So President Obama has asked for help on the arms control issue from the press. Here is my modest contribution as someone concerned with the well-being of the US and its citizens.
Children and adolescents die every day from gun violence, and the numbers are worse in the US than anywhere else in the developed world. But the debate on gun control appears very polarized - a conversation among the deaf. I think it would be a mistake for those in favor of gun control to assume everyone not on board for that is pro gun. Stuff does happen, and it might be that gun control efforts have considerable costs; in effect showing the government just how little it can do with a frontal approach on the matter.
Shuffling though what data there is on the gun issue, I was struck by the notion that it is often the military who like town guns once they leave service. Guns have become a life skill for them, and they find it natural to keep up that skill. The US has a larger military than anyone else. Voilè for gun numbers.
Althoug one is often served the argument from the Constitution, it is arguably fallacious. I think it is safe to assume that this argument is not coming from Harvard Law and the like but from other citizens. Perhaps even our military. Indeed, wouldn't it be asking a lot from those service people to rely on the sherrif's office for gun protection; they are the experts.
More interesting, extending gun education to storage use and so forth outside the military might bear some fruit in the larger society. This is where I would begin.
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