You've been looking in the wrong direction, the dangers are coming from the right.

So, until you hear further reporting, you are going to assume that his motivation was something that there is zero reporting about? Is that really what you are saying.

Mass shootings are political because, like any other danger to society, we should reasonably expect our elected representatives to be focused on finding a way to prevent them happening. Refusing to acknowledge the availability of and access to guns, and tying to not only deflect attention, but to predict further violence aimed at a particular community is something that needs to be called out and hopefully eventually stopped.

Also, if you want to go down the 'We don't know what happened, but let's pretend we do route', you should have a look at this guys grandfather being a MAGA republican and strong defender of access to guns, and the repealing of state laws by republican legislators which would have prevent this guy accessing an AR-15. Because there's a hell of a lot more evidence pointing in those directions, than him having been jilted at the club.

I am the OP, so I obviously have a strong opinion here. But, as you sit in the middle ground, consider what policies are more likely to directly harm you or your family and prevent you living the life that you feel is reasonable to expect you can live.

I laid out my position in the OP with examples of why I have the viewpoint I have, I'm interested in someone who sees themselves as centrist in challenging that viewpoint. I've never claimed Left to be perfect, to be holier than thou or anything like that, my point of the thread is that most of the significantly negatively impactful strategies that exist in the societies most of us live in, are developed with a right wing mindset, and as an aside, on this platform, (and others) the finger is instead being pointed at liberal ideals or individuals and we are being told that they are what the problem is.

Look at the front page of the Metro newspaper in the UK today for an example of this in microcosm.

Top half of the page, a celebration of an extremely wealthy subset of society that has had that wealth handed to them, and continually propped up by the support of the taxpayer.

Bottom half, the demonization of a union leader who is fighting for his members to get a reasonable deal in the face of rampant capitalist practices within the industry.

Aside, from the thread, what do you think of the dichotomy being displayed here?

More examples of the issue with radical religion in the US today.

There is no ambiguity about these comments, they are specifically referring to an attack in which 5 people were murdered. This is not someone saying being gay is wrong and then there's a random attack on a gay person somewhere at some point later, these are unquestionably hateful comments aimed at a particular community.

Uk stories this week about a Tory peer earning 29M out of a covid contract for equipment that couldn't be used.

And for some reason, the Guardian's front page breaking the story did not make it to the BBC's 'The Papers' section. Funny that.

That would be fine if they didn't end up as part of the legal team for a sitting US President.

That aside, which do you think is the greater issue, religious pastors preaching this message to their congregation, or children going to a book reading by a person in drag?

Can any of the people angry about drag shows specifically intended to show content to children respond to this post?

I'd be fine with it. The biggest issue of what I think children are exposed to in that sort of environment is what goes on in beauty pageants. I think that is much more problematic than a book reading.

But again, to go back to my post, are there examples of drag shows being held where sexually explicit content was aimed at children? Because that is what was suggested was what people have an issue with.