Gun control in the news again after another tragic school shooting in the USA. A rising tide of anger in social media. Calls for tighter gun control. Comparisons with countries that have far stricter firearms regulations.
Guns and gun owners are easy targets. Social media the perfect platform for stirring up outrage, providing a channel for anyone with an opinion, no matter how half-baked, to pontificate and add to the noise.
This article, 6 Common Media Myths About Gun Control shows the degree of misinformation being spread.
I have lived in two countries where gun ownership was as common as in the USA, where for many years I carried a 9mm pistol every day. Where the knowledge that I had guns and would use them stopped our farm-house being overrun by political thugs. Countries where except for terrorism, mass shootings were unheard of and domestic murders rare.
Both those countries had firearm regulations. Every weapon had to be licenced, with serial numbers recorded in a central registry. Prospective gun owners had to justify the purchase of a particular weapon. People living in apartments in big cities would have difficulty in getting a licence for a heavy calibre rifle unless they could prove an intention and opportunity to hunt large animals.
Gun Control regulations were not Complicated
For most people with no criminal records and for farmers, it was a relatively straightforward process to get a licence for a handgun, shotgun or rifle.
By comparison to current USA regulations, there was more “gun control” in both those countries. But it did not mean there were fewer guns in private hands, there were almost certainly more guns. A gun licence allowed the gun owner to carry the weapon, with a loaded magazine and with no trigger lock.
With all those guns, there were few problems.
The difference was not the marginally stricter regulations. It was a culture of responsible gun ownership stretching back a century or more. It was supported by a system of National Service in the military for most young men. Firearm skill and responsible use were drummed into young men during months of training. Hundreds of rounds were fired during training and in active service. Carelessness was severely punished.
It was a result of a large part of the population living on farms, shooting vermin, hunting for the pot.
Other important factors were the conservative social structure, respect for elders, high levels of church attendance, corporal punishment at school for boys. A complete lack of political correctness. The understanding that all decisions, choices and activities had consequences. If you messed up, you paid for it in some way, you didn’t make out you were a victim.
Most of those factors were apparent in North America too until the end of the draft and the “softening” of society under liberal concern for offending people. Under the misguided notion that it was acceptable to blame someone or something for poor performance instead of accepting responsibility for our own choices.
More gun control is unlikely to have much effect.
More personal responsibility is what is needed.
The right to defend one’s life, family and property is a fundamental right, one that is honoured in the US constitution by the right to bear arms. And one that has been trampled on by most other countries. However, it’s a fact of life that some people should not be allowed anywhere near a gun of any sort.
It’s that small minority that should be looked at, not law-abiding, responsible gun owners
It goes further than that, we need a return to common sense and a shift in society.
Colt image by mwewering – pixabay