As the carnage continues, politicians attempting to make it look like they care call for stronger background checks and treatment for the mentally ill. I wonder how they can even propose this as a solution with a straight face.
Background checks wouldn't have saved the children and teachers at Sandyhook. The shooter's mother bought the guns and would have had no problem passing a background check. The shooter in Oregon last week acquired the guns legally. The vast majority of others who have turned guns on members of their family, friends, innocent strangers or themselves have no history of past violence and could easily pass a background check.
There is a cliche that guns don't kill people; people kill people. In truth, it is the increasing availability of guns that kills people. As long as people are allowed to keep guns, including handguns and weapons of mass destruction like assault rifles and high capacity clips, the death count will continue to mount.
The fallacy that increased background checks is the solution is a myth. Guns are stolen in break-ins by criminals. Legally acquired guns are used by angry friends or family members. Unsecured guns in homes result in the death of far too many curious children. Guns often result in disputes quickly escalating from verbal confrontations or fist fights to fatal shootings. Suicides also increase when a gun is readily at hand.
The only thing that will reduce gun violence is less guns. Other more civilized countries understand this, but these nations place a higher value on human life. After all, America is the country that is still debating whether the poor have a right to healthcare.
No comments:
Post a Comment