March for Our Lives: Gun control ideas sound good, but are deeply flawed and won't save lives
America continues to mourn the 17 people killed in a mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida last month. There is an understandable emotional desire to “do something” in response – but without evaluating what the “something” will actually accomplish. This is the driving force behind the March for Our Lives [which took] place Saturday in Washington.
The motivations of many people taking part in the Washington event and other demonstrations around the country are sincere. But before we “do something,” we need to stop and think: what is the most sensible thing we should do? What will actually save lives and make us safer?
It’s important to understand that the debate isn’t between those who want to end violence and those who support gun rights. Both sides want to end violence. The debate is simply over how best to keep Americans safe.
Supporting gun control is now the “in thing.” Stars such as Taylor Swift and Miley Cyrus tweet their support. Time and Teen Vogue magazines run cover stories glorifying people working to put stricter controls on guns and ban some weapons. The New England Patriots used their team plane to fly students and families from Parkland, Florida, to Washington for Saturday’s gun control rally.
You would be unlikely to know it from the media coverage of the Washington demonstration, but only 47 percent of Americans between 13 and 17 believe that more gun control could reduce mass public shootings.
Britain’s Guardian newspaper asked students at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School for their ideas on how to end violence. The ideas sound good at first glance and are certainly well-meaning. But in reality, the policies being proposed will either have no effect or even cause harm.
Here are four of those ideas, and a look at their actual impact:
Click here to read the entire op-ed at FoxNews.com.
Additional Information:
Here’s who actually attended the March for Our Lives. (No, it wasn’t mostly young people.)
'March for Our Lives' crowd smaller than expected: report
The March For Our Lives Enjoys Surprising Amount Of Armed Security
The Most Hypocritical Thing Happened At The March For Our Lives
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