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To Those Who - Thoughts About US Gun Violence

The American desire and propensity to own and use guns won’t change. This is a message to those who want to fight that characteristic in the desperate hope to prevent another mass shooting.


  1. To those who want to ban guns and gun parts and even bullets - the black market will overcome that obstacle; it will simply render existing weapons untraceable. The “ghost gun” manufacturing capability and market already exists.
  2. To those who want all weaponry registered - a black market will remain or become dominant; do-it-yourself gun manufacturing will grow. 
  3. To those who want background checks on all wishing to purchase guns - that does nothing with those who already own. And if the goal is to identify “undesirables” to prevent them from owning guns:
    1. The “undesirables”, often including the mentally ill, will refuse any activity that might earn them that designation, even if that activity - seeking diagnosis and treatment including therapy and medication - would help them manage their condition.
      1. And once labelled “undesirable” - what other discrimination becomes justified? The rate of unemployment is higher among U.S. adults who have mental illness (5.8%) compared to those who do not (3.6%).

      2. This lack of income can lead to those same people being unable to afford the medication and therapy they need. While treated mentally ill patients rarely commit crimes, those not treated can become violent. This cycle of refusing to employ or otherwise stigmatize the mentally ill must be broken.
      3. To those who think they might be mentally ill - There is help available. 
        1. To those needing help, or wish to encourage someone to get help, call 211 or text a message to 741741 for a friendly voice or words and lists of helpful resources. 
        2. Not sure if you have a behavioral problem? It’s time for an honest self-assessment. If people shun you, if you avoid basic responsibilities for your health, if you numb yourself with substances or activities, it’s time to see a doctor. Several conditions have behavioral symptoms and it will take time to determine which might apply.
      4. To those who are diagnosed with a mental illness - your behavior is your responsibility.  Treat others as you wish to be treated, with respect and kindness. Implement the lifestyle changes recommended, take any medication as prescribed, and keep your healthcare provider(s) notified of the results. Be patient: most psychotropic medications take a minimum of two weeks to take effect, and changes in habits take a minimum of three weeks to be established.
        1. There is a correlation between certain mental illnesses and creativity. Commit to using any such tendency you have only for constructive purposes.
  4. To those who want to confiscate weapons - the Fourth Amendment to the US Constitution against unreasonable search and seizure prevents that.
  5. To those who own guns, or want to own guns, there are three commitments to make and keep related to those deadly weapons:
    1. Safety - at all times, in all circumstances. If the gun is not being fired, it’s unloaded, cleaned, and locked away from accidental use. 
      1. To those who carry weapons - why? Change your environment to something safer, and learn weapon-free self-defense techniques and practice those.
    2. Training - take it before the purchase, regardless of whether any law requires the training. Internet searches provide several training course options, and each includes safety and maintenance instructions. Instructors can suggest appropriate weapons depending on need and interest.
    3. Practice - if military and law enforcement personnel need annual or semi-annual weapons recertification, then everyone needs to practice toward that same goal. And not just target practice - the practice should include “shoot-don’t shoot” situation exercises.
      1. Don’t be surprised if the upfront cost for these three commitments runs more than $1,000, and the annual cost, including insurance, into the hundreds of dollars.
      2. Landlords can restrict gun ownership in some states, and laws and permits vary from county to county; be prepared to follow those rules too.
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1. 23 million guns sold in 2020; almost 14 million in 2019. Compare that to 10,000 "ghost guns" confiscated in 2019 according to one state attorney general. https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/14/us/us-gun-sales-record/index.html
4. Latest available study about black market in guns: https://www.bjs.gov/content/pub/pdf/suficspi16.pdf
5. Latest statistics about number and type of stolen guns for just 2020: https://www.statista.com/statistics/457713/number-of-stolen-or-lost-firearms-in-the-us/
6. Good summary and links to related studies: https://mentalillnesspolicy.org/consequences/violence-statistics.html
9. Excellent training resource: https://firearmtraining.nra.org

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