Is It Too Much To Expect Specifics in Calls for ‘Gun Control’?

Calls for increased gun control are again being pushed by various parties after the shooting at a Catholic church and school in Minneapolis last week.

Such calls are especially common after a shooting with multiple victims (a “mass shooting”).

The calls are usually quite vague. “More gun control.” “Universal background checks.” “Mental health evaluations.”

I keep wanting someone (anyone? I don’t have a platform from which to ask) to ask, “What specific gun control do you propose that would prevent even one of the past mass shootings?" I can’t evaluate whether a proposal for “gun control” will actually reduce violence if I don’t know what the proposal is.

“Universal background checks” would not catch the many mass shooters who present no prior reason to fail a background check (they have no criminal record, they have no recorded history of mental illness, etc.). Background checks would not catch the person who steals the gun. But a universal background check could prevent you from inheriting the musket that’s been in your family for 200 years and was last fired 150 years ago.

Who determines the criteria for “mental health evaluations”? And what will those criteria include? Your political views? Your religious beliefs? Your family structure? Your “crazy uncle”? Referencing last week’s shooting, the same people who call for stricter gun control will likely object to questions about mental illnesses that include gender confusion.

“High capacity magazines” are also a popular topic for proposed restrictions. But, if you’re an elderly couple whose home has been invaded by three thugs, each of whom has one or two guns with 6 - 8 bullets each (i.e., up to 24 or maybe 48 bullets), how many bullets do you think you’ll want to eliminate the present threat?

I can’t imagine any answer to more gun control that might be effective in reducing mass shootings other than to ban all private gun ownership.

But, if that’s the proposal, aside from the legal problems (2nd Amendment to the U.S. Constitution), there are some significant practical issues that would need to be addressed.

The leading practical issue is the 400 - 500 million guns already out there. How do you get them? How many people are you willing to have die in the course of that operation?

Then, assuming you are successful in eliminating private ownership of firearms, what about future crime? How does a 110-pound female defend herself against a 200-pound rapist? How about the 85-year-old man against the 18-year-old thief? What does the rancher do about the coyotes killing his livestock (cattle, sheep, alpaca, etc.)? Or about (venomous) snakes on his property?

What specific gun control proposal might reduce mass shootings and/or overall gun violence?

Am I expecting too much by expecting the people calling for “more gun control” to be specific about what proposals they suggest?