National Carry AcademyGun-Free Zones and the Orlando Shooting
June 17, 2016
A few days ago, the largest mass shooting in the U.S. occurred in a “gun-free” club in Orlando, FL. Before we even knew the total number of victims or what had happened, media outlets were shamelessly using this as an opportunity to promote their political ideology of gun control.
Gun control is a complicated issue. However, the purpose of this article will focus on just one facet of gun control: “Do gun-free zones make people safer?”
To clarify, a “gun-free zone” is a place that forbids law abiding citizens (who even have concealed carry permits) from carrying in a particular place.
Here are two thoughts about gun-free zones:
(1) Historically, gun-free zones are very dangerous.
According to John Lott, a Chief Economist with the U.S. Sentencing Commission, “With just one exception, every public mass shooting in the USA since at least 1950 has taken place where citizens are banned from carrying guns. Despite strict gun regulations, Europe has had three of the worst six school shootings.” He also writes, “Killers go where victims can’t defend themselves. In the Aurora, Colo., movie theater shooting, out of seven theaters showing the Batman movie premiere within 20 minutes of the suspect’s apartment, only one banned permitted concealed handguns. The suspect didn’t go to the closest nor the largