My good friend, John Lott, Jr. is a voice of sanity and scientific study in the world of knee jerk gun grabbing politics. <\/p>\n
Here is his latest article for you to share and use as ammunition against the gun grabbers: <\/p>\n
Within hours of the horrible attack in Las Vegas, before we knew most of the relevant facts about the tragedy, gun control advocates were calling for more gun control. Here is something I would like those advocates to consider: Europe, which has all the gun controls that are being pushed in the aftermath of the Las Vegas carnage, has actually suffered more bloodshed from these types of attacks than the U.S.<\/p>\n
You heard that right: Countries such as France may have made all semi-automatic guns illegal, but that hasn’t stopped killers from getting fully automatic machine guns to use in mass shooting attacks. All four<\/a> of the 2015 mass public shooting in France involved machine guns, including the 130 people killed in November of that year in multiple attacks including one at a concert venue.<\/p>\n In the 1970s, 80s and 90s, Europe saw machine gun attacks in airports and nightclubs by groups such as Black September and the Red Army Faction. In fact, machine guns are commonly used in mass shootings in the rest of the world.<\/p>\n This has not been the case here in the U.S. In fact, Sunday’s attack on a country music festival in Las Vegas – that left at least 58 people dead and more than 500 wounded – may be the first mass public shooting in the U.S. involving a machine gun, if it turns out the killer did use such a weapon. According to a Wall Street Journal report<\/a>, the gunman, 64-year-old Stephen Paddock, is believed to have used at least one fully automatic weapon – weapons that are heavily restricted under U.S. federal law.<\/p>\n It is an attack that is likely to rank 14th<\/a> in the most deadly mass public shooting in the world since 1970. It is the worst ever in the United States, according to data collected by the Center for Crime Research where I am founder and president.<\/p>\n There were 29 such shootings (four or more fatalities in a public place, according to the FBI’s official definition) in the U.S. during the eight years of the Obama administration; 26 in Europe. The rate at which people are killed is virtually the same in the European Union as in the United States.<\/p>\n Again, many of the facts about what happened in Las Vegas remain unknown at the moment, including exactly what type of firearm the gunman used. But one sad fact that everyone calling for gun control needs to consider is that, as Europe has shown, you can have all the gun control laws you want and you still won’t be able to stop horrors like this from happening.<\/p>\n John R. Lott, Jr.<\/em><\/a> is a columnist for <\/em>FoxNews.com<\/em><\/a>. He is an economist and was formerly chief economist at the United States Sentencing Commission. Lott is also a leading expert on guns and op-eds on that issue are done in conjunction with the Crime Prevention Research Center<\/a>. He is the author of nine books including “More Guns, Less Crime.” His latest book is “The War on Guns: Arming Yourself Against Gun Control Lies<\/a> (August 1, 2016). Follow him on Twitter@johnrlottjr<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n And here is the hidden cause of mass shootings. I have been preaching this since Columbine. It is time for the world to wake up and stop the REAL enemy… <\/strong><\/p>\n In the aftermath of the Las Vegas massacre, the hand-wringing gun grabbers are at it again. They are wasting no time in exploiting the deaths of innocent people by pointing their finger at GUNS as the cause of the carnage and wanting to ban them. <\/p>\n The gun grabbers are DEAD WRONG. And anybody who continues to place the blame on guns, instead of attacking the REAL cause of these mass shootings, has blood on their hands from EVERY mass shooting since Columbine. <\/p>\n WHY? Because whenever you are trying to correct a bad statistic, you must analyze ALL of the factors that may be causing the unacceptable problem you are trying to correct. There may be several factors, but ONE, is the RIGHT TARGET to attack, and when attacked, will cause an immediate correction of the problem.<\/p>\n Find the RIGHT Target, attack it, and the bad statistic immediately and positively responds.<\/p>\n Attack the wrong target and the bad situation will not improve, and in many cases gets worse.<\/p>\n In analyzing statistics of mass shootings, there are several factors (targets) that have been talked about as the cause of the shootings, including access to guns, lack of proper mental health care, violence in movies, television, and video games.<\/p>\n The danger in lumping all of these factors into the “cause” of mass shootings is that it appeases the public and tricks them into thinking “something has been done” but it hides the RIGHT target and mass shootings not only do not stop, they become more frequent and deadlier, as we have witnessed yet again, this time in Las Vegas. <\/p>\n Isn’t that EXACTLY what we have seen over the last 40 years? We have picked the wrong target, because had we selected the right target and attacked it 40 years ago, mass shootings would have stopped. But they have not stopped, they have become more frequent and more deadly.<\/p>\n So what have we targeted as a society to try to stop these mass murders that have clearly been the wrong target?<\/p>\n Guns are the wrong target.<\/strong><\/p>\n Why?<\/p>\n Because prior to these shootings, there were just as many guns per capita and there was unrestricted access to semiautomatic weapons, even for young adults and kids. But even more evidence that guns are the wrong target is the undeniable fact that in towns, cities, schools, and shopping malls, where guns have been severely restricted and in some cases outright banned, the statistic of murder, HAS NOT DROPPED, IT HAS INCREASED!<\/p>\n Even greater evidence that proves guns are the wrong target is found in towns, cities, schools and shopping malls where law abiding, responsible citizens are allowed to carry concealed weapons. In those areas where guns are the least restricted we see the statistic of murder and violent crime HAS DROPPED SIGNIFICANTLY.<\/p>\n So if the RIGHT TARGET IS NOT GUNS, what is the right target?<\/p>\n Well, let’s first look at the other targets being offered up… Violence in TV, Movies and Video Games.