Gun control in the US - comments on social media


Just a few points I made on social media about gun control I'd like to share. I will share more later. Many thanks to Maryland-based Frank Maguire, author of Lashback and various other publications, for inspiring the discussion, and to those who contributed.

On the reason to own guns...

So the average person is at home, hears a burglar or a potential murderer enter the house, and the homeowner can reach a gun - kept under lock and key - to protect their family and property. Under what other circumstances are guns of value? Fighting the tyranny of government? Fighting an invasion? The Russians and Nazis both apparently considered a US land invasion in the past, but their generals realised too many American civilians had access to firearms, making such an operation prohibitively difficult. They never would have tried that stuff anyway. Look at how difficult it was for the Americans to push the Japanese back across the Pacific. And they ultimately chose the bomb over close quarters conflict in a land invasion. So such an invasion of anywhere is unlikely, with today's drones and lack of standing armies.

On how to stop guns being used

You could start imposing federal laws today, and the criminals who can still access guns will also get caught with them, and only - in general - use them on each other in the meantime, as they do today, in general. Correct me if I'm wrong on that. But statistically, if you live by the sword, you die by the sword. The likelihood of Joe the Plumber being shot - someone who is not involved in gun crime or with criminals - is far less than those who are. But even if Joe likes to hunt, the likelihood that he will get shot in the head by his own shotgun is clearly higher. Do you vet every single person you allow in your home? Do you rely on friends to vet acquaintances who you let in your home? 

MORE criminals will have guns if more CIVILIANS continue to have guns. They're still being BOUGHT every day by reasonable people, but they're also still being stolen from homes, or car glove boxes or stores or gun clubs or wherever else you can steal guns, every day.

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