Mass Shootings Defy Legal Fixes

Laws are not the solution to every, or even many, problems

America's wrenching conversation over how to stop another mass shooting like that at Sandy Hook Elementary grew more complex this week — virtually by the hour.

Restrict guns and ammunition, some argued. No, others said: Improve the diagnosis and treatment of mental illness first.

Give teachers guns, still others suggested. Limit access to violent movies and video games. Build intruder-proof schools.

By midweek, no consensus emerged for preventing the next massacre other than that something needs fixing.