President Barack Obama has provided an example of why little meaningful action is being taken to reduce violence such as that at an Oregon school this week.

After two juveniles died and a teacher was hurt in a shooting at the high school in Troutdale, Ore., Obama launched into another of his anti-gun tirades.

Even as he acknowledged most violence such as that in Troutdale involves mentally disturbed people, Obama called again for new restrictions on firearms ownership. He said nothing about new strategies to deal with people who are threats to the public.

“The country has to do some soul-searching about this,” Obama said. He is right about that. But reflecting on how to prevent such violence needs to be more realistic than what the president displays.