>Sorry but scientists can't rely on "it makes sense." What matters is "will it make a difference".
We don't need scientists to tell us that stepping off a 1000 foot cliff will kill us, or that we should drink water if we're thirsty.
Of course it will make a difference.
If the ban just keeps one weapon out of circulation it has paid for itself.
One other hand there is not a single argument in favor of selling these weapons to civilians.
There aren't many actions in life that might help and can't possibly hurt.
We should take them when they present themselves.


Regarding the social media stuff.. I admit that I'm at a loss to understand this culture we're in.

We just saw hundreds of millions of people adoringly looking up at a so-called model wife who failed miserably in her first marriage and who claims to be a feminist while eagerly marrying into the epitome of patriarchal hierarchies.








Australia had been held up as the poster child for firearm control (no mass shootings since the semi-auto ban in 1996!) except for the tragic mass shooting in Western Australia this month. How about New Zealand where licensed firearm holders can have as many semi-auto rifles as they please, as long as they're properly secured. Or even the previous US attempt. Why didn't it work? without that, you risk proving Einstein's observation about doing the same thing repeatedly expecting a different result.
>
>Here's a suggestion for you: is it true that classmate Emma Gonzales hinted that mass-shooter Cruz deserved to be ostracized because he failed to fit in? Could it be that in the social media age, ostracized/bullied kids in NZ and Australia are more likely to commit suicide, compared to the US where bullied girls may be equally inclined to suicide but boys are more likely to shoot things up? If there's any truth in this- then why wouldn't a solution include addressing bullying in schools? A policy as simple as "if a teacher observes a kid being ostracized or excluded, the others are automatically in the wrong" could do wonders to keep oddball kids committed to the social compact.