Although there are no reliable or complete statistics for the nation, the data supports the need for gun control to reduce the violence. Statistics aren’t that an effective messaging tool anyway. Mass shooting, school shooting, suicide, homicide - it doesn’t matter how you break it down. We have a pandemic that is out of control. We are awash in guns, and they are commonly available regardless of a person’s mental health or criminal status. Stricter regulation laws would help but would not provide a solution. The issue isn’t gun sales; we already have more guns in circulation than there are people in the U.S. Until we reduce the total number of guns and restrict their availability, we will continue to have a major public health problem.

The easiest, but also the most difficult, action would be to totally ban automatic high velocity weapons since they are only designed to kill people. That’s why the military has them. Supporters cite the “militia” wording, but this isn’t 1776, and we don’t carry single-load muskets. The National Guard serves that function today, and their weapons are tightly controlled.

The issue boils down to rights versus responsibilities. We have millions of responsible gun owners, and no one is proposing to take away their guns. But until we restrict the actions of those who are not responsible, we will never reduce the level of violence. It will require political will because public demonstrations don’t counter the amount of money involved. Congress won’t act while the gun lobbyists line their pockets. The NRA is the poster child for irresponsible behavior, but one organization isn’t that important. The gun manufacturers have more money. We have multiple organizations who are active in opposition, but they don’t effectively work together.

Poverty is a breeder of violence, and poor communities have higher levels of violence. They usually are made up of people of color. When you have few options or opportunities, then the drug trade seems appealing. Here in North Carolina, gang violence seems to be the big problem in Durham. Athletic ability or a brilliant mind seem to be the only tickets out of the ghetto.

The bewildering number of guns in the country is the crux of the issue and not the mental health of gun users. Knives are lethal, but they are not as effective in mass murder. If more guns were the answer, we would be the safest nation in the world.

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