❝❝Fine. Let's have the discussion. Just so there is no confusion, I think it's ghoulish to exploit tragedy for political purposes.

First and foremost (and this is Extremely Important), the people who pay attention to the law are not the ones you need to worry about.

The Second Amendment doesn't exist because someone wants to go huntin' or has a fetish for guns displayed on the wall. It exists because people worried about government. They knew that an unarmed populace and an armed government always leads to tyranny.

Third, the number of American mass shootings has been dropping. Without any new gun laws or restrictions.

Fourth, American violent crime has also been dropping. With exceptions, but we'll get to that.

Fifth, the biggest single deterrent to non-domestic violent crime in America is the attacker's uncertainty that the victim may be armed. Not police, not good neighborhoods, not friendly bystanders. Just the idea that the victim might shoot back. It's no accident that the states that have concealed carry laws have some of the lowest violent crime rates.

Finally, the American cities with the "toughest" gun laws are also the ones with the highest violent crime rates.

Look, I hate guns. I do not own any. I don't go down to the local shooting range to relax. I despise guns. If I could, I'd erase the memory of guns from every living human. But these are truths I cannot dispute. Believe me, I've tried.

If we're going to have a conversation, these facts must be a part of that. Otherwise, it's one side trying to seize guns by force when the other side is better armed than the military of most nations.❞❞

NeoNotes are the selected comments that I made on other boards, in email, or in response to articles where I could not respond directly.

Tags: guns ∙ gun control ∙ laws ∙ violence ∙ mass shootings ∙ gun laws