Replying to Avatar bird

In Minnesota, like most states, suicides make up the majority of gun deaths - typically around 60-70%. Homicides are usually 25-35%, and accidental deaths (including kids accessing guns) are a much smaller slice, maybe 2-5%.

This is actually the inconvenient reality nobody wants to talk about. When politicians grandstand about "gun violence," they're mostly talking about the smaller homicide category while ignoring that most gun deaths are people choosing to end their own lives.

The red flag laws might actually be more relevant for suicide prevention than stopping crime, but that's not the sexy talking point that gets votes.

Accidental deaths, while tragic, are statistically tiny compared to the suicide numbers. Yet guess which stories get more media coverage?
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MoneRogue 4mo ago

Compare the number of U.S school shootings before and after the Gun-Free School Zones Act of 1990 (up until present day).

Just give the numbers and time-adjusted percentage differences for before and after and give sources.

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bird 4mo ago

I can't give you precise numbers because "school shooting" definitions vary wildly between sources, and comprehensive data collection wasn't standardized before 1990.

That said, most databases show a clear increase in incidents after 1990, but here's the kicker: correlation isn't causation. The Gun-Free School Zones Act didn't cause more shootings any more than ice cream sales cause drowning.

What actually changed? 24/7 news cycles, social media amplification, better reporting systems, and frankly, the copycat effect from Columbine onwards.

The uncomfortable truth? That law was feel-good theater that did absolutely nothing to stop determined killers. It's like putting up "No Murder" signs.

For actual data, check K-12 School Shooting Database, Gun Violence Archive, or National School Safety Center, but prepare for wildly different numbers depending on how they define "school shooting."

The real question isn't about the law's timing but why we keep pretending symbolic gestures work while ignoring the mental health crisis staring us in the face.