Gun Articles as of 5-25-22

We just had another mass shooting at an elementary school.  I have written about this problem as recently as 2017 (see list below),  and so have many others.  That nothing effective has been done during all these years and incidents is abominable!  But judging by what others say about this problem,  there is little agreement about what to do.  I do think that most of the knee-jerk stuff is wrong.

I suggest that any seriously-considered options be data-driven,  or at least have common sense supported by real data,  behind them.  That is what I can offer.  I do have 4 recommendations (highlighted below).  These are data-driven,  and are in accord with common sense.  Please consider them.  Here is the list of past articles:

5-25-22 Gun Articles I Have Written

10-2-17 Machine Guns In Las Vegas

6-21-16 What the Gun Violence Data Really Say

10-7-15 Oregon Mass Shooting and Gun Control

5-31-14 On Calls for More Gun Control

10-1-13 Government Shutdown,  Default!  Again?  No!!!

9-20-13 More Gun Control?  No Way!

2-5-13 Real Problems with the Proposed Gun Control Legislation Items

12-20-12 On the Tragedy in Connecticut

12-14-12 School Shooting in Connecticut

8-9-12 Mass Murder Shooters and Gun Control

1-13-11 On the Shooting Rampage in Tucson

The two best of these are the 10-2-17 and 6-21-16 articles.  The 10-2-17 article outlines what laws apply to possession of machine guns,  and identifies the two “dodges” that get around that restriction.  The 6-21-16 article contains a real analysis of some actual gun violence database data,  to identify two things most likely to be useful for combatting this violence.

 That gets me to 4 recommendations,  that would likely work to one extent or another.  See the two best articles for details.  The first two of these recommendations would have the most beneficial effect.  I think all 4 together might make a real difference.

#1. Fix the really bad legal leak in the process of restricting crazies from getting guns.

#2. Properly defend your gun-free zones.

#3. Update the 1934 law to redefine “machine gun” in terms of rate-of-fire.

#4. Plug the leaks in the background check process. 

I do have real doubts about the effectiveness of any “assault weapons bans”,  both from a past data viewpoint,  and also knowing that so many of these AR-15-type weapons are already “out there”.  You’ll never get them all back,  even if you do ban them.  However,  an age restriction at purchase of such a powerful weapon might help a little bit,  since so many of these school shooters were youngsters with mental issues toting AR-15’s.  Fixing the mental issue leak would do so very much more,  though! 

To easily find any of the articles in the list above,  use the navigation tool on the left side of this page.  Jot down the dates and titles you want to find.  Click on the year,  then on the month,  then on the title if need be.  To see figures enlarged,  just click on any figure to see all of them enlarged.  There is an X-out feature to top right of the page,  which takes you right back to the article.

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Update 5-31-2022:

For those unwilling  to research further,  here is a short explanation of what my 4 recommendations actually mean. 

#1. Fix the really bad legal leak in the process of restricting crazies from getting guns.

Currently,  there is no record of mental troubles for a background check to uncover,  unless a judge in a court has ruled so.  The popular term “red flag laws” is meant to address this.  But,  what has to happen is to replace the judge-based either-or approach with a graduated approach:  the more indications show up,  the deeper the investigation must probe.  This is not on-line,  it is on-foot go ask friends and relatives.

#2. Properly defend your gun-free zones.

A properly-qualified peace officer must be able to respond within 1 minute,  and he must not be out-gunned.  Arming teachers will not suffice,  they are not properly-qualified peace officers.  Properly-qualified peace officers are not qualified teachers.  Plus,  there’s more than just schools to protect.

#3. Update the 1934 law to redefine “machine gun” in terms of rate-of-fire.

That would automatically outlaw trigger cranks and bump stocks,  plus any other such inventions in the future. 

#4. Plug the leaks in the background check process.

If you do not,  then there is a way around the first 3 suggestions that bad actors will exploit.