Reduce the possibility

Mass shootings are triggered by a complex set of factors, so let’s start by dispensing with the overly simplistic stereotyping, name-calling and finger-pointing our current crop of political leaders (and occasional oped writers) delight in.

Even with Twitter doubling the number of characters allowed, finding a solution to this troubling problem will take more than a tweet or two. We need to put personal opinions and partisan politics aside to find realistic ways to reduce the ability of any one person to stockpile and modify weapons to increase potential “kills,” especially since this behavior is often the only outward sign of potentially deadly emotional disturbance.

One possibility is using a technique that is already used on the Internet: tracking Web searches and online purchases. This is a common practice among private companies and search engines—just think of all