i don’t know that my comment is really going to be helpful, because i think we probably share the same end goals and even agree on all the means to get there… so take this for what it’s worth, or ignore it, whatever.
my understanding is, a lot of crime in the world isn’t based on criminals and good guys. instead, a lot of crime is contingent on circumstance
and when violence involved in a situation, guns can transform aggression into murder. that means in a very real way i think that the gun caused the murder
same for suicide. the presence of a gun doesn’t necessarily increase the initial passing thought, but it can increase the ideation about suicide, and it can and does increase attempts.
we want to think of ourselves maybe as being complete independent individuals inside our own skin. but i think the reality is that we are connected to and influenced by the people and things around us.
people who are violent and people in crisis can make other decisions but they won’t if they feel they have an “easier” option.
so i think we have to hold people accountable and work on root causes of violence, we also have to hold guns accountable and get rid of the guns because it will actually help make people less violent.
( and of course the easy point i think we agree on. it will help protect people from becoming victims of gun crime )
