On gun safety

Our approach to curbing gun violence, beyond exhortations to prayers, has come down to using simplistic, politically correct, self-evident propositions. From gun-control advocates: “More background checks”; and from gun-right defenders: “Focus on mental health”. Both approaches seem right and proper, but would miss the goal of making America safer.

Why? Because many guns used in criminal acts were either stolen or acquired from friends or family relatives; 95% of gun crimes are committed by people with no mental illness diagnosis, and we do not have a reliable psychiatric screen for psychopaths, nor can predict when an otherwise “normal person” suddenly turns to destructive violence.

I am often reminded by gun enthusiasts that restricting gun ownership is as absurd as banning cars: “Many Americans die in car accidents, but we do not ban cars.” Agree. So let’s take this parallel one step further. To operate a car, one has to pass a driver education class and test, pay for license and bi-yearly registration, and buy insurance. All car sales and re-sales are registered. Stolen cars are reported. Car manufacturers, kicking and screaming, eventually comply with federal safety and other regulations. Results: these laws have brought us safer and better cars, and made us socially conscious, responsible drivers.

I realize and accept that America’s love affair with guns and cars, more than with mother and apple pie, defines a great deal of our culture and psyche. Now, can we agree to apply the lessons learned from car safety to gun safety?

(Published in the Gazette Times, January 29, 2016)