Mass murders and school shootings have become so commonplace that the average person can accurately predict the results.  From politicians to special interest groups to private citizens who share the same anti-gun, anti–2nd Amendment sentiment, the responses have been reduced to redundant, recycled talking points.

• Enough is enough!
• Ban assault weapons!
• Who needs weapons of war?
• We need gun violence prevention legislation to keep our children safe.

"Assault weapons"?  There is no legal definition of "assault weapon."  At best, it's a poor attempt at fear via semantics.  In fact, such weapons so referenced are only guilty of objectionable cosmetics, having one or more of the following: black color, flash suppressor, magazine capacity, pistol grip, folding stock, and the dreaded bayonet lug due to the rash of drive-by bayonetings so prevalent in America today.  Operationally, they are not at all different from the millions of semi-automatic hunting and target rifles languishing peacefully in millions of homes, where, on a daily basis, they kill no one.

As previously noted, gun legislation that will "keep our children safe" is a lie within a lie.  Federal and state laws regulating firearms number in the thousands.  Banning "assault weapons" to "keep our children safe" is a cruel lie told by liberal politicians to uninformed parents.  Nevertheless, hysterical "elected officials" and their ilk continue with lies and hysterical tirades whenever a tragic opportunity makes headlines.  And then the news cycle moves on, leaving frustration, anger, sorrow, and even more ignorance in its wake.

In fact, no legislation is capable of keeping children, women, the elderly, or anyone "safe."  No legislation is capable of keeping anyone "safe" from anything.  Individual responsibility exercised with situational awareness is the only "protection" universally available.  No legislation required.

The shock and tragedy of murder — especially of children — are major contributors to the resulting cognitive dissonance that stuns survivors.  Emotion stampedes intellect; rational thought is the primary casualty.  This is how lies, distortion, and misinformation thrive in the face of facts, logic, and reason.

Some examples:

"Guns don't kill people; people kill people" is one of the oldest clichés in defense of gun ownership.  Due to cognitive dissonance, that simple logic escapes otherwise reasonable people and forecloses objective discussion.  Prior to guns, spears killed people.  Prior to spears, rocks; prior to rocks, hands.  People have been killing people long before the firearm.

"End gun violence!" is a slice of empty rhetoric.  Guns are not violent, nor do they operate independently.  While labeled "simplistic" by the anti-gun camp, the simplicity is undeniable — which frustrates the opposition and renders them more vitriolic, but still without logic or reason.  The person operating the firearm is initiating violence.  Cars are not blamed when used in vehicular homicides; the driver is.  Liquor isn't held responsible for a DUI, the imbiber is — and should be in both examples.  Many people favoring gun control resent the culpability of the shooter; it's easier to blame the scary firearm.  Even the policeman's gun is never blamed, regardless of the details of the incident.  "Gun violence" is a transparent ad hominem, not a solution.

As proven repeatedly, an armed presence reduces the chances — and opportunities — for lethal mayhem.  That's why banks, stores, soldiers, celebrities, and the very same politicians who would disarm you surround themselves with well armed protection.  Schoolchildren must settle for Gun Free School Zone signs because the teachers' union; school officials; and, sadly, some parents don't like the appearance of armed security in their schools.  It's a sign of their failure to protect students.  Do they prefer the dead bodies of children and teachers?  Aren't off-duty policemen more readily available than waiting on unconstitutional legislative efforts to deny citizens their 2nd Amendment rights when history and statistics reveal failure and tragedy wherever those efforts have been successful?

Imperfect men enacting imperfect laws over imperfect society will consistently yield imperfect results.  Bad things happen and always will.  Time and circumstance guarantee it.

"Legislation that will keep our children safe" must be a warning to parents and everyone else.  Since politicians' anti-gun proposals cannot possibly have any positive effect reducing crime, what is their real agenda?

Image: Fibonacci Blue.