The NRA already answered this question: http://tinyurl.com/79bwrn9

I find it amazing that the conversation after these events is never about our mental health resources. The problem is not only that these people are armed, it is that they have serious mental health issues. I also believe in gun control, I just don't think that a change in gun culture or laws would preclude this kind of event (mass stabbings occur more often than people are usually aware of), whereas a more open culture in regards to mental health and a more capable mental health system, might actually reduce these type of events regardless of the weapons used.

i believe these killings run around one/6 weeks. there are clusters of events, possibly triggered by the initial shooting, in this case clackamas mall. just fare enough apart that we can say "it can't happen here" and move on.

given the number of guns in this country, and the alienation, it's amazing that it doesn't happen every day. but, if you include gun suicides and familicides, it probably does.

Frequency doesn't matter.* The fact that so many of the dead today are children might, but I'm not holding my breath.

* Except in that it might reduce the frequency of Nino Scalia's guest-hosting NRA rallies, brandishing an AK, just for the sake of appearances.

They are already happening more or less weekly, only the really horrific ones make the national news. The Brady Cetner to prevent gun violence keeps an updated list.

http://bradycenter.org/

@6,

Greater mental health resources won't prevent these kinds of tragedies when they're also completely voluntary. Jared Loughner wouldn't have voluntarily committed himself, neither would have Seung-Hui Cho. Cho is especially notable because mental health authorities knew there was something wrong with him, but didn't have the authority to hold him involuntarily. The shooter at Northern Illinois University also intentionally went off his meds because they made him fat.

Better mental health resources would improve the lives of millions of people across this country who are desperate for quality mental health resources, but can't afford them. They will do exactly fuck all to prevent mass shootings since mass shooters avoid mental health treatment at all costs.