Only Its Potential Victims Can #StopGunViolence

It's been said that, "Common sense ain't so common." A phrase many are familiar with, most agree with and one that is painfully accurate regarding what to do about guns in America.

We often hear about these "reasonable" gun reforms that would undoubtedly save lives if only the NRA were not standing in the way. Yet every single measure championed by the common sense crowd focuses on restriction after restriction after restriction. And that's what dooms these proposals to failure. Not because of the gun lobby's overwhelming influence on Congress. But because the outdated paradigm of gun control is one that history has proven to be ineffective. It's time we approach this issue in a different way.

Because it's next to impossible to disarm potential attackers, how about empowering potential victims? We can start by eliminating gun-free zones, cutting the license fees paid to the State and making firearms training classes as widely available as possible. While we're at it, we can also save hundreds and hundreds of lives every year by disarming the police.

One point that all sides of the debate seem to agree on is that something must be done. Not just said. But done. A sentiment felt most keenly by those in the vicinity when gunfire erupts. It's those people, the ones on the frontlines of this issue, those who no longer have the luxury of civilized discussion but are ultimately responsible for solving this problem. They don't need to be lectured, pitied or even protected; they need to be empowered.