After the shootings in Las Vegas, a lot of attention was paid to gun violence and, of course, the calls for more rigid (and unconstitutional) gun controls or bans. The one thing so many of those screaming for gun control as a means of reducing gun violence have always chosen to ignore is that gun control has never reduced the incidents of gun violence.
Two prime examples of this are the UK and Australia, two nations that have banned gun ownership, with Australia's ban being far more recent. The end result has been no discernible change in the 'gun violence' rate. So why focus on the 'gun' part of gun violence? As anyone paying attention already knows, the problem is the violence, not the guns.
I recall recently reading about one program that has been focusing on violence, period. The program worked to reduce the incidents of violence of all kinds, and if I recall correctly, it has worked. All kinds of violence decreased, including gun violence. So maybe the focus should be on the violence and not the tools used to commit acts of violence.
Guns are tools, no different than chains, knives, hammers, crowbars, and a whole list of other implements that can be used for good or ill. It is the intent of the one wielding the implement that defines whether it is a tool or a weapon. Change the intent away from violence and the implements are just tools. If you just ban the tools, the violence is still there and those wishing to commit those acts will find a way to do so, even if it means buying guns on the black market. (With the right connections one can get anything from a cheap Saturday Night Special to fully automatic machine pistols and assault weapons, to grenade launchers, RPGs, and anti-armor rockets. All it takes is money. As reminder, almost all of these weapons are already illegal, so laws against them certainly haven't stopped them from being brought into this country and sold to criminals.)
Solve the violence problem and the so-called gun violence problem solves itself. Do it the other way around and the problem will still be there.
