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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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    Pabitra Mukhopadhyay 30+

    • +2
    Feb 13 2013: How about just making possession of guns without a well considered reason, illegal? Say through an n-th amendment? That seems way simpler.
    Or alternately, why not abolish police and let the citizens protect and defend themselves. Much saving for tax-payers.

    • Andy Lee

      • +3
      Feb 13 2013: Who decides what, "a well considered reason" is? Why not address the issue of mental helath that is the common thread in all of the recent mass murders? We used to confine mentally unstable people with demonstarted violent tendencies. Now they self medicate and walk the streets.

      315 million people, 270 million firearms, 11 thousand firearm homicides on average annually. Thats .00004% of the total number of firearms used to kill .00003% of my countries population. I think the issue is tremendously exagerated. Drug overdose kills more people every year and has no national spotlight nor international debate, no weeks of coverage in the media, no presidential proclamations, no celelebrity campaigns, no Ted conversation.

      While the loss of a loved one is painful regardless of how it occurs, we don't advocate the banning of every legally obtainable thing that accidently or intentionally results in a fatality.

      Keep the big picture in mind.

      • Robin Pearce

        • +1
        Feb 13 2013: Who determines what is Mental Health ? There are 297 mental health diagnoses in my DSM IV , . You aren't going to find any counselor wanting to put his license on the line by saying this person or that person shouldn't own a gun. Unless a client specifically states he is going to harm someone you can't predict who is going to do harm.

        Only about 5% of all cases involve mental health issues , Most cases involve anger at a person or institution. There is no diagnosis for revenge shootings . You can't predict or diagnosis who is going to do it.

        • Tify Ndanoboi 30+

          • 0
          Feb 15 2013: Really??? You need to watch a few TED videos, the hard work is already done.

          You aren't going to find any counselor wanting to put his license on the line by saying this person or that person shouldn't own a gun.

          Of course they are not, it's a shameful profession, where they wont make any commitment, yet they are only too happy to commit others.

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