My Gun

Every year, around 30,000 Americans are killed by guns. If you add up enough industrialized European countries with gun control laws so that their total population is about that of the United States, you'd be hard pressed to find a collection of countries and a year during which the total number of gun deaths in those nations was even 1% of the US total. One percent. A few laws, a few years, and we could reduce our gun violence and gun deaths by 99%. That's staggering.

Some people are quick to point out that most gun injuries are not fatal--which I know makes me feel better. Sure, 30,000 people die because of a gun-delivered bullet, but that's only a third of the total number of people treated in emergency rooms every year for non-fatal gun injuries.

Our gun control laws are so lax, the FBI has caught terrorists who, in search of weapons for their groups, have come to the United States to buy at gun shows where it's surprisingly easy for an unlicensed vendor to sell weapons without conducting a background check. In 2000, they caught a terrorist who had come to Michigan (where, by the way, being blind doesn't preclude gun ownership or use) to buy weapons for his Lebanese terrorist cell. Turns out in the Middle East, one of the best ways to get guns is buy them here and ship them back.

After September 11th, we went nuts with protective legislation designed to thwart terrorists. We sacrificed privacy, free speech, the right to due process involving a speedy trial by peers and clear accusations, the right not to be tortured, the right to not be held without cause, and even information from our leaders about what they were doing and why. All in the name of national security. But in all our legislative fury, much of which is now regretted by many, we couldn't make a single inroad into gun control? How is this not a major national security issue? Even without terrorists, we're killing each other at around 100 times the rate of every other advanced industrialized nation (more for most, closer to 300 times on average). We're so concerned about the Second Amendment, which provides for well-regulated state militias, that we'll allow terrorists to supply themselves within our own boarders if it means preserving the right to "hunt" with an assault rifle a few hours after placing the order?

And it's escalating. After Virginia Tech and NIU, a Villanova law student is asking for the right to carry a concealed weapon to class, for protection. Imagine if he wins this one. Every kid in class could have a concealed weapon. Ms. Susie Everykid could buy a gun from an illegal vendor (without even knowing about the illegal part), put it in her backpack, take it to class, draw it as the teacher is assigning homework and not be breaking a single law until 6 people were dead. Sure, she might have killed 8 if not for the Glock-toting petitioner in the back. (Though who's to say he wouldn't kill someone in the crossfire himself? His scenario takes place in a crowded and frantic lecture hall.) It's an understandable argument, and a slippery slope, saying he'd rather have 2 guns than 1 in the room.

Me personally? I'd rather have zero.