So, another mass shooting, and there's loads of threads about it, but in all cases, both the gun control proponents, and gun rights proponents have lost perspective over the whole deal. First of all, mass shootings are rare. Yeah, sure, they happen "all the time", and most of them do happen in the US. But, according to the FBI, there's about 40 people on average killed in mass shootings annually in the US. Compare this to the around 10 000 killed by guns annually, and 20 000 suicides by guns, mass shootings really aren't the issue people in favor of extended gun control should be focusing on. If you want results, target the suicides. Even only reducing suicides by 5%, would save more people in a year, than people lost in mass shootings over 50 years. Hell, since most of these mass shootings end in suicide, it's reasonable to think an effort on combating suicides would also have an effect on mass shootings too. Between 40-50 people are killed by lightning in the US each year, pretty comparable to mass shootings. Yet, no one is calling for metal rods being installed everywhere, or donning rubber boots "just in case". It's a just risk everyone accepts. Around 50% of all murders in the US is committed under the influence of alcohol, yet there's no one calling for a new prohibition. Even though alcohol has no legitimate purpose other than culture and recreation. Basically "yes it hurts a lot of people, but it gives me pleasure, so don't ban it". This is true here in Europe too. So, how do you target suicides? Banning people with mental disorders from having guns sounds like a good idea to begin with. But it simply doesn't work in any country with a strong gun culture. It would only give people with mental problems incentive to not seek help, in fear of losing their guns, and now you have an armed person with mental problems not seeking treatment. You don't help people by making their lives harder for seeking help. Banning semi autos, or magazines or whatever wouldn't work either, as one bullet is enough. Sure, registration might work in reducing suicides and murders, as guns would over time be less common, and straw purchases would be harder for the average person. But, we've seen here in Europe, and for most of the world what registration leads to. Call the gun owners of America paranoid or whatever, but registration has to a large degree just made it way too easy for the various governments around the world to confiscate guns after some call for action after a statistically insignificant, but high media profile, mass shooting.
A sad state of affairs... School Shootings Are Sad, But No Longer Surprising January 27, 2018 - Bailey Holt and Preston Cope were killed in their high school this week. They were both 15 years old. But has the news of students being killed in their school lost the power to shock and sober us?
