Here is a more accurate view of the “gun control” issue than is provided by the major media.  All of the discussion so far has been about limiting citizens’ access to certain types of guns and magazines.  Unfortunately, a gun is a gun.  They are all potentially lethal.  Consequently, denying access to certain kinds cannot and will not make our schools, theaters, and public meeting places any safer.  Another tragedy will occur and call for more gun control leading to another tragedy calling for even more gun control because gun control is ineffective in preventing devastating, shameful, and heart breaking tragedies as at Sandy Hook, Cinemark Theater, and Columbine.

We have less than 680,000 peace officers "to serve and to protect" the more than 310,000,000 inhabitants in this country.   Because they are divided into four crews to cover 24-7, we have only about one on-duty peace officer to protect each 2000 of us against the thugs and deranged killers within our midst that prey upon the defenseless and innocent. Obviously one per 2000 is not enough.  With budget reductions due to the economy, the chances of improving this ratio are slim.  Consequently, as "first responders", these officers are most often and unfortunately left to wear swat regalia and clean up after the damage is done. 

Today we have more than eight million citizens with a sense of duty to help deter violent crime by being licensed to carry a concealed handgun as an instant responder.  Unfortunately, eight million is not enough.  Concealed carry is called concealed carry because the guns are very difficult if not impossible to detect on a person.  Consequently, the public is unaware that about one in 30 adults is carrying a concealed gun and providing them with the capability of instant response.  I have personal experience deterring a potentially violent crime with concealed carry on the streets of Cleveland.  But, unfortunately, I was not present when my customer and her daughters were shot with a shotgun by her husband at the Cracker Barrel.  

The evil that occurred in Connecticut was made possible by the asymmetry afforded by gun control in the form of "gun free zones" that become killing fields.  All "gun free zones" without police presence should be posted with the caveat that "This sign will not stop a mad man with a gun.  You will be defenseless.  Enter at your own risk."  More than eight million people are now prevented from providing an instant response to violence in all "gun free zones" such as schools and posted theaters as in Colorado. This is why and where most of the major shooting tragedies have taken place. Without providing adequate screening and armed security, these postings constitute reckless endangerment.  There is the ignorant argument that someone with a concealed carry gun would not be effective in stopping carnage.  Someone trained to use an easily concealable small five shot 38 caliber revolver with a laser grip, would either put the red dot on center of mass or a head shot depending upon body armor.

“Gun free zones" were established under the theory that guns make people bad and dangerous.  If that were true, we automatically have about 680,000 people with badges that are bad and dangerous.  These are the same people that fired 137 rounds into a car here in Cleveland and killed two unarmed people while jeopardizing the safety of the surrounding neighborhood.  These are the same people that shot innocent bystanders on the street in New York City. 

The emotional people, who hate guns, fear guns, and want to abolish guns for everyone, claim that “commonsense” dictates that more guns will make us less safe.  Well, common sense is a dangerous fictional concept that is invoked primarily to insult, denigrate, and demean anyone with a different opinion.  Common sense is dangerous because it is invoked when people believe, without putting their effort into due diligence, that they understand the problem and know the solution better than other people.  Consequently the resulting simplistic solutions can often make the problem worse.  This has always been the weakness of democracy when ignorant people choose to be stupid.  Gun control is a perfect example.

My fear is that the tragedy in Connecticut will once again allow stupidity to triumph over intelligence in Washington.  With an estimated more than 100 million semi-automatic magazines that hold more than ten rounds and with more than 20 million semi-automatic rifles in all shapes and sizes owned by civilians, any herculean effort to register or confiscate all of these will still not prevent another tragedy as occurred in Connecticut.  Under the present circumstances of limited police resources to patrol our schools, I believe that we desperately need trained concealed carry instant responders in our schools to protect our kids and we need to eliminate all “gun free zones” where there is no police presence.