One Can’t Prevent What One Isn’t Present To Prevent….

I recently responded to an editorial in which the author, a psychiatrist, argued that very few good guys with guns have stopped mass shootings.

He made the following statement: “Which brings me to the spate of mass shootings. If those numbers are right, it’s extremely likely that there were at least some “good guys (or women)” with guns at most of the mass shootings we’ve heard about over the past few years.”

This is an assumption, an assumption with absolutely no basis in fact.  He assumes that there MUST have been firearms carriers at the sites of many mass shootings, but they were too cowardly to intervene.  He conveniently ignores that most mass shootings take place at sites designated “weapons free”.  

Lawful firearms carriers are scrupulous about observing conditions of entry; they aren’t going to do anything that would jeopardize their right to carry.  

The result?  

Whether the “weapons free” designation carries the force of law (applicable in only a few states) or not (as is the case in the majority of states, Michigan being one of them), the majority of firearms carriers will either 1) secure their firearms in a lockbox in their vehicle or 2) find someplace else to shop.  

The end result?  

At the vast majority of mass shootings, there were no lawful carriers present.  Good guys with guns can’t prevent what they aren’t present to prevent.

So what this gun control advocate is really arguing, while being too ignorant to realize it, is that “gun free” zones HAVE been effective in stopping firearms carry.  The problem is, they are stopping the WRONG PEOPLE from carrying.