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Rob Freda

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Solving gun violence in the US in today's insane political climate requires a solution that makes it painless for everyone.

First that this idea even needs to be broached in the first place is ridiculous especially given the lack of clarity in the second amendment (eg it does not specify types of arms so that should be handled by laws not as a "do what you will free for all").

That said it seems there are some major elements that would be necessary to reduce gun deaths in the US and there are some obfuscating interests embodied in the NRA that must be sidestepped or accommodated in the solution.

Four main areas of focus jump out to reduce gun deaths:

1) "mass killings" (included in this would be the 2 or 3 person shootings as well as as Newtown or Aurora types)
2) Accidental shootings
3) Non-owner shootings (eg the shooter is not the owner of the gun)
4) "black market" trading

Added to these I would say the parameter that makes gun control legislation difficult is gun manufacturer revenue stream protection using the second amendment as a shill.

So what are the necessary parameters to make something happen vs. the absurdity of what is going to happen over the next few months in Washington:

1) Figure out a way that shifting policy creates more revenue for gun manufacturers so they get the NRA on board
2) Make sure that guns cannot be used in public places or by someone other than their owner

The Idea - Mandatory gun locks and universal kill switches.

On locks, all responsible gun owners have gun safes. Why not move the lock to the gun's trigger mechanism either with a combination code or biometric locks. That would prevent unauthorized use of the gun by anyone but the owner.

On kill switches, in the same locking mechanism put a chip and actuator that freezes the locking mechanism mentioned above when it receives a certain modulated radio signal.

If mandatory then all existing guns will have to be refitted with the new bolt mechanism creating revenue streams for the gun manufacturers and on all new guns they can charge more creating more revenue.

Thoughts?

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  • Daniel Eastland

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    Feb 1 2013: The kill switch idea is a non-starter, as one primary purpose of private gun ownership is armed rebellion should it become necessary. If a despotic government can disarm the populace with a radio signal, the purpose is defeated.

    In addition, rendering the radio receiver inoperable would be easy, again rendering it moot in the case of criminals.

    • Rob Freda

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      Feb 1 2013: kill switch - not if the default state was non-functioning. also you could GPS the kill switch, instead of a signal, to only work at certain high risk location like schools and other public places.

      the other point read through the comments. have already had that argument a few too many times. thanks for actually responding to the idea.

      I would note that, if the gun manufacturers thought they were going to see a big jump in revenue do to higher prices and product to refit existing guns, NRA opposition would go by the boards and the second amendment remedy group does not have the population or cash to prevent anything after that.

      • timothy schlotter

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        Feb 1 2013: wouldn't using GPS give the corrupt officials an edge? they would have that knowledge, and use it to their advantage.

        • Rob Freda

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          Feb 2 2013: Are you serious or joking?
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        Mike Colera 10+

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        Feb 2 2013: Hi Rob,
        Going back to retro fit guns again? Market demands are here already. Manufacturers would love to add a new toy on top of 100 year old designs, that's how old the action is on modern autoload mechanisms.
        The NRA has already acknowledged that only owner devices can be supported, the only problem is that a fail-safe device has not been commercially demonstrated sort of like the EPA biofuel thing I mentioned. The other thing that you may have underestimated is the cash available from the "gun nuts"
        I saw a sales transaction at a local gun show, were a buyer paid $3600 for the last rifle on the table that was selling for $875 when the doors opened 2 hours earlier, but that's here in Texas.

      • timothy schlotter

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        Feb 2 2013: Serious. Look, i'm not a gun crazed anti government guy, I joined the military voluntarily. But, if you give an advantage like where civilians weapons will work, or not work, a corrupt government will use it. This is about advantage, which I assure you they will use, and their weapons will not have such discriminating hardware. You are working from a premise that technology can and will help to solve this problem, Again I assure you it won't. The problem is inherant in people, and overcrowded conditions, it really has nothing to do with guns, or making them safer. Question, a whole lot of people are killed by things that are not meant to kill, and I don't really see a drive to get rid of these tools, why is that?

        • Rob Freda

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          Feb 2 2013: what corrupt government? and you assure technology won't work based on what exactly?

      • timothy schlotter

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        Feb 2 2013: When has it ever? We have the tech to "see" into closed buildings, "sniff" out things that are illegal and yet we fail. Tech is easy to overcome. As for corrupt governments, when was the last time you read any history? This from the government that used it's own soldiers as guinea pigs for research? Exposed it's sailors to the new tech of radiation? The government that brought you watergate, contra, do i need to go on?

        • Rob Freda

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          Feb 2 2013: ahhhmm... the safety features on about 1000 dangerous products that we produce and use every day.

          government does hinky things. corporations do hinky things. and people do hinky things. that does not mean you can paint the totality with a broad brush and is the very reason almost everything in our society is regulated except guns and derivatives which are two notable disaster areas.

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