Why won't increasing penalties work? Why won't more focused deterrence work? At least such measures are focused on criminals and not the law abiding.
You're absolutely right that I am conflating mass shootings and common crimes. Criminals are rational, and respond to deterrence and increased enforcement just like you and I do. I don't drive drunk because I have too much to lose. Criminals who know that a gun crime carries twice the time will respond similarly. But that's also a function of the certainty of punishment. Too many predatory criminals, especially those who commit property crimes, count on the leniency of prosecutors and judges.
I agree with you that many mass shootings are the work of the mentally ill and/or the politically motivated. So why visit the sanctions on the rest of us? "Banning assault weapons" won't deter the nuts, but it sure will impact law abiding citizens who don't subscribe to the Dem talking point that "nobody needs an assault weapon". What the heck good is individual liberty if I can't choose what recreation to enjoy or how best to defend my home and family?
No, I doubt I'd ever own a gun, and I have what I think are good reasons for my intransigence, but I don't adopt the fascist mindset that nobody else can either.
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