Edited 11–16–2022 for Issue #6 below
I am a Bernie Sanders/AOC type of voter and I am not "against" guns. I have two handguns: a classic Saturday night special Davis 32 which I bought in 1988 and a new Walther PPS 9mm.
I have never had a "progressive fear' of guns. ( I was also in USMC Officers Candidate School and we carried M16s there ).
I think my criticism of your article is that it leans in on the arguments the gun lobby likes to use: diverting from the increasingly consistent use of a weapon of war for mass murder, conflating the use of such a weapon with handgun deaths (and the causes of each).
I do not want to give up my handguns and I doubt we will EVER rid the country of the sea of firearms. What we need is a rational discussion that involves serious root cause analysis of the various TYPES of shootings and find solutions to those shootings.
What we need to avoid is the typical gun-nutter diversion. I.e. Doing legislation A will do nothing to solve shooting issues B.
Guess what- solving a particular issue is not intended to solve all other issues- each has a root cause and a solution of their own.
Issue #1: AR15 used in the last 12 mass shootings.
Regardless of propaganda, the AR15 was designed by AJ Stoner as a weapon of war and NEVER intended to be in civilian hands. That it has been marketed so heavily by gun manufacturers is capitalism, not rational thinking. You wouldn't give civilians a bazooka. If a weapon was designed for war, it should be banned from civilian use-PERIOD. This rules out banning shotguns and handguns, both of which were NOT strictly designed for military. And we need to stop using the term "assault rifle" but instead use "military weapon."
Issue #2: mass shootings are easily facilitated by high capacity magazines
Ban all high capacity magazines. Nobody needs a 30 round mag for sporting use, self defense or target shooting. Limit all magazines to the natural magazine used on the firearm.
My Walther and Davis are both 'single stack' holding 6-7 bullets. My son's Glock is 'double-stack" holding 14-15 rounds. For 9mm handguns you can buy aftermarket magazines which hold more- this should be banned.
Issue #3: Guns getting transported from easy-buy states to heavily regulated areas. NYC once found 40% of illegal guns taken from criminals originated in Virginia.
Solutions?
1. Ban purchase of more than one weapon in a defined number of calendar days.
2. Register ALL guns- rifles, hand guns etc.
3. Require gun owners to show possession of the guns they bought- this would prevent illegal black market transfers from places like Indiana to Chicago
Penalize with a misdemeanor failure to present the guns and penalize with a felony if your "missing gun" is found to be used in a crime elsewhere.
None of this "I didn't know it was missing" crap!
Issue #4: Don't conflate hand gun 'mass shootings' with AR15 mass shootings
Mass shooting is defined loosely as 3 or more (or sometimes 4 or more) people shot in a single incident.
But there is a clear qualitative difference between gang members shooting on each other vs Uvalde or Sandy Hook.
The hand gun is the weapon of urban choice due to the ability to conceal it so see #3 above.
Issue #5: Depression
You can't stop all suicides by gun. I admit to having had more than a decade of severe depression with suicidal tendencies. I had my wife hide our Davis32.
I am well past that now but red-flag laws should be widely implemented ASAP for the sake of the depressed as well as potential victims of domestic violence.
Sure, a depressed person may find another means to kill themselves, a gun is simple and sure and quick- other means may not work and leave one incapacited or impaired in some way.
Issue #6: Inability of some people to not get guns that should be able to.
I had a discussion with an African-American who owns a gun shop. He pointed out (and I believe him) that in some locations which have very strict gun laws, but also a crime problem, otherwise normal law abiding citizens cannot get a handgun to protect themselves and thus resort to buying a gun illegally. So some percentage of illegal carry is due to desperation in the face of strict gun laws. In these instances, those locations should revise their laws since they are not actually working to reduce gun violence.
Michigan, once upon a time prior to 2001, was a “may issue” state (with regards to concealed carry). This meant anyone wanting to buy a handgun had to get permission from their local county board. The county board was made up of the local sheriff, county prosecutor, etc. A study showed that permits were largely being given to well-connected people, usually known to the board members and (usually) white. Michigan changed the law in 2001 to be a “shall issue” state for concealed carry, meaning the burden of proof is on those who would deny a permit, rather than on the citizen.[1] To get a concealed permit means going through training. I think this is a good thing. (Personally, I am not a fan of “open carry” because who knows how much training — situational as well as skill at shooting- some open carry yahoo really has. He’d be as likely to shoot a bystander as he would any perpetrator).
Finally to Lauren's comment on wackadoodles- yes, frankly, right wing nutcases like the Jan6 rioters and the kooks that tried to kidnap our Michigan governor as well as the fact that white supremicist violence is a bigger terror threat than islamic terrorists is what spurred me to get a new gun. My wife is also discussing becoming involved in Planned Parenthood if Michigan becomes a haven for reproductive freedom. Her intent to help shephard women from other states in our area if needed. My son and I both told her to get a concealed pistol license because too many of the anti-choice people are raving lunatics willing to use violence.
[1]
https://www.bridgemi.com/michigan-government/easier-carry-permits-havent-led-more-gun-deaths
