The reality of mass shootings is that stricter laws on gun control fails to keep people safe. Laws don’t stop criminals from praying on the innocent. Criminals do not obey laws and will use every advantage they have to harm others. Laws that make it harder for people to protect themselves give an unfair advantage to the criminal.
Mass shootings become the centerpiece of media attention every time one occurs. The media repeats the same script of blaming the NRA and gun owners for the violence. Liberal politicians run the media gauntlet calling for more gun control laws to restrict the Constitutional rights of American citizens.
Gun Free Zones are the main target
More people are getting firearms training. They recognize that gun control fails to keep them safe.
According to the Crime Prevention Research Center, 97.8% of all mass shootings since the 1950’s have been in gun free zones. Criminals know the advantages they have in gun free zones and choose them as their targets. Mass shooters run or commit suicide when confronted. An armed citizen can be the first line of defense to stop an attacker until law enforcement arrives.
The shootings at Thousand Oaks Bar happened in a state with some of the strictest gun laws in the country. The bar is a gun free zone under state law. The attacker used a high capacity magazine banned in California.
Gun Control Fails to Stop Shooters
An article in the New York Times acknowledged the strict laws on gun control fails in California and did nothing to prevent the attack or others that happened in the past. California may have the toughest gun control laws in the nation, but that still did not prevent the latest mass killing — a shooting on Wednesday that left 12 people dead at the Borderline Bar & Grill in Thousand Oaks.
Mental Health Systems aren’t working
People with serious mental illness can be committed for psychiatric treatment if they are a danger to themselves or others. Unfortunately, these systems sometimes fail the individual and community by allowing dangerous people to remain free.
The New York Times published an article that shows Police were warned before the shooting at Sandy Hook Four years before Adam Lanza massacred more than two dozen people in Newtown, Conn., in 2012, police officials were warned of his homicidal plans, according to documents released by the F.B.I.
Councilors and a resource officer wanted Parkland shooter Nickolas Cruz committed. According to Newsweek, Documents obtained by the Associated Press have revealed that Nikolas Cruz was recommended to be committed for a mental health check by two schools counselors and a resource officer who also worked as a sheriff’s deputy.
The recommendations came after Cruz’s behavior caused concern; he had reportedly told a classmate he wanted to buy and use a gun, wrote the word “kill” in a notebook, and cut himself.
Inner City Gang Violence is the biggest problem
According to an article in Quora, most gun violence can be attributed to inner city gangs with 25% of all gun crime happens in just 4 cities. All 4 of those cities have strict gun laws, so it is not the lack of law that is the root cause.
This basically leaves 3,825 for the entire rest of the nation, or about 75 deaths per state. That is an average because some States have much higher rates than others. For example, California had 1,169 and Alabama had 1.
States respond by Expanding Access to Concealed Carry
NRA instructors are the backbone behind the organization. Self defense is important for everyone. It begins with training. Pistol shooting drills for beginners are an important part.
Some states have passed laws expanding the rights of Concealed Carry license holders. According to an article by Pew Research, By the NRA’s count, governors since 2013 have enacted 382 “pro-gun” bills — many widely expanding access to firearms.
A bill filed in Kentucky would expand the rights of Concealed Carry license holders and allow them to carry in places currently prohibited by law. State Rep. Robert Goforth said his bill is a public protection bill.
“A criminal is going to be a criminal regardless. But a law-abiding citizen should be afforded the right to protect themselves – defend themselves, their families and others,” Goforth said.
Armed Citizens should be the first line of defense
We have tried the experiment of passing more laws and need to admit gun control fails to keep us safe. The Second Amendment gives us the ability to protect ourselves and our families from anyone who would do us harm.
Gun ownership comes with great responsibility and quality self defense training is an important investment every gun owner should make.