How Do We Stop Mass Murder?
By Rob Morse. October 28th, 2018
Article Original
After the murders at the Pittsburg Synagogue, I keep seeing this question on Quora; 'How do we stop mass murder?'
Most of the people asking this question feel strongly about things they don't understand. They have not studied the issues of physical defense or contemporary mental health. I'm sorry to give them the bad news, but there is no magic button to fix the human condition. There is hope.
We can not eliminate mass murder, but we can reduce it.
i. We developed mass murderers after we developed mass media. Stop rewarding narcissistic murderers with a billion dollars of publicity.
ii. Almost all mass murders are in so called "gun-free" zones. Make the government strictly liable for every injury in a government mandated "gun-free" zone.
iii. Make owners/operators strictly liable for every injury in a privately mandated "gun-free" zones.
I'm tempted to add that we should hold bureaucrats responsible for the crazy people they release back into society, but we have never found a way to hold bureaucrats responsible. To claim that as a solution is magical thinking and this isn't a blog about speculative fiction.
The three things I mentioned won't end the problem of mass murder, but they will help a lot. If you doubt that conclusion, then please consider this;
Is there any "gun-free" zone where we have not found a gun?
I have not found a single one.
I've also heard people propose more background checks and more bureaucratic "no-buy" lists. That sounds too good to be true..and it is. Gun prohibition would disarm an honest citizen like me, but prohibition has not stopped criminals or determined murderers.
Rob outlines three very relevant ways to mitigate the problem. The first is one which in essence JPFO is heavily promoting - "Don't Inspire Evil" - put a stop to excessive media exposure on such events and in particular constantly showing suspect images. The second and third involving "Gun-free-zones" is perhaps obvious to those who understand the problem best, whereby it should be known that crminals will never obey such a restriction. Then, hold bodies and authorities liable for the results of death and injury in these 'controlled' places. Of course, many fail to see the logic in such an approach.
