How to reduce the rate of gun violence in the USA

by Gene Michael Stover

created Friday, 2012-12-28 T 16:56:21Z
updated Saturday, 2012-12-29 T 23:10:53Z

Context

For some context, see "USA's gun problem isn't a gun control problem", in which I question the effectiveness of more restrictive gun access without changing our society's attitudes towards guns & safety.

Change our attitude about guns & safety

Let's change our society's attitude towards guns & safety. Oh, & people also need to learn that discussion & useful decision are impeded when people go emotionally ballistic when gun access is questioned. It'll take a generation or two to reach that level of maturity, but only then can our society have a useful discussion about guns.

We must learn to question our assumptions & laws. Ask questions like these:

  1. Why do we have rampage killers?
    1. Are they an inevitable consequence of legal access to guns?
    2. Of a particular level of legal access to guns?
    3. Is it possible to have guns & have no rampage killers at all?
  2. Why do we have the gun-related laws that we do?
    1. Why is a certain kind of gun legal? What are the beneficial uses of that kind of gun?
    2. Why is a certain kind of gun illegal? Who is afraid that someone will get it & do what with it?
  3. Is the increased safety of a gun in my home greater than the increased risk of accident?
  4. Assuming it's legal to do so, am I safer if I carry a concealed weapon?
  5. Assuming it's legal to do so, am I safer if other people carry concealed weapons?
  6. How do guns keep the people safe from foreign invaders? What is the likelihood that it'll be used in that capacity?
  7. How do guns keep the people safe from the government?
    1. Are legally available guns effective against soldiers wearing body armor?
    2. Are they effective against soldiers with rocket launchers, & the other tools of modern warfare?
    3. Against armored tanks?
    4. Against drones?
    5. If my government becomes a police state, will I have the opportunity to use my guns against the soldiers, or will the government use other means to eliminate me?
  8. Are there methods other than guns to ensure safety?

After becoming comfortable with questions like these & their answers, we can discuss guns & safety rationally. Teach children to ask those questions often, & maybe their children will have a useful discussion about what level of gun access will get our society to where we want it to be.

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