The next mass shooting or terrorist attack is always just around the corner. With that in mind, I will state some facts about the next horrible occurrence that shouldn’t be surprising to anyone. These same facts are reported after every shooting event, but that repetition is somehow not recognized or acknowledged by the media, the anti-gun crowd, or politicians scrambling and vying for the spotlight.
“The gun was purchased legally or acquired illegally.”
In either case, no law short of outright banning will prevent firearms from getting into the hands of these murderers. If the person had no criminal background, no existing law has stopped him/her from getting a gun. If the gun was stolen or purchased illegally, no existing law managed to stop it and no new law will stop it from happening again. (Can you make a crime "more illegaler"?)
“The gunman broke laws.”
The “no duh” of all the statements made after a tragedy.
“It was (probably) in a gun free zone.”
One of the truly meaningless attempts to stop tragedies that was ever devised. Politicians and governments (local, state, and federal) think that an armed gunman, intent on mayhem and murder, will somehow be deterred by a sign warning that they, in most instances, will be guilty of a mere misdemeanor.
“The modern-day weapon used is extremely effective.”
Every product ever created by man is continuously redesigned and refined to perform more efficiently. Why wouldn’t that fact prove true for firearms as well? Manufacturers want the competitive edge to sell their products. Continuously improving their brand’s weapon to make it more accurate, effective or operable would provide that advantage.
“The gunman was stopped when an armed person posed a threat.”
Time and time again, we are presented with examples that only a good guy with a gun can stop a bad guy with a gun, yet that fact is continuously suppressed and challenged by the left. Armed citizens using firearms to defend themselves or their families rarely makes the national news. Even though almost every mass shooting or terrorism incident ends with the bad guy getting shot (either by first responders or himself when he sees someone else with a gun), liberals and Democrats constantly challenge armed citizens’ ability to carry a gun by proposing new laws or regulations.
Despite this continued repetition of the same facts, the media and politicians continue to seek the same solutions that have not, and will not, work. They fail to recognize that short of removing all firearms from this country, which is a virtual impossibility, there is nothing they can do that can stop evil, mentally ill, or fanaticized men committed to causing atrocities.
I am not saying that we as a nation should stand idly by and accept these occurrences of horror. What can be done is something that the liberals and leftists will never acknowledge. The obvious truth is that the only way to reduce the number of shootings is to discourage them before they happen by having more trained and armed “good guys” in our country.
I recently wrote a piece showing that as the number of firearm owners and carry permit holders increases, homicide rates conversely start to fall. Mutually assured destruction worked to stop the Soviet Union from attacking. It will also help discourage someone who feels that they may not get away with their crime. Knowing there is a potential to be shot and killed may not deter the fanatic or mentally ill. However, it may deter the common criminal, and will otherwise help reduce the duration and casualty count of any type of attack.
Since the thousands of federal, state and local laws and regulations aren’t stopping these evildoers, maybe it’s time we try something different and move forward with a pro-Second Amendment agenda in this country. Here are a few proposals:
— Congress must approve National Reciprocity for state-issued carry permits. Travelling across any state line should never remove your Constitutional rights.
— More states should vote for “Constitutional Carry,” allowing all law-abiding citizens to carry firearms, open or concealed.
— Arm and train willing teachers to defend their schools and students. We protect almost everything we value with guards using firearms. Why not our children also?
— Encourage businesses and private entities to change their “Gun Free Zones” to “Legally Owned and Carried Firearms Only Zones.” A small sign in your window will not stop someone intent on harming others. It will, however, stop the person who might stop the bad guy.
— Immunity from civil lawsuits filed by criminals and their families who get shot or killed by someone using a firearm. Committing any felony should automatically remove you from standing to sue the person who stops you.
— The DOJ should start pursuing states who violate U.S. citizens' Second Amendment rights as vigorously as they do for the First Amendment or Civil Rights. The Constitution is not a “pick and choose” document.
The media and political pundits are right about one of their continuously repeated post-attack mantras: "We cannot continue following the status quo.” Until now, the standard response has always been pursuing additional legislative actions to stop people who want to harm innocents. It has not worked yet, nor will it in the future.
Armed deterrence and resistance are our best options. Firearms, like it or not, are what made our country great. It was citizens with guns who stood against tyranny. It will take today’s strong, responsibly armed citizens to keep us safe against murderers, thugs, and terrorists. Standing up for ourselves and others is the American spirit.
John Cylc is a conservative Christian and eight year U.S. Army veteran who primarily speaks out on the Second Amendment, gun rights issues, and contemporary topics. Born and raised in Philadelphia, he currently resides with his wife and youngest son in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains in beautiful East Tennessee. He is the founder of ThirteenFox.com and a contributor to LifeZette. To read more of his reports — Click Here Now.
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