Policy

Do Gun-Free Zones Work as Planned?

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In his USA Today column, Glenn Instapundit Reynolds channels William S. Burroughs to question the sagacity of gun-free zones:

"After a shooting spree," author William Burroughs once said, "they always want to take the guns away from the people who didn't do it." Burroughs continued: "I sure as hell wouldn't want to live in a society where the only people allowed guns are the police and the military."…

Gun-free zones are premised on a lie: that murderers will follow rules, and that people like my student are a greater danger to those around them than crazed killers. That's an insult to honest people. Sometimes, it's a deadly one. The notion that more guns mean more crime is wrong. In fact, as gun ownership has expanded over the past decade, crime has gone down.

Whole thing here.

Given his awful personal record with gun violence, I'm not sure that Bill Burroughs is the best source when it comes to talking about the topic. But he's right here: Gun laws and regulations work to strip law abiding people of weapons, not criminals.