It’s the guns, stupid

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Abstract

98">Waiting periods were once part of federal law, mandated by the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act of 1993. But in 1998, the five-day waiting period was replaced with the National Instant Criminal Check (NICS) system. Here’s the catch: The NICS only works if the gun buyer has a previous record. Newbies like the Georgia murderer aren’t flagged.</p><p id="c51d">Numerous studies demonstrate that a mandatory waiting period between the sale of a gun and its delivery can save lives. It’s not only murders that are included in the statistics. Suicides, too, can be prevented by having to wait to buy a gun.</p><p id="2226">Of course, gun-rights advocates will put up their own arguments contradicting the need for a waiting period.</p><h2 id="43da">Hasn’t COVID proved the need for reliable data?</h2><p id="1a79">At issue is the shocking lack of reliable data resulting from a de facto ban on federally funded firearms research. If we’ve learned one thing from the coronavirus pandemic, it’s the importance of definitive, science-based data.</p><p id="c880">Why don’t we have more data? Because in 1996, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) was barred from using funds to “advocate or promote gun control.” That prohibition, the so-called “Dick

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ey Amendment,” was translated to prohibiting research funding into gun violence.</p><p id="e311">I have to ask, what was the gun lobby afraid of finding out?</p><p id="91c8">Finally, in 2019, Congress agreed to open the doors a crack and appropriate $25 million for the CDC and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to study issues related to gun violence.</p><h2 id="1bd2">Should impulse-buying apply to dangerous weapons?</h2><p id="8b31">One of the things you read a lot about — and have probably engaged in yourself — is the “pandemic” of impulse buying during the actual pandemic. Amazon sales are up because we have keyboards at our fingertips, and it’s hard to resist the urge to scroll and hit the infamous “Add to Cart” button.</p><p id="f808">It’s something to consider when it comes to guns.</p><p id="c53d">While we probe whether the murders in Atlanta were a hate crime (six Asian women dead seems to be a pretty strong clue) and the killer's true motives, I hope the investigation also raised the question of how many lives could be saved by pushing the pause button on fulfilling gun orders.</p><p id="cb10">The killer in Atlanta may have had time to resist his impulse to “eliminate” temptation if he’d had to wait a few days.</p></article></body>

In Georgia, no waiting period to buy a gun.

In Georgia, eight people are dead because the killer was “having a really bad day.” And on that very same day, he was able to buy a gun to carry out the killings.

One cannot help but wonder how things might have turned out differently if a disturbed, sex-addicted, Asian-hating young man had had to wait. At one time, he would have. Maybe he could have calmed down or gotten help; maybe talked to someone about his frustrations and guilt over his addictions.

But no, he was able to legally purchase the murder weapon and take out his anger by gunning down six Asian women, one white woman, and a white man.

And I don’t mean to call out Georgia. Only 10 states plus the District of Columbia have mandated waiting periods on gun purchases.

Waiting periods were once part of federal law, mandated by the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act of 1993. But in 1998, the five-day waiting period was replaced with the National Instant Criminal Check (NICS) system. Here’s the catch: The NICS only works if the gun buyer has a previous record. Newbies like the Georgia murderer aren’t flagged.

Numerous studies demonstrate that a mandatory waiting period between the sale of a gun and its delivery can save lives. It’s not only murders that are included in the statistics. Suicides, too, can be prevented by having to wait to buy a gun.

Of course, gun-rights advocates will put up their own arguments contradicting the need for a waiting period.

Hasn’t COVID proved the need for reliable data?

At issue is the shocking lack of reliable data resulting from a de facto ban on federally funded firearms research. If we’ve learned one thing from the coronavirus pandemic, it’s the importance of definitive, science-based data.

Why don’t we have more data? Because in 1996, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) was barred from using funds to “advocate or promote gun control.” That prohibition, the so-called “Dickey Amendment,” was translated to prohibiting research funding into gun violence.

I have to ask, what was the gun lobby afraid of finding out?

Finally, in 2019, Congress agreed to open the doors a crack and appropriate $25 million for the CDC and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to study issues related to gun violence.

Should impulse-buying apply to dangerous weapons?

One of the things you read a lot about — and have probably engaged in yourself — is the “pandemic” of impulse buying during the actual pandemic. Amazon sales are up because we have keyboards at our fingertips, and it’s hard to resist the urge to scroll and hit the infamous “Add to Cart” button.

It’s something to consider when it comes to guns.

While we probe whether the murders in Atlanta were a hate crime (six Asian women dead seems to be a pretty strong clue) and the killer's true motives, I hope the investigation also raised the question of how many lives could be saved by pushing the pause button on fulfilling gun orders.

The killer in Atlanta may have had time to resist his impulse to “eliminate” temptation if he’d had to wait a few days.