Yes, Virginia, we CAN do something about gun violence.

[flamin lib]

Australia Proved Gun Control Reduces Mass Shootings, Homicides, Suicides

http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2015/08/26/gun-control-mass-shootings_n_8043364.html

Every time this (a mass shooting) happens in America, the two sides of the gun control debate resume arguing. Inevitably, the powerful gun lobby, led by the National Rifle Association (NRA), largely wins with its argument "guns don't kill people, people kill people."

But earlier this week, a study by the American Sociological Association came out debunking the NRA's contention. It reported that the U.S. — which has nearly half the world's civilian-owned guns — is also home to 31 per cent of the world's mass shootings despite making up only five per cent of the world's population.

"That is not a coincidence," wrote study author Adam Lankford. "My study provides empirical evidence, based on my quantitative assessment of 171 countries, that a nation’s civilian firearm ownership rate is the strongest predictor of its number of public mass shooters.
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In the decade after the (Australian) gun control law was passed, gun homicides fell by 59 per cent and firearm-related suicides fell by 65 per cent. There was no related increase in non-firearm homicides and suicides.

Gunners will say that the suicide rate has gone up using other methods. They're wrong and there's no other way to put it. They are wrong.

Violent crime has not gone up either.

There is no excuse to not emulate Australia. They still have guns, they still protect themselves in the Out Back, they still hunt, they still compete in marksmanship and they still collect antiques.

They just don't die at the rate Americans do.