5 Things That Definitely Don't Cause Mass Shootings (And 5 That Almost Certainly Do)

America is divided on many things. One of the most divisive issues? What causes mass shootings.

Aug 14, 2019

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5 Things That Definitely Don't Cause Mass Shootings (And 5 That Almost Certainly Do)

With gun violence and mass shootings happening essentially every day, there are a lot of debates over what actually causes these things to happen. Is it mental illness? Violent video games? Heavy metal music? Or is the answer as simple as guns?

Let's start with the things that definitely DON'T cause mass shootings...

1. Violent Video Games

I'm so tired of hearing baby boomers say that video games cause violence. In my whole life, I have never seen a person who was playing video games turn out to be a violent person because of the games that they were playing. Sure, they can cause temporary moments of anger and increased adrenaline, but do you know what also causes moments of anger and increased adrenaline? Math homework. And you don't see people saying that we need to ban math.

2. Heavy Metal Music

The same thing as above. Loud music does not cause violence. Sorry, boomers.

3. Poor Parenting

Blaming mass shootings on poor parenting is so lazy. There are thousands of people who have absent parental figures and guess what? They've never committed a mass shooting.

4. Lack Of Religion

I can't count on both hands the number of times I've seen someone say that mass shootings happen in part because prayer isn't allowed in school anymore. Lack of religion does not make someone a bad person, and it definitely does not make someone commit mass shootings.

5. Mental Illness

Blaming mass shootings on mental illness is just another way to stigmatize mental health. Just because someone has a mental illness, does not mean that they're going to commit a mass shooting, and to blame such a horrible problem on mental illness is part of the problem.

And now for the things that DO contribute to mass shootings...

1. Bigotry, Racism, and Homophobia

How many times has a mass shooter been a person with bigoted views? El Paso, Christchurch, Charleston...

2. Ignorance

This goes hand in hand with the above. Most of the time when someone doesn't like something, it'd because they don't understand it. If we just started educating everyone, mass shootings would most likely take a huge plummet.

3. Easy Access To Guns

I mean, come on. This one should be obvious, right? Wrong. Many people still believe that being able to buy a gun at the age of 18 (when the legal drinking age is 21) is perfectly fine.

4. The NRA

The NRA donates hundreds of thousands of dollars to politicians, making them change their stance on gun control quite literally every 12 seconds.

5. Selfishness

"Why should I have to give up my rights because someone else didn't follow the law?"

How many times have you heard that? I've heard it too many times. Many of the Americans who are against gun control are against it because they don't want to make any sacrifices, even if it would make our country safer.

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5 Things That Definitely Don't Cause Mass Shootings (And 5 That Almost Certainly Do)

America is divided on many things. One of the most divisive issues? What causes mass shootings.

1. Violent Video Games

2. Heavy Metal Music

3. Poor Parenting

4. Lack Of Religion

5. Mental Illness

1. Bigotry, Racism, and Homophobia

2. Ignorance

3. Easy Access To Guns

4. The NRA

5. Selfishness

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The temperature may not be very Autumn-like, but these playlists sure are.

1. Southern Gothic

2. Autumn Acoustics

3. Autumn Leaves

4. Deep Dark Indie

5. Dreamy Fall

6. Halloween Hipster

7. Wanderlust

8. Your Favorite Coffeehouse

... Because life happens

1. Realizing there's no more toilet paper when it's already too late.

2. Making a cup of coffee in the morning and forgetting it in the car.

3. Pushing doors that say pull.

4. When you hear people chew.

5. When it's really quiet in a room and you hear that one person breathing like they just ran a marathon.

6. Grabbing a chocolate chip cookie, only to realize it's actually oatmeal raisin.

7. Getting comfortable in bed and then realizing you forgot to pee/turn off the light.

8. That one aunt/uncle that just always gives you that creepy vibe.

9. When your teacher makes you buy a textbook that you never even crack open.

10. Continuing to open and reopen the fridge until the food that you want magically makes its way in there.

11. Walking into a room and then automatically forgetting why you went in there.

12. People that drive without using their blinker.

13. When you have really slow wi-fi.

14. People who feel the need to scream into their phones as if the other person can't hear them.

15. The world's obsession with the Kardashian/Jenner families.

16. Advertisements before Youtube videos.

17. When people read over your shoulder.

18. A-holes that park in the handicapped spots when they, in fact, not handicapped.

19. People who cut in line.

20. The LIRR/MTA

21. Being stuck behind someone who is walking painfully slow.

22. When people smoke cigarettes right in front of the entrance to the building you have to walk into.

23. When boys think it's cool to treat girls like crap.

24. Guys that still go to high school parties even though they've been out of high school for years.

25. Celebrities that are obviously lip-syncing.

26. How you need a scissor to get the scissor out of its package.

27. When people text using that stupid "voice text" function.

28. Telling someone you can't hear them, so they use the same exact volume and just repeat what they said.

29. When someone gets in the shower right as you were about to get in the shower.

30. Saying "What?" for some reason, even though you heard what the person said.

31. When you're in a rush but the light is red.

32. Cashiers putting your change down on the counter instead of in your hand.

33. The people that go up to order food to the cashier but are still continuing their phone conversation.

34. That awkward time in the fall when it's freezing in the morning but stifling in the afternoon.

35. Emailing your professor a long winded paragraph about a problem you are having and they email back, "Sure."

36. Guys who put their car as their profile picture on Facebook.

37. Girls who have "X Years Young." in their Instagram bios.

38. Trying to find the beginning to a roll of tape.

39. When people drive your car and adjust your mirrors/seat.

40. People that talk during the movie.

41. People that decide to engage in conversation right in the middle of the hallway/sidewalk.

42. When someone says, "no offense," and then continues to say something offensive.

43. People that pop their significant others pimples.

44. Teacher's pets.

45. Going to the bathroom and someone goes into the stall right next to you.

46. When someone leaves your room and doesn't shut the door.

47. Political debates between two people who know nothing about politics.

48. When you get all ready to go out and your friend cancels plans.

49. People that drop their friends for their significant other.

50. People that don't like animals.

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Things to do in October.

1. Going to haunted houses with friends.

2. Going to Halloween parties with friends or families or both.

3. We all enjoy going to apple orchards to pick apples and to eat donuts with apple cider.

4. When you are younger or through high school, you go trick or treating in various of costumes going door to door saying "trick or treat" and you get candy or whatever they are giving you for Halloween.

5. Another fun part of October is to go to corn mazes which are sometimes fun and hard to do with friends and family.

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