thing on the cost side of it. I pointed out that I was only raising the cost in conjunction with my logical evidence that the idea was not going to work, and while it would be fine to try if it was low cost, it is not and thus we will spend billions to prove that something we know won't work through basic logic... won't work.

I was then asked what my basic proposal would be for a solution that had some chance of being implemented now. I said:

It led to... (Her in italics)

Our post-factual society has led us to a place where we will never again be able to compromise on this issue. Every news outlet that publishes any facts they disagree with is fake and unreliable. The only reliable source is their own mind.... Then if they do realize they're losing the argument or have no response, they just completely shift the goalposts to some other side of the issue. She's losing on the gun side, so she goes to "well if we ban this, they'll bomb us." (I assume that's what she's doing, maybe she just glitched out and forgot what we were discussing.)

And the lack of ability to comprehend basic logic is astounding.

We're utterly ****ed.

That has been my experience with American facebook friends. What i think are otherwise reasonably sane individuals have a complete disconnect with reality in relation to guns.

Quit trying to compromise with idiots and zealots. Work to win for ****s sake.

Arming janitors and lunch ladies in schools.

What could go wrong?

This is the plan in Florida, which is the first state to pass laws saying that schools must either have armed resource officers or arm staff.

nice job grouping depressed people with terrorists

The Texas gun summit came up with their list of ideas

https://www.dallasnews.com/news/poli...ta-fe-shooting

so essentially prison.

I agree, the ideas put forth are a giant facepalm.

Now lets set foot into simulation mode where no gun laws can be changed for the next generation and we are forced to find a way to reduce school shootings for the up-coming 15-30 years. For me, the status quo has changed quite bit over the years for gun ownership but that may be irrelevant right now.

Thank goodness. For a minute I thought that nothing would come of the latest school shooting!

By the way, how far down the list does the vile idea of limiting guns or access to guns appear?

you forgot about bringing God back into schools.

Yes! Would watch. Best part would be the real-life NRA meltdown reaction - "You can't screen this movie! It endangers our lives!" So sad.

yeah, this is a particularly ugly aspect of the current debate. Anyone showing signs of emotional difficulties will soon be branded a threat to society. Nice country you got there.

Better, any licensed hack can diagnose for gain.

Kid was messed up but not violent - got thrown into mental institution as a potential killer - came out and killed people. That could never happen right?

Why do you even do this? This seems like some sort of debate, which it isn't. You're arguing against someone that says grass isn't green and you actually bring up arguments for why it is. This makes people (really hard for me to use that word actually, animal would be better) think it is actually resolved.

You can't argue with a moron, they'll just deny it and keep going. **** common ground. You have to eradicate it by using any political method you can. Make those ****ers feel like the cockroaches they are and actually implement the policy that is required. So get that majority by supporting politicians that actually want to ban those things, who cares if they agree or understand. It is ok to say **** you to someone who is simply wrong.

Until Americans do this I actually think they sort of deserve what is coming to them.

The newest argument against banning guns I heard was "look at Venezuela you see what happens if people dont have guns".

Well one "political method" would be to outlaw the Republican Party or any party for that matter that is in opposition right? I get it though, convincing the morons who don't agree is just too damn hard so just impose the policy no matter what.

I don’t get your sarcastic contempt here? The party you’ve enthusiatically thrown your support behind for as long as this message board has existed is full of fascist authoritarians who have been on on open crusade to prevent people from being able to vote for Democrats for a generation. You agree with this!

like with gerrymandering. or widespread democratic voter suppression through a variety of means.

surely you are a vehemently opposed to kris kobach.

Anything but restricting access to guns.

I think this proves this is a fight that cannot be won with reason. These people worship guns the way religious zealots worship their god. You can't talk religious fanatics out of their beliefs, and likewise you can't talk gun fanatics out of theirs. No number of dead schoolkids will change that. There is no tipping point in this discussion because one side is not rational.

Best hope of change is at the state level. Live in a state of like-minded people with strong gun restrictions, and hope not too many weapons from gun-nut country find their way into your state.

The only thing adios is vehemently opposed to is using his brain in a post

I was thinking more along the lines of protesting, only voting politicians who want strict gun laws, (legally) out-bribing politicians, ridiculing NRA members, trolling Ted Cruz etc but I guess your line of thinking is different.

i didn't hear/read any of his medical assesments, other than speculation from being adopted and implied anger with the world. it really sucks there isn't a place troubled people can go: inpatient wards are good for treating acute symptoms but they aren't panaceas. there is a missing piece critical to a healthy infrastructure and that is a place for deeply troubled people to go for an indefinite stay in a therapeutic environment until their symptomology improves.

Yeah, I tend to do a bad job resisting the urge to try to change minds and/or dunk on people. That said, there's not much I can do to work to win in May. I'll be doing some volunteer work for campaigns before the election. I also know that there are likely "moderate" people reading their Facebook comments and I don't like letting it always go unanswered.

Yeah, I mean, I'm wasting some time arguing... But it's not like I'm not voting, supporting good candidates, etc. Saying "**** you," to them on Facebook would be counterproductive, though.

I think there is a category of low info voters who are persuadeable. The key is to just make noise as loudly and frequently as possible, it doesn't matter if you make any sense. They'll vote for whichever side is the loudest and angriest.