Beyond Symbolism: Addressing the Root Causes of Gun Violence in Minnesota
By Dr. Michael lee, World-Today-News.com – November 16, 2023
Minnesota is once again reeling from tragedy following Wednesday’s horrific shooting. as grief settles in, a predictable cycle begins: fundraising drives, press conferences, and deeply entrenched political arguments. But if we truly want to prevent future acts of violence, we must move beyond these symbolic gestures and focus on evidence-based solutions with the potential for broad consensus.
The immediate response often centers on renewing calls for an “assault weapons” ban. While politically resonant, this approach lacks a strong foundation in demonstrable results. The 1994 federal ban was subjected to rigorous study, and the National Institute of Justice frankly admitted they “cannot clearly credit the ban with any of the nation’s recent drop in gun violence.”
A similar state-level ban in Minnesota would face the same limitations. There’s no viable plan to address the existing legal ownership of tens of thousands of AR-15-style rifles. Furthermore, Wednesday’s attack involved a combination of weapons
