Guns, Yet Again

 I have blogged about the problem of gun violence in America, over and over, to where I am tired of writing on that subject and have resolved,  more than once, to say no more about it.

Yet mass shootings, particularly  school shootings, incredible and of course tragically, continue. And, they're even getting worse. Last year there were 270 school shootings, the most since 1970.

I believe the chief cause of the high rate of homicides in America is the prevalence of guns. (Yes, you can kill people with a knife, but if you intend to kill a number of people, a gun is much more efficient.) The United States has the loosest gun laws in the world. Coincidence?

You don't hear too much about the experience of Australia. The national government of Australia created an incentive for Australian citizens to turn in their guns. The result? Homicides decreased 97%. Ninety-seven percent!

Yet, time after time, it seems we absorb these experiences with little or nothing happening. Why, in heaven's name? Other countries shake their heads in disbelief and probably are even afraid to visit the United States.

The reason is because we have a powerful gun lobby—the NRA, other gun owners' organizations, gun manufacturers—and legislatures and governors—chiefly Republican—who have thwarted meaningful gun control.

True, we have the Second Amendment to the Constitution. Yet jurisprudence has held that the gun-owning right is not absolute and can have limitations imposed. At one point--for a few years--assault rifles were illegal. Then that law expired and was not renewed.