Drill Down, Then Zoom Out on America's Gun Violence Problem

Since the horrific events of 12/14/2012 in Newton, CT, the ever-controversial topic of gun control has flared up, as it always does after yet another mass murder in the US.

I wrote a series of tweets that I'll expound upon below.

First, acknowledge the problem. Easily obtainable global data says we do.

Drill down: Gun laws haven't helped in Chicago. Why not? What's gone wrong? The 1994 Assault weapon ban in US was a dud. Why? What can we do better next time?

Zoom out: Gun control laws in other developed countries have had dramatic mass-casualty, gun-murder, and gun-suicide rates. What worked? Why did it work? How can we make it work here?

Obviously there is a mental health care aspect to this, as well as a cultural one. Those are far more nebulous battles that will take far longer to fight, with far less clear results.

Simply saying "gun laws don't work, criminals still get guns.", without asking "Based on what?", is lazy and tells me you either don't want to do anything to curb gun death in the US, or that you refuse to believe the data right before your eyes. Be analytical, not lazy, or stay out of the discussion.

It's critical that we collect gun data that doesn't exist, as well as ask why we don't already have the data. Arguments on all sides must have data to back up their positions. David Frum, today, highlighted what pro-gun lobbies have done to prevent research and collection of data. 

The global data we already have clearly illustrates that the US is a radical outlier both in terms of guns-per-household, and rates of gun deaths. Other countries have had similar problems, have taken bold steps, and have reaped undeniable rewards for it.

We need to ask why organizations would suppress the collection of data which may directly result in decreased profits for their constituents at the expense of thousands of US lives every year.

Simply dismissing the problem, saying that nothing can be done, or making claims about outcomes of policy action with no data to back up your claims, is lazy and irresponsible, plain and simple.

Don't be intellectually lazy. Don't accept catch-phrases as gospel. Be a critically thinking person willing to analyze your own opinions and thoughts to find their roots. Likewise, do the same for those organizations who's talking points you ascribe to.

Base your opinions on data, not dogma. Drill down. Zoom out. Don't accept that there are no answers before you even lift your eyes to search for them.