It is astonishing that some people think the solution to guns and violence is more guns and violence. America is far and away the most armed nation in the world: Over 300 million guns in the US, belonging to 100 million or so Americans. Over 40% of the civilian guns in the entire world are in the United States. 50% more guns per capita than the next most armed nation. The American experiment has conclusively proved the obvious: that guns do not prevent violence.
To be fair here, despite that arsenal, America generally has a remarkably safe record of gun ownership. Only 30,000 deaths per year, with 300,000,000 guns, means less than 1 in 10,000 get used to kill someone in any given year, a pretty good ratio, one might say. So, the vast majority of gun owners have a reasonably safe hobby.
But, hobby is all they are. Guns have no real use or value for honest civilians. None. They are killing tools. That's all. Very dangerous weapons that do in fact kill people, and have no useful purpose in civilian hands. I could elaborate on that, but that's another essay. Regardless, this isn't going to change any time soon. Nobody is going to get those gun owners to give them up. Not gonna happen. No use even thinking about that.
A few bad or mad individuals, that small fraction of a percent, creates a lot of carnage. The culture that glorifies gun violence, that glorifies the stereotype of the lone hero gunman, seems to be a lot of the problem, but pinning it down to any one thing is futile. Guns don't protect you; they kill you. Having a gun in your house actually multiplies your odds of you or a family member being the victim of gun violence, whether by accident, homicide or suicide. There is a faint chance you might be able to use your gun to defend yourself. There is a far greater probability that you or someone else will use that gun against you or a member of your family.
Guns are like cigarettes: legal, lethal and stupid. Until the country recognizes that, we will continue killing ourselves with both. You have the right to both, if you are foolish enough. It may not be coincidence that firearms, tobacco and alcohol regulations are all enforced at the Federal level by ATF.
You can stand on your rights and argue that laws don't solve anything. Maybe you're right - until people change, no law could take away enough of those 300 million guns. Like I said, not gonna change any time soon, and not my concern to even try. Quite honestly, I have to concede that I have yet to see any laws proposed that seem likely to have a significant effect on the carnage.
So, what can you do? Don't worry about the 300 million guns out there. They aren't going away. Just worry about the ones most likely to hurt you: Any in your own house. That is what YOU can deal with.
This is not political. I am not about politics or laws or trying to make people behave. I support no political party or politician. Gun rights folks often assert that criminals do not obey laws. That is truly total nonsense, but I actually agree that changing people, not changing laws, is what is really needed. You can't change anyone but yourself. So, start there. So, change. Start with seeking out the violence in your own heart and fighting it. This an angry and violent nation. Don't participate in that, even emotionally.
But you can go farther: You want to defend your family. The most effective way to do that is to keep guns out of your house. Don't allow guns in YOUR house. Don't voluntarily be in the presence of anyone else with a gun. If YOU own guns, destroy them. I'm not suggesting taking away your useless "right" to own guns if you are so foolish as to want them. I'm suggesting you take the personal responsibility to renounce guns. That won't stop gun violence, but it's one small step in the right direction. It won't solve the problem, but at least then, YOU won't BE the problem. At least then, it won't be YOUR gun that is used in the next slaying. It won't be YOUR family member who goes crazy and kills people with your gun. It won't be YOUR gun that is stolen and used to commit crimes. It won't be YOUR gun that is found by a toddler with tragic results. Or, most common of all, you or your loved one, in a moment of desperation, will not use YOUR gun to commit suicide. At least then, YOU won't be supporting the gun culture or the gun industry, an industry of death. Then YOU, or a member of YOUR family won't be the next angry white man whose suppressed rage erupts into mass shooting.
I haven't actually seen these signs available, and I don't post slogans in my yard, but I would have not the slightest hesitation to making it clear that my home is gun free. I don't for a minute think that burglars are restrained from my house by the fear that I might be armed. Canadians don't seem to have a worse burglary problem than Americans. Guns are a desirable target of burglars, so they can go elsewhere looking for them. They may as well know that we aren't gonna have a shootout over my TV. It's insured, and getting a little old anyway. My home is (humbly) gun free.
I haven't actually seen these signs available, and I don't post slogans in my yard, but I would have not the slightest hesitation to making it clear that my home is gun free. I don't for a minute think that burglars are restrained from my house by the fear that I might be armed. Canadians don't seem to have a worse burglary problem than Americans. Guns are a desirable target of burglars, so they can go elsewhere looking for them. They may as well know that we aren't gonna have a shootout over my TV. It's insured, and getting a little old anyway. My home is (humbly) gun free.
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