In the frustrating struggle to identify gun killers in advance, we could have been looking in the wrong place. By accepting the common mantra that law-abiding, licensed firearm owners are not the problem, many have chased popular fears such as mental illness and violent video games.

Research now shows that far more frequently, perpetrators share one common thread. In mass shootings, in gun homicide and particularly in much more common gun deaths, the killer is frequently, until that moment, a law-abiding firearm owner pulling the trigger on a lawfully held gun.

In the 16 deadliest mass shootings in Europe between 1987 and 2015, 86% of the victims were shot by a licensed shooter. In at least 29 American mass gun killings since 2007, 139 people were killed by licensed firearm owners with hidden handgun permits.

In 16 mass shootings in Australia and New Zealand between 1987 and 2014, 135 people died. Most of the victims – 55% – were shot by previously law-abiding, licensed gun owners using legally held firearms.

It’s hard to imagine a motorists’ lobby group insisting that licensed drivers should be left alone on the roads, and that the problem is unlicensed drivers. Yet gun owners have been making this claim for decades.

This begs the question: are licensed gun owners automatically good citizens? As with licensed motorists, the evidence says no......
https://theconversation.com/if-lawful-firearm-owners-cause-most-gun-deaths-what-can-we-do-48567

No. Guns are a stupid idea. Americans (in particular) seem to think that they need guns to be safe which just shows how ridiculous they are.

Will we ever stop gun crime entirely? Of course not. However, having every citizen armed to the teeth is a recipe for disaster.

So what to do about it?

I dont see what this article is trying to say.

-PB

make it unlawful
duh

To buy it firearms?

Even for an Australian perspective that would be pretty hard lol, let alone an American one.

-PB

What could a regular citizen possibly need a firearm for?

It will NEVER change in America, no matter how many lives would be saved.

- The structure of their political system (compared to ours) makes it very hard to bring in top-down changes
- The country is awash with guns, there are more guns than people
- The way their Supreme Court has interpreted the 2nd amendment means they would have to change their constitution to rescind gun rights
- As a society they just have different values - seemingly their "right to bear arms" is just more important to them than the right to live with a low likelihood of getting shot!

so change the constitution!

They know the government isnt going to take away their guns, but they don't want the pawns of their association to figure that out. Weaponry is too ingrained in their culture and society to go away quietly.

Edited by 11.mvfc.11: 7/10/2015 10:18:52 PM

I think baby steps are needed in the US.

Firstly, remove for sale all the automatic weapons. Hunting rifles don't need high capacity magazines.
They should be manually fed rifles. All hand guns should be non automatic revolvers.
'Muricans still get to have guns, just not the type RAMBO would own.

This wont stop some c*nt shooting up a school but it will slow him down and reduce the casualty count and give police better response times.

Then when they review the next shooting they can point to the positive data that controlling guns reduced the death toll compared to before.

Then they will start gaining some traction to clamp down on ownership.

Well in Australia at least, regular citizens don't have a need of firearms.

-PB

The only way to stop the mass shootings is for the nra to actually change its tune. They have the idiotic few who actually belive that the government wants to take their guns which is false.

You don't need to drink alcohol, it kills thousands every year and is much more dangerous than an inanimate object surely its time ban all alcohol ?

I mean you don't need it for everyday life do you?

Nothing will ever change in America, it's too deep seated. Glenn A's ideas above are a possible but you're talking 100+ years to make a change in their psysche.

With respect to the other items (alcohol, baseball bats, knives) kill people argument that is constantly trotted out can you please give it a miss?

A gun is SPECIFICALLY designed to kill. The others aren't.

That is the critical difference.

imagine one man committing mass murder at a campus with a baseball bat :lol:

Pro-gun people should just be sterilised and put into exile.

Depends on your definition of what pro-gun is lol.

-PB

Any moron who thinks liberal gun laws allow citizens to 'protect' themselves.

The police and army are in big trouble then. They're no longer allowed guns are as defensive weapon and tool of self preservation

Interesting times ahead