Following the terrible massacre at Santa Monica City College, I hope that a cultural consensus of “locking up the guns” will be locked up for good.
I respect the arguments that liberals, and even some conservatives (like New Jersey Governor Chris Christie) have for limiting access to firearms. However, expanding gun control laws will not deter gun violence. Not the guns, but the violent gun-carriers; not the video games, but the lack of parental responsibility which allows kids to play those desensitizing games; not the schools, but a culture which has disdained the well-being as well as the individual rights of others has expanded a consensus which seeks to manage every trauma and danger, as if the most prescient foresight of our leaders can prevent every tragedy.
Tragedies like the Santa Monica City College massacre can be averted through less gun control. It would be more tragic if our leaders insist on ignoring this unpleasant reality. Instead of expanding background checks, our governments need to prosecute gun crimes. Instead of taking away toy guns from toddlers, Santa Monica activists need to expand the freedom of public schools, both the k-12 and post-secondary institutions, to exercise the authority to provide armed security on campuses and more discretion following the detection of criminal mental illness among students.
As long as leaders in Washington, our statehouses, and in our cities insist on ignoring these options, to that extent will our leaders fail to deter the core elements of massive violence in our communities.