Guns Redux

 

 There's been a lot of talk about gun violence for, well, decades.  I've found many on both sides of the discussion to be more uninformed than those with strong opinions should be.  For that reason, I've been writing this series on guns and gun violence, adding new entries as I think they're needed in the hopes of educating both sides of the debate.  

What makes me more knowledgeable on guns than the average person?  I'm a 30+ year competitive shooter and former firearms instructor, who holds a USPSA Master classification and a PPC High Master ranking.  I've owned many of the controversial guns being discussed, perform my own ammunition load development, and lived through the 1994 Assault Weapons Ban.  As a data driven, reformed conservative, I let facts take me wherever they lead.  

About the data:  Unless otherwise noted, my sources are consistent across the series.  For mass homicides, I use Mother Jones database, Gun Violence Archive for mass shootings, and FBI reports for everything else. I don't "cook" anything to support a predetermined narrative.  I use the FBI definition for mass homicides and choose meaningful time windows (i.e. five years, ten years, from 2000 onward, etc.)

My AR-15 figures include all other semiautomatic rifles, such as MCX, AK47, AR-10, etc.  

This post will serve as the directory of all the posts in the series.  I've broken the posts into three chunks; 

The Core, which I think contains the most valuable information
The AR-15 Section, which contains additional information on the AR-15, beyond the entry in the Core
Others - These posts contain what I think to be value (or I wouldn't have written them), but wouldn't necessarily view them as "must read".

As always, your feedback is welcome.

Core

My Relationship With Guns  

Is a short introduction to me, along with my background.

Gun Culture 

Why does the US have so many guns?  Why are they so interwoven with American society?  This entry takes a semi sociological and historical view of the subject.   

Gun Homicides:  The Numbers 

Provides a thorough and objective analysis of gun homicides; historical, by weapon type, and by incident type.  How many deaths occur during mass events?  If you read one entry, make it this one.

It's The Guns

Yeah, it's not that simple.  A deep dive into some interesting stats.

Mass Shootings and Mass Homicides

Some insight into the differences and similarities.  

Mass Shootings Deux

Why do we care about some and not others? 

The AR-15

Everything you wanted to know, or should know, about the platform.  Are there legitimate reasons to own an AR-15 (or other semiautomatic rifle)?  How evil is the gun?

Can We Ban Guns?

What happens if we try to ban guns?  This one also applies to subsets of guns, such as semiautomatic rifles.

My Ideas For Addressing Gun Violence

Or at least deal with the symptoms, since no one seems to care about the core issues.  

How Gun Violence Can Be Traced Back to Who Settled There

This is a unique take I found in an article I thought I'd share.

The AR-15 Section

Stopping Power, Shot Placement, and Other Considerations

This is a companion piece to the above entry that provides insight on why some guns are well suited to self-defense.  

The Impact of the 1994 Assault Weapons Ban

What measures did it include and how did that impact gun violence?  

The Founding Fathers and the AR-15

What would they think of the gun?  Also, some food for thought on their danger.

Pistol Braces For Dummies

This one provides an explanation of pistol braces and whether they matter.

Others 

The 2nd Amendment

What does it really mean?  A review from a historical context perspective.  

Good Guy With a Gun

"Only a good guy with a gun can stop a bad guy with a gun."  Does the old saying stand up to reality?

Giggle Switches - The Real Gun Problem No One's Talking About

Going full auto with your Glock has become way too easy.

Which Gun Owners Are The Danger to Society?

More Random Thoughts on Gun Violence 

The Fallacy of Holding Gun Manufacturers Accountable

Specifically, what do we hold them accountable for?

Must Remain Concealed

As regular readers know, I've been a gun guy for a good chunk of my life.  Learned to shoot around age five, began shooting competitively at twenty five, achieved high master in one discipline few years later.  Continued to compete in another shooting sport for more than a decade beyond that, started competing again off and on a few years ago.  I've taught gun safety and competitive shooting classes and held a concealed carry license almost continuously for close to three decades.  This will become relevant in a moment, I promise.  

If you recall, Kansas made me take a safety class before they would issue me a concealed carry license.  As one might imagine, it was mind numbing.  I thought North Carolina would dispense with such silliness, but I thought wrong.  I reached out to the local sheriff's department to see if the class was still required for someone who already possessed a valid license from another state.  Negative.  So, guess who will be spending all day, next Saturday, in a concealed carry class?

As I understand it, this one is structured differently from the Kansas classes, which had the practical at the end, preceded by building skills such as "this is the trigger".  This class will begin with the practical and unlike the KS test, which which required you to hit a target roughly the size of Cleveland this one has a much smaller scoring area.  

The rest of the course is apparently about applicable laws.  This will be painful, just like Kansas.  I've always taken an interest in the concealed carry laws of my state.  And after carrying in three different states, over thirty years,  I've learned these laws are generally pretty universal, with a few variables that may or may not matter.  NC only has one that I may need to consider, which is called "duty to notify".  This requires you advise the cop that just pulled you over that you're carrying.  Kansas didn't, so when I got nailed for speeding, I didn't bother informing the officer of my compact 9mm in the center console.  Beyond that, I don't care about the laws.  That may sound cavalier or reckless, or make me seem like more of an asshat than usual, so let me explain by covering some of the other variables.

First is whether you can carry in bars.  I don't go to bars when I'm not traveling, so let's move on.

Next concerns whether you're committing a crime by entering an establishment with a gun when a no gun sign is present.  KS was a no, NC is a yes, but I don't care.  The first word in concealed carry is, say it with me, concealed.  If someone spots my gun, I've failed at that crucial part of the process.  And I never carry in a way that makes the gun stand out or print.  Am I an asshole for disrespecting a business's wishes?  Probably, but I don't care and I'll likely only do it once per business, because I'll go elsewhere next time.

There are a few intricacies of castle doctrine (meaning the rules change when you're in your own home or hotel) that influence how much freedom you have.  Toasting a home invader is always legal, and fun, but what about a pushy Girl Scout who walks in your front door selling cookies?  Again, don't care, because I'm not using a gun unless I absolutely have no other option.  Besides, putting holes in little Susy prevents me from cookie acquisition and I want my fucking Thin Mints!

Finally, you've got whether stand your ground applies or if you have a duty to retreat, before using deadly force.  Both KS and NC are the former, but I don't care, because I'm always going to try to deescalate (I can totally do that!) or exit, using a trigger pull as an absolute last resort.  This isn't solely because of my regard for life; it's fucking expensive if you shoot someone.  Even if you're in the right, you'll spend $100k for an attorney to ensure some overachieving gun grabber DA doesn't bushwhack you.  

Don't wave your pistol around or brandish it, don't escalate a situation to make it a lethal force scenario, disparity of force means if half a dozen ninjas approach saying they plan to kill me, I'm legally justified in shooting the cagey little fuckers.  

I'll be a good boy for the class, just like I did for the one I had to sit through in Kansas and chuckle at being the only student who already has a valid concealed carry license.  Because NC and KS recognize each others' licenses, I've been carrying here in NC since arriving.  Probably a bit much if I carried a gun into the class, huh?

Minority Report

 At some point, I'll finish my entry about my moving horror, but I decided to write a quick one about my subdivision.  

For those paying attention, I recently moved to Raleigh.  However, my house isn't in Raleigh proper, but smack dab in the middle of Research Triangle, which is the largest tech center in the US.  Everyone in the tech and medical field has massive facilities here.  For example, my subdivision is right next to the largest Cisco campus outside Silicon Valley; 15 damned buildings!  The neighborhood is typical of current construction in Raleigh, in that houses are ass on top of one another.  It's laid out in multiple price levels, but the only differences are whether it's a larger or smaller house ass on top of the next.  Land has become quite pricey here, because of how many people want to move here.  

Research Triangle definitely has a unique set of demographics in that caucasians are very much in the minority here.  I estimate that at least 85% of my closest neighbors are Indian.  Another 7% is Asian, and the remainder is either white or black.  It's the weirdest damned thing; when I drive through the neighborhood or am out walking the dog, seeing a white person is a noteworthy event.  There are a ton of families, as one might expect, and many Indian households consist of extended families, meaning at least one grandparent lives in the same house with their children and grandchildren.  The two houses to the left of me and the first on the right fit this profile.

Because of the unusual (for the US) demographics, this neighborhood has a different feel to it.  In some ways, I find it charming, such as how the elder members gather at the common area pavilion, most every night, to socialize.  The women sit at one table and the men at the other, as tradition dictates.  The vast majority of the more mature women, and many younger ones, wear traditional sarees.  Many are quite beautiful, with the kaleidoscope of bright colors.  It feels very tight knit, as a community, although I'm really not a part of it.  

As for interacting with my neighbors, people are people.  It was a bit daunting at first, because particularly the elder Indian folks have a natural resting grumpy face.  But every one I've engaged with a "good morning" or "hello" has smiled and returned my salutation.  However, those from teenage to about 60, can be a bit standoffish, particularly the men.  Many will walk past and not even acknowledge a simple hello.  Douchebag from my previous entry fell into this demographic.  Arrogant cocksucker.  Anyway, no idea what's up their asses and I'm not sure I care.

What I do care about is the scent of curry that frequently wafts out of my neighbors' homes as I walk past with my dog.  It's a wonderful aroma and never fails to make me salivate.  One of the more important items on my to do list is make friends with a family so they'll invite me to dinner.

I may be a minority here, but it's home and I'm thrilled to be here.

No Wonder Your Dog Hates You

 Some people shouldn't have dogs, some are dickheads, and some fall into the overlap of the Venn Diagram of the two.

The subdivision I live in is pretty massive, so it would follow there are a ton of families that own dogs.  So, at any one time during the day, you'll see a few others walking theirs.  An unwritten code exists on how to respond if you're walking your dog and you encounter someone else with a dog.  One of you will cross the street to avoid face to face canine encounters.  Not all dogs like other dogs; mine is one of those.  Typically, it's the party with the more agile dog (i.e. not a tiny dog).  The hot spot for dog walking is a common "park" area, where everyone will take a lap.  If you see a dog coming the opposite way, you follow their same path (clockwise or anticlockwise as the case may be).  This unwritten rule also applies if you're about to cross paths with a bunch of small children or parents with a baby stroller.  For the most part, everything works fine, with peace and tranquility being maintained.  

There are exceptions, however, and I encountered one today.  A guy in his late forties was walking his yellow lab-like dog.  Actually, to say he was walking it is being generous.  In reality, he was on his hands free, mostly dragging the dog along, and ignoring the dog, except to admonish it for stopping to sniff something.  You know, dog stuff.  Because of this, he shall be further known as Douchebag.  We were traveling in the same direction around the common area, with plenty of separation to prevent contact.  That is until his dog decided to lay down and wait for my dog.  Douchebag wouldn't move the dog and stood there continuing to talk on his phone, both staring me down and pretending to be aloof at the same time, defiantly playing alpha games.  Because Douchebag clearly had no intention of moving, I had to alter course around he and his dog.  We wound up so that both dogs were out of leash range of the other, which is good, because neither wanted to be friends with the other.  Needless to say, I wasn't pleased.  Also, this isn't the first time Douchebag has pulled that on me; I'd been able to avoid close contact, before.  

Because I'm all about making friends, as I was wrangling my dog, I informed the pot bellied piece of shit he was "a fucking dickhead".  This was followed by a few other choice words as I walked away.  The words had to be delivered to the side of his head, because he wouldn't look me in the eye.  

Honestly, I'm not even certain he understood what I said, because like most of my neighbors, he was Indian and was speaking Hindi on his phone.  But I'm sure he received the general message, solely from my tone.

Fucking douchebag...

THEY DON'T CARE!

 I had a mini revelation today about one of my anti favorite subjects, Trumpanzees.  I've read what others have written about a dynamic but I guess it hadn't penetrated my brain in the form it took today.  That dynamic is how Trumpanzees think.  Because I enjoy exercises in futility, I'd recently engaged with a few right wing looneys on a shooting message board.  Of course, the topic was how Cheeto Face is a traitor.  

When discussing any contentious subject (which is pretty much all of them with this crowd), you must be prepared for the standard MAGA rules of engagement.  Facts contrary to their indoctrination are met with insults, whatabouts, and complete topic changes (within a thread devoted to a particular subject).  For example, the most standard is "you're a communist, Biden lover, who only watches CNN".  Anyone who criticizes their cult leader is automatically all of these things.  And don't forget how Hillary did worse things (she didn't) and fucking Hunter's laptop...Jesus, I'm sick of hearing about that.  Either produce it or let the rest of the trailer park live in peace!

And make no mistake, it is a cult, with all the hallmarks of one.

I digress as usual.  Anyway, I was pointing out to them how damning the evidence was against their Cheeto-faced god, listing various facts that I pulled straight out of court documents as well as Trump's own Truth Social.  It's almost funny how over the course of throwing shit against the wall in his defense, he unintentionally admitted to committing every one of the crimes listed on the search warrant.  (No, I don't have an account; others are kind enough to capture his posts and tweet them.)  

I was full of shit, he didn't do anything wrong, evidence was planted (even Trump's abandoned that argument), he's the most persecuted man on the planet, Biden's a criminal, etc.  And that's when the realization hit me.  They don't care!  Incontrovertible evidence could be presented to them and they'd call it fake.  Trump could be convicted of the crimes he's committed as well as the inevitable new ones that'll be uncovered after tracing who had access to the top secret material.  They wouldn't care...the jury was rigged.  Trump could stop by each of their trailers and admit he sold national secrets to foreign powers* and they would still worship the piece of garbage.

