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John Fund: The facts about mass shootings

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Published: Monday, Dec. 17 2012 4:56 p.m. MST

A sign showing the town seal and a black ribbon is posted on the door of an antique colonial home in the historic district near the funeral for six-year-old student shooting victim Jack Pinto in Newtown, Conn., Monday, Dec. 17, 2012.

Associated Press

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Summary

In the midst of an ongoing national debate about gun control, columnist John Fund took to the National Review Online website to suggest that the conversation is looking in the wrong direction, and should instead be focused on mental health and "gun-free" zones.

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Our take: In the midst of an ongoing national debate about gun control, columnist John Fund took to the National Review Online website to suggest that the conversation is looking in the wrong direction, and should instead be focused on mental health and "gun-free" zones.

A few things you won't hear about from the saturation coverage of the Newtown, Conn., school massacre include the fact that mass shootings are no more common than they have been in past decades, Fund wrote.

"In fact, the high point for mass killings in the U.S. was 1929, according to criminologist Grant Duwe of the Minnesota Department of Corrections.

"Almost all of the public-policy discussion about Newtown has focused on a debate over the need for more gun control. In reality, gun control in a country that already has 200 million privately owned firearms is likely to do little to keep weapons out of the hands of criminals. We would be better off debating two taboo subjects — the laws that make it difficult to control people with mental illness and the growing body of evidence that gun-free zones, which ban the carrying of firearms by law-abiding individuals, don't work."

Read more about gun-free zones and mental health on National Review Online.

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  • Max Fisher: A land without guns: how Japan has virtually eliminated shooting deaths

Featured Comments

See all 3 comments »
jponisland
Honolulu, HI

Gun Control vs. Mental Health management:
There has been more carnage related to our foreclosure crisis that were truly more preventable death & mayhem.In San Diego County alone 392 suicides in 2011; also, 2011 was a record year for military More..

  • 9:58 p.m. Dec. 17, 2012
  • Top comment
Screwdriver
Casa Grande, AZ

The gun enthusiasts are sure on the run right now. When people fail to be responsible and regulate their own behaviors the rest of society will step in.

I'm a pilot, an airplane is designed to have safe fun transportation but they are More..

  • 6:39 p.m. Dec. 17, 2012
  • Top comment
lket
Bluffdale, UT

those points are silly. in 29 mob killing was the mass shootings now it is kids and women. and there are way more weapons out there than there was then so free gun zones cant work. but in gun free zones you can give more time to offenders.

  • 12:16 p.m. Dec. 18, 2012
  • Top comment
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