<\/p>\n If you are old enough to remember when America did not have kids walking into schools and killing their classmates with guns, then you remember when you could walk to school with your .22 rifle because you were on the school’s rifle team, and prop your rifle up against the cabinet in the back of your classroom. You also likely remember the TV shows and movies you watched as a kid, as well as the games you played with all the other kids…<\/p>\n You watched westerns and war movies that had lots of killing in them. You played Cops and Robbers, Cowboys and Indians.<\/p>\n Remember those games? If you had the money, you had toy cap guns to use and if you didn’t have the money you made toy weapons out of sticks or whatever you could fashion to look like a Tommy Gun or lever action rifle or bow and arrow. And yes, you killed the bad guy every chance you could get. And yes, every now and then someone you shot said you didn’t shoot him and it might lead to an argument, a wrestling match or a few punches thrown to settle it. BUT YOU NEVER, EVER THOUGHT OF GRABBING THE REAL GUN that was unlocked and readily accessible in your closet at home, and taking it to school to shoot your classmates.<\/p>\n The TV, movie industry, and video game industry has placed warning labels and age restrictions on violent shows and games, but it has not made a difference in mass shootings. WHY? Because such restrictions, were the WRONG TARGET!<\/p>\n Had that step of restricting violent media been the right target, we would have seen a positive change, a decrease in mass shootings, and we have not.<\/p>\n WHY have we NOT seen a change in mass shootings after restricting violent media from our youth? Because kids and young adults KNOW THE DIFFERENCE between a violent TV show, movie or video game and real life, just as you and I did 40 or more years ago when we played, Cops and Robbers, Cowboys and Indians, and GI Joe.<\/p>\n So that leaves improving mental health care as the only remaining target that has been talked about as a solution to stop mass shootings. Believe it or not, lawmakers are suggesting the cause of these mass shootings is the inability of the State to involuntarily commit people who show signs of mental illness!<\/p>\n Do you see the inherent insanity in such a target? With a government already gone wild in stripping freedoms and privacy after 9\/11, now there are actually lawmakers talking about increasing the power of the government to involuntarily commit (that means against your will) citizens to a mental institution! Remember the movie One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest?<\/p>\n These are the same lawmakers who champion gun control laws and banning violent media content as the solution to stop mass shootings. They say that due to lack of funding, we have released so many “crazy” people from mental institution into the streets, which has caused the increase in mass shootings.<\/p>\n Really? How many mass shooters have been homeless, mental derelicts who lacked a psychiatrist treating them and prescribing them medication? NOT ONE.<\/p>\n So if the RIGHT TARGET to stop mass shootings is NOT GUNS, and it is NOT VIOLENT MEDIA, and it is NOT MORE MENTAL HEATLH CARE, then WHAT IS IT?<\/p>\n To find the RIGHT TARGET look to see what CHANGES took place in society when mass shootings first began and what has increased in society directly and proportionally to the increase in mass shootings, even during the same time when strong actions and restrictions against guns and violent media were being implemented to stop the mass shootings.<\/p>\n The answer, the common denominator, the RIGHT TARGET in the ever increasing number of mass shootings was and continues to be the creation of strong, mind-altering, psychiatric drugs by the pharmaceutical companies and their systematic pushing of these drugs to our children and youth through our public school system, and the endless assault of prescribing anti-depression medication for adults. These drugs create the monsters who are killing their parents, teachers and schoolmates and the public at large. <\/p>\n Let me make a bold statement here: When the medical authorities complete their autopsy and blood chemistry on the Las Vegas mass murderer, THE WILL FIND PSYCH DRUGS in his system and tissues. <\/strong><\/p>\n Bold statement? Not really. EVERY MASS SHOOTER SINCE COLUMBINE HAS BEEN ON PSYCH DRUGS! <\/strong><\/p>\n When I recognized psych drugs being pushed on our youth as the right target after the Columbine shootings. I stated it then and I have stated it after every mass shooting since and guess what, EVERY SHOOTER has been under psychiatric care, taking these powerful, mind-altering drugs that are scientifically proven to create homicidal and suicidal urges in those being prescribed these drugs!<\/p>\n It is the RIGHT TARGET. Ban the prescription and distribution of these strong, mind-altering drugs and as a society we will not have drug induced assassins killing innocent people.<\/p>\n Of course to do so, would take multi-billions of dollars in ridiculous profits from the pharmaceutical companies who through their relentless “lobbying” in Washington, DC have managed to not only stay in business when all evidence points at their product as the root cause of these mass shootings, they also convinced Congress years ago to pass legislation allowing the blatant advertising of antidepressant drugs on TV, radio, Internet, newspapers and magazines.<\/p>\n Now you understand one of the reasons why members of Congress, who receive huge political contributions from the pharmaceutical industry, avoid attacking the RIGHT TARGET, psych drugs, and continue to point fingers at the wrong target… your guns.<\/p>\n The latest shooting is no different. It is not about hate or easy access to guns. It is about the anti-social, psychopathic effects of psychiatric drugs that are irresponsibly forced on society from the cradle to the grave through pharmaceutical marketing budgets that are larger than the gross national product of many third world countries and the drug pushing psychiatrists and medical doctors who prescribe them. <\/p>\n My efforts to spread the truth that it is NOT guns, but rather psych drugs that are doing the killing is being heard and more main stream media sources are finally spreading the truth with me. <\/p>\n