Yes, guns are the problem. Specifically, handguns
There is no reason why any American not employed by the military or law enforcement needs to own a handgun. You can hunt with a long gun. You can protect your home with a long gun.
A lot of people own guns in the belief that they will protect them from an assailant with a gun. In must murders, the victim knew their assailant. Moreover, the most frequent cause of gun-related deaths in America is suicide, in which the victim--by definition--knew their assailant.
"At the state level, of the top three states in guns per capita: Wyoming, Alaska, and Montana, they are among the top four in suicides per capita. And the nine states with the fewest guns per capita also happen to be the nine states with the lowest in suicides per capita. There is simply no getting around this relationship.
"So, limiting handguns, in particular, would probably substantially reduce the death rate by suicide in this nation, far more than any reduction in deaths in mass shootings we are likely to see by any other legislation on guns. But most of the attention now is on assault rifles, which I am all for limiting. But, limiting them will not reduce the death by guns rate nearly as much as limiting handguns would, which are also heavily used in homicides as well, although not in mass shootings."
Comments
Post a Comment