My Alternative to Gun Control

One of the biggest challenges in calculating the statistical advantage of gun ownership is the nearly impossible task of determining the total number of serious incidents that are averted due to the presence of a gun. Who would keep the records and how would they do it? Yet, even without these statistics, the correlation between the presence of guns and shooter deterrence is clearly illustrated in the non-existence of attacks on gun ranges.

When my son was in his early teens, there was a bully who insisted on trying to intimidate him. My initial response of imposing a fighting ban and putting my faith in local authorities did little to deter this bully. The only thing that got his attention was lifting the fighting ban. Presented with the possibility of a royal butt whooping, the bully's attitude changed and the issue was quickly resolved. Bullies, thugs, and shooters of defenseless people are simply cowards in search of victims.

Perhaps instead of trying to rid ourselves of guns and increasing the pool of unarmed victims, we should consider ways we can lift some of the bans and use our existing firearms to our advantage. A well armed, well trained presence in schools would serve as a much better deterrent than a buzzer and a door monitor or any threat posed by an unarmed teacher. If there is no funding for police or security guards, an offer of free tactical training, the right to carry a gun, and the opportunity to defend our children against cowards would surely be enough to attract an adequate number of able bodied, enthusiastic volunteers.

The expense saved in avoiding a costly war on guns could easily exceed the total amount of revenue gained by increasing the tax on millionaires.