Win-win solutions to Firearm Misuse

This page's purpose is to promote the identification of win-win solutions to firearm misuse (and other forms of violence) in American society. Its underlying principle is Stephen Covey's "think win-win" concept, which is described in Principle-Centered Leadership. It is not this page's purpose to debate gun control (for or against), but rather identify ideas that both gun control supporters and Second Amendment supporters can get behind without reservation.
 

• Discussion Forum, hosted by beseen.com
• The discussion forum is not for arguing gun control (for or against), but rather for discussing win-win solutions that both sides of the gun control issue can agree upon. See this page for examples of such ideas.
• Ideas from Marcie: "I think the charter language is important; perhaps you and Paul and I (and others) can agree on some things.  We want it dedicated to win-win solutions, as you suggested.  I wouldn't want to rule out honest questions

and answers about particular issues, ie someone might ask, "What is the opposition to legislating the use of trigger locks?",  " Are trigger locks and safety locks the same thing?", "What is the reason for opposing registration of handguns?", etc.  The charter language needs to stress the goal of win-win without compromising positions, and the necessity of
approaching dialogue from a respectful and open perspective.  Another important aspect, for me, is to encourage creative solutions - specifically action that results from the discussion."
• This page
• The entertainment industry's role
• Firearm safety; general precautions
• Henry Ford on the root causes of violence

The Entertainment Industry's role in Reducing Firearm Misuse

by William A. Levinson

I happen to enjoy Clint Eastwood movies, and I don't have a real problem with violent entertainment that does not glorify criminals, terrorists, or other wrong-doers. (Even teenagers have been allowed-- or compelled-- to read Homer's Iliad and Odyssey for hundreds of years, and it didn't have any ill effects on them.) The Western relates to the United States' frontier heritage, and it often involves a hero who breaks laws and rules to achieve his/her goals. Although the hero breaks rules, however, he/she does not violate the natural rights (life, liberty, property) of innocent people. The villain does that, even if he obeys the rules. (For example, the bad guy may own the sheriff's department and use the police to terrorize innocent ranchers, miners, and so on; the so-called "law" is on the villain's side. The tales about Robin Hood work on the same premise.) However, the hero, or role model, should not portray the unsafe or irresponsible use of firearms.

• In "Dirty Harry," Inspector Callahan gets a criminal to surrender by saying, "I don't remember whether I fired five shots or six... Do you feel lucky, punk?" The bad guy gives up and says, "I have to know" (whether Callahan's gun had a cartridge in it). Callahan points it at him and pulls the trigger; the hammer falls on an empty chamber. Yes, I liked the scene (noting that I can distinguish between reality and fantasy), but a police officer should NEVER have been portrayed as using a firearm this way.
• In "Sudden Impact," Callahan's partner walks up behind him while he's practicing with the .44 Magnum. Callahan wheels on him and points the gun at him. Since the mob is after Callahan, a hair-trigger reaction might be understandable, but a responsible gun user would identify his target before aiming. Furthermore, Callahan KEEPS the gun pointed at his partner while the latter, who raises no objections, talks into the muzzle. "Never point a gun at anything you wouldn't want to shoot."
• In "The Outlaw Josey Wales," Wales and the Indian who is played by Chief Dan George sneak up on each other and point guns at each others' heads. As Eddie Eagle would say, "A gun is not a toy..."
• There was a "Star Trek" episode in which one person let his phaser point at another, who objected, "Watch where you point that." The first said, "Don't worry, the safety is on." "The safety is on" is NO excuse for pointing a deadly weapon, whether it's a crossbow, firearm, or directed-energy weapon that hasn't been invented yet, at another person. There is absolutely no reason for a movie to suggest that it's safe to point a gun at someone when the safety is on. It adds nothing to the story, and it makes the scriptwriters look like idiots (or worse) to audiences that know anything about guns.
• Actors in various war movies are often careless about where they aim their firearms. One would think that the directors of these movies would consult real military officers and noncommissioned officers (drill sergeants) who know how real soldiers would handle weapons.

General Firearm Safety

I am not a firearm instructor and this is not expert advice, but these common-sense rules apply to all firearms.

• Firearms are always treated as if they are loaded. For handling purposes, there is no such thing as an "unloaded firearm." "I didn't know it was loaded" is no excuse for an accident.
• Never point a firearm at anything you wouldn't want to shoot.
• Always check the bore for obstructions before using a firearm. (An obstructed bore can cause the breech to burst.)
• Keep your finger off the trigger and out of the trigger guard until you want to shoot.
• Before shooting at game or targets, make sure there is nothing behind the target that you wouldn't want to hit.
• When hunting, make sure you identify your target beyond any doubt before firing. Wear fluorescent orange clothing to identify yourself clearly to other hunters.
• Never shoot at a noise, or at movement in bushes. You don't know for sure what it is.
• Do not shoot at targets on water, or into the air.
• Bullets can ricochet off water and keep going. A driver was once killed by a bullet from a Lee-Enfield rifle that was fired at a target on water more than a mile away.
• A bullet that goes up will come down with enough force to inflict injury.
• "Celebratory gunfire," especially from rifles, has been known to kill people. I recall that the PLO celebrated some sort of "treaty" with Israel by firing AK-47s straight up, which resulted in a few less PLO members. Don't make the same mistake yourself.
• A possible argument against hunting birds with rifles (a practice that may well be illegal in most places)
• Trigger locking devices: CAUTION. In general, it is UNSAFE to put a trigger lock on a loaded firearm (one that's wanted for self-defense purposes). The lock will not necessarily prevent an accidental discharge. In general, trigger locks are an additional precaution for unloaded firearms.

A note on semiautomatics (in general): to unload a semiautomatic firearm, remove the magazine and then eject the round in the chamber. I read about an accident in which someone ejected the round in the chamber (which loaded another from the magazine) and then took out the magazine-- thus leaving a live round in the chamber, which was fired by accident.

Henry Ford on the root causes of (international) violence

(Same idea applies to violence at the social level)

       But war is not a cause. It is a result. It is a result of  poverty— especially of poverty of thought. Just so long as great
       masses of people live in poverty, just so long will there be war. The urge to war, springing as it does from the desire to take the
       fruits of another's production, will ever be present until the peoples of the world have learned to produce in abundance for
       themselves— until it has been proven that it is easier to make than to take.

       Agreements not to make war, agreements to arbitrate differences between nations, and all the paraphernalia of diplomacy are of
       only temporary use in preventing war, because they treat war as a  disease— whereas it is only the symptom of the disease. … Every
       war has an economic cause. …

       All treaties that have been duly engrossed and signed to date have served to  prevent only such wars as no one wanted. … That
       which is really important is the turning away from the treatment of war as a cause, which is at best a negative treatment, and the
       turning toward, not the prevention of war or the preservation of  peace, but the making of prosperity universal. And prosperity can
       be made the natural state of being. That has been demonstrated,   and the United States has made the demonstration.

       From "Today and Tomorrow," 1926. Ford emphatically did NOT endorse redistribution-of-wealth schemed to eliminate poverty. He
       wanted to create high-paying jobs so everyone could buy what they wanted.