Main stream media is reporting a rash of various shootings. Everything from a man killing his parents and then shooting up a convenience store to a vengeance shooting at a McDonald’s drive-in. This stuff goes on all the time. But of course now there is some momentum to the anti-gun sentiment and so certain media outlets have taken it upon themselves again to drive a dialogue to facilitate gun control. Not that I blame them. The pendulum swings both directions.
I have a different theory because I don’t think that any amount of gun control legislation will help. Many of these people are getting their guns legally through retail stores that do background checks. Those who don’t won’t care anyway. Do you take all of the so-called assault weapons? The guy who killed his parents above did it with a semi automatic pistol. He could’ve done it with a car if he wanted. Do we take the cars?
Here’s my theory. If someone commits some sort of attempted murder or murder, call it what it is. It’s not an assault and/or battery. It’s attempted homicide. If you shoot up a car in a McDonald’s parking lot you then pay the price of attempted murder. And that price should be you go to jail forever. Until you’re dead. There is no second chance. You leave relatively polite society, and you become part of the society of butt heads in prison. There is no five years, 10 years, life with parole. Nothing. Then when Little Johnny asks where uncle John is, he understands the consequences.
Up the ante on the deterrence. Make sure the criminals know that jail is not just a short health and hospitality stay. They go and they stay forever. I happen to think you should make them work there also. But that’s a different discussion.