The bottom line is Trumpanzees are so invested in the cult of the Orange Man that it's become part of their identity.  Accepting what anyone with a clear head already knows would be emotionally devastating to them, so they protect their beliefs with every fiber of their being and spew hatred at anyone who disparages their god.  You can't reason with them, you can't shame them, there's literally nothing that can break the hold the grifter has over these poor gullible dolts.  And fucking Trump counts on that.  

It's both sad and disturbing that these people are out there.  Some otherwise decent people have had their lives ruined by the grift.  People who can least afford it are conned into making donations whenever Trump wants money (the fucker was fundraising off his ex-wife's death!!!); and they keep on answering the call.  People are going to prison because they trusted that piece of waste.  But these people have also proven themselves ready to engage in violence for their cult leader, so my sympathy only runs so deep.  I only hope it doesn't happen again.  No, I only hope that Trump finally finds himself where he's belonged for decades, which is behind bars. No, fuck TOC's...we're all better off with him in a shallow unmarked grave somewhere near Fresno.  Fuck him and his fucked up, larcenous family.

*likely the Saudis - what the hell did they pay Jared $2 billion for???

Midterm Elections - This Could Get Ugly

 As regular readers know, I'm a shooter and I occasionally spend time on gun related internet message boards.  Some have "off topic" sections, where pretty much anything goes, and typically contain a ton of right wing looney content, typically in the form of links to right wing looney sources.  Needless to say, no independent thought flows from the posters.  I'll occasionally pop into those areas, to see what lies are being spread and poke fun at the loons by sharing facts.  Lately, I've been seeing a trend in the lies that disturbs me.  Along with the standard messages of "Biden is the Devil" and "Trump is God" I'm beginning to see an alarming number of stories linked about how MAGA / ultra conservative midterm candidates are polling incredibly high, when the truth is these candidates are tanking.  

That's some genuinely scary shit, because there will be a ton of cult members going into the midterms with the expectation of a big fucking red wave.  When the opposite happens, there will be cries of election fraud and potentially worse.  We've already seen what happens when these idiots believe one election was stolen.  What sort of ugliness could be in store if they think they've been screwed a second time?  

The only potential saving grace is their cult leader can't say he was screwed again, which may temper the response.  Of course, he'll have something to say, nonetheless.  

On a side note, this illustrates yet another example of how the harm done to this country by Cheeto Face is incalculable.  Perhaps I'm selectively remembering, but I don't recall any candidates prior to him claiming they'd lost an election due to fraud.  But now, every MAGA candidate who loses (in the primaries) is claiming it was due to fraud, even when the results weren't even close.  

Perfect example below:

Looney Laura Loomer

This could get very ugly, come November.

Oh God, Not More Gun Shit

Now that Biden is on another roll with gun violence, I thought it time to correct a major oversight on my part that would have provided some relevant context.  To recap, there are those who yell and scream about how gun violence has become an epidemic because of how there are so many more guns on the street.  First, as I've previously noted, gun related homicides have remained mostly steady, increasing a percentage point or two one year and decreasing by the same amount for a few years.  Full disclosure - I only have FBI data through 2019 because they recently transitioned to something they call an explorer to view data; I call it an unusable pile of shit.  

Anyway, let's look at what I could find on the last few years, which is gun related homicides by capita (specifically per 100k people).  Before the pandemic (2019), we were in the 4.5 range.  This was down from 7.2 in 1993 (didn't hear about a gun violence epidemic then, did ya?).  Unfortunately, that number's climbed, hitting 6.2 in 2020.

 While I'm on a roll with gun statistics, let me address one that makes me batshit; number of guns in the US versus other countries.  We have so many more guns and thus so many more gun related deaths.  To be clear, too many people die this way; that's not up for debate.  What you're supposed to take away is how dangerous the US with all of its nasty, evil guns.  

However, how have these numbers changed over time?  That's of greater interest to me than a snapshot designed to be outrageous by use of cherry picking and omission.  

With the yelling and screaming from the not so bright, you would think the US has been arming itself to the teeth over time and gun related homicides have skyrocketed.  "It's the guns!!!" 

How has gun ownership changed over time?  In 1977, just over half of American households owned one or more guns.  That number steadily declined from there, ultimately stabilizing at around 30-31%, where it's sat for more than a two decades.  During the pandemic, everyone went out and bought guns, but that only bumped ownership from 30% to 32%; still under a third.  

To summarize, we've seen an increase in gun related homicides of 16% over the past two years versus an increase in gun ownership of 5%.  And remember that despite what the gun grabbers claim, it's more difficult to get a gun than it's ever been.  I'm always a fan of the libs who want to prove how easy it is to buy a gun, only to discover it isn't.  

It's the guns!!!!  Try again, sparky.