In watching the knee-jerk response to the tragedy, two notes come to mind:
1. There is always a well-known solution to every human problem--neat, plausible, and wrong. H. L. Mencken
And
2. Dr. Thomas Sowell, in Applied Economics: Thinking Beyond Stage One, challenges individuals to analyze not only their short term (Stage One) impact but to also think ahead to their long term (Stage Two, Three, etc) impact. Politicians do not think beyond Stage One because they will be praised (and elected) for the short term benefits but will not be held accountable much later when the long term consequences appear.
Lets take a timely example: Gun-Free Zones
3. With 12 dead and 58 wounded, the July 20th shooting at the Cinemark Century 16 Theater in Aurora, Colorado .So why did the killer pick the Cinemark theater? You might think that it was the one closest to the killers apartment. Or, that it was the one with the largest audience.
a. Yet, neither explanation is right. Instead, out of all the movie theaters within 20 minutes of his apartment showing the new Batman movie that night, it was the only one where guns were banned.
B. In Colorado, individuals with permits can carry concealed handgun in most malls, stores, movie theaters, and restaurants. But private businesses can determine whether permit holders can carry guns on their private property.
c. Most movie theaters allow permit holders carrying guns. But the Cinemark movie theater was the only one with a sign posted at the theaters entrance.
d. A simple web search and some telephone calls reveal how easily one can find out how Cinemark compared to other movie theaters. According to mapquest.com and movies.com, there were seven movie theaters showing "The Dark Knight Rises" on July 20th within 20 minutes of the killers apartment at 1690 Paris St, Aurora, Colorado. At 4 miles and an 8-minute car ride, the Cinemarks Century Theater wasn't the closest. Another theater was only 1.2 miles (3 minutes) away.
e. There was also a theater just slightly further away, 10 minutes. It is the "home of Colorado's largest auditorium," according to their movie hotline greeting message. The potentially huge audience ought to have been attractive to someone trying to kill as many people as possible. Four other theaters were 18 minutes, two at 19 minutes, and 20 minutes away.
f. But all of those theaters allowed permitted concealed handguns.
So why would a mass shooter pick a place that bans guns? The answer should be obvious, though it apparently is not clear to the media disarming law-abiding citizens leaves them as sitting ducks.
Did Colorado shooter single out Cinemark theater because it banned guns? | Fox News
4. But .were still focusing the discussion on guns Guns, and dead people....violent death. What if no guns were allowed, a la Japan? Fewer dead people of course?
a. United States . Violent Deaths per 100,000: Homicides, 5.70; Firearm Homicides, 3.72; Suicides, 12.06; Households with Guns, 39.0 .Violent Death Rate: 18.57
b. Japan ..Again, Violent Deaths per 100,000: Homicides, 0.62; Firearm Homicides, 0.02; Suicides, 16.72; Households with Guns, 0.04 .Violent Death Rate: 17.34
GunCite-Gun Control-International Homicide and Suicide Rates
Conclusion?
Care to make the argument about guns?
5. Data should inform policy. Not the Liberal modus operendi Feeling passes for knowing.
a. More? OK I challenge any anti-gun advocate to answer this: if a stalker was threatening you or your family, would you put a Gun-Free Zone notice on your front door?
b. Will our politicians guarantee no gun killings if their absolutist laws are passed?
No?
Why not?
I do have one explanation....
http://www.usmessageboard.com/scien...realistic-explanation-for-mass-shootings.html
1. There is always a well-known solution to every human problem--neat, plausible, and wrong. H. L. Mencken
And
2. Dr. Thomas Sowell, in Applied Economics: Thinking Beyond Stage One, challenges individuals to analyze not only their short term (Stage One) impact but to also think ahead to their long term (Stage Two, Three, etc) impact. Politicians do not think beyond Stage One because they will be praised (and elected) for the short term benefits but will not be held accountable much later when the long term consequences appear.
Lets take a timely example: Gun-Free Zones
3. With 12 dead and 58 wounded, the July 20th shooting at the Cinemark Century 16 Theater in Aurora, Colorado .So why did the killer pick the Cinemark theater? You might think that it was the one closest to the killers apartment. Or, that it was the one with the largest audience.
a. Yet, neither explanation is right. Instead, out of all the movie theaters within 20 minutes of his apartment showing the new Batman movie that night, it was the only one where guns were banned.
B. In Colorado, individuals with permits can carry concealed handgun in most malls, stores, movie theaters, and restaurants. But private businesses can determine whether permit holders can carry guns on their private property.
c. Most movie theaters allow permit holders carrying guns. But the Cinemark movie theater was the only one with a sign posted at the theaters entrance.
d. A simple web search and some telephone calls reveal how easily one can find out how Cinemark compared to other movie theaters. According to mapquest.com and movies.com, there were seven movie theaters showing "The Dark Knight Rises" on July 20th within 20 minutes of the killers apartment at 1690 Paris St, Aurora, Colorado. At 4 miles and an 8-minute car ride, the Cinemarks Century Theater wasn't the closest. Another theater was only 1.2 miles (3 minutes) away.
e. There was also a theater just slightly further away, 10 minutes. It is the "home of Colorado's largest auditorium," according to their movie hotline greeting message. The potentially huge audience ought to have been attractive to someone trying to kill as many people as possible. Four other theaters were 18 minutes, two at 19 minutes, and 20 minutes away.
f. But all of those theaters allowed permitted concealed handguns.
So why would a mass shooter pick a place that bans guns? The answer should be obvious, though it apparently is not clear to the media disarming law-abiding citizens leaves them as sitting ducks.
Did Colorado shooter single out Cinemark theater because it banned guns? | Fox News
4. But .were still focusing the discussion on guns Guns, and dead people....violent death. What if no guns were allowed, a la Japan? Fewer dead people of course?
a. United States . Violent Deaths per 100,000: Homicides, 5.70; Firearm Homicides, 3.72; Suicides, 12.06; Households with Guns, 39.0 .Violent Death Rate: 18.57
b. Japan ..Again, Violent Deaths per 100,000: Homicides, 0.62; Firearm Homicides, 0.02; Suicides, 16.72; Households with Guns, 0.04 .Violent Death Rate: 17.34
GunCite-Gun Control-International Homicide and Suicide Rates
Conclusion?
Care to make the argument about guns?
5. Data should inform policy. Not the Liberal modus operendi Feeling passes for knowing.
a. More? OK I challenge any anti-gun advocate to answer this: if a stalker was threatening you or your family, would you put a Gun-Free Zone notice on your front door?
b. Will our politicians guarantee no gun killings if their absolutist laws are passed?
No?
Why not?
I do have one explanation....
http://www.usmessageboard.com/scien...realistic-explanation-for-mass-shootings.html
