Gun owners participated in a self-fulfilling prophecy

[Courtesy Flush]

In their paranoia that their guns would be taken, they stockpiled guns. Shooting incidents increased. People felt unsafe and demanded regulation.

Gun owners are now saying "I told you so." But this is of their own making.

In the last four years, people have bought guns they didn't even want before. Fear mongers whipped them into a buying frenzy, and escalated the problem.

Now they have guns that they previously didn't want, and I have new laws that I previously didn't want.

[patrice]

1. Sorry about all of that, but the rest of us have to live with the very apparent FACT that some

people WILL kill for guns. Their own, someone else's, anyone else's , guns they already have, guns they MIGHT or might NOT acquire, any guns, any accessories, owned by ANYONE - there are people who CAN and WILL kill for all of the aforementioned aspects of guns.

[ErikJ]

2. Yup, the more guns made and sold, the more killings.

[regjoe]

3. They can still simply sell the guns they no longer want

[Courtesy Flush]

4. I didn't say they no longer wanted them

Now they're even more convinced that they must cling to them.

In true Park Avenue marketing fashion, a need has been created.

[Lizzie Poppet]

5. Shooting incidents increased?

Are you sure about that? Most data I've seen (including the Police Executive Research Foundation's most recent study) has indicated that incidents are declining. I'm not saying you're incorrect..but do you have any citations?

I do agree that panic buying of something you don't really want just because it might be banned is pretty dumb...

[doc03]

6. The gun lobby (NRA) has opposed any kind of background checks

and any kind of sensible gun laws. I think their opposition to cleaning up their own
ranks has backfired on them and they will get even tougher laws.

[hack89]

7. Nice rant - one factual correction. Gun violence is down not up. nt

[Courtesy Flush]

8. I stand corrected.

High-profile shootings seem to be in the news more.

[Recursion]

9. Mass shootings happen in clusters for reasons that nobody currently understands

Hopefully the re-introduction of CDC research can help that.

We're in one of those clusters now, in the context of a decades-long drop in violent crime in general.