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This is a two part question:
1) Super strict gun laws: Didn't have any impact here. The gun was purchased legally, the guy went through his long wait period, they also didn't impede anyone from taking him out. It's not like someone was concealed carrying and missed with their first 10 shots and didn't have a spare mag due to California laws and was SOL... I don't really get your point here. California gun laws are stupid? Sure.
2) Gun Free School zones: Gun free signs are there for the benefit of the unarmed. I don't think anyone really thinks that they'll prevent violence. It may however discourage someone from concealed carry on campus (assuming they could get a permit in California). Really that's an issue with gun free school zones as opposed to stupid California laws. Concealed carry permits here in WA are much easier to get, and the University of Washington is also a gun free zone, and there was a school shooting there during the time I attended.
As for the suggestion put forth that he knew they'd be easy pickings because it was a gun free school zone: I doubt it. Fact is the guy got mad and decided to kill people that made him mad. I don't think it makes much difference if it was a gun free school zone, a bank, or a military base. (Granted he wouldn't get nearly as far on a military base.)
I agree the new media in this country is atrocious. Keep in mind that the responsibility of these "journalists" is to their corporate sponsors and not proper presentation of facts to the American public. People have a fascination with violence and destruction, exhibited by how they instinctively slow down to look at car accidents. If it will bring more eyeballs they'll do it. It's that simple.
Another 2 part question:
1) BATF "lone gunman": I don't think it would be too hard to induce someone (mentally unstable, or not) to go on a public "rampage." However, there's a lot of variables there that they can't really control. Would their gunman meltdown and claim he was a patsy like Oswald? Would they chicken out? Would they kill themselves? They could just as easily stage the whole thing without having to worry about the plan coming undone. Is it a danger? Would the American public be manipulated? Sure! It wouldn't be the first time either.
2) How do responsible gun owners combat the media?: Great question! I don't have a good answer to this one. I don't know that there's much that can be done. It's not easy to get people to go against human nature. Personally I wouldn't mind it if the American public relaxed their views on nudity on television and in the media, it would also give the news another way to garner viewers.
As far as with other people: Be open-minded, listen to their argument, and be patient with them. Explain your side and that the majority of people who have guns use them for peaceable purposes and to defend themselves and their loved ones. Sometimes people will listen and you might change their opinion. Other times they won't. Fears are there to protect us and can't always be overcome with reason. A good example of this is me and pet snakes. No matter how much I know I'm too big for them to eat, my bite would do them more damage to them than theirs would to me, that they aren't venomous, and that they're more afraid of me than I of them, I don't like them and I never will.
Rant: off. Flame: on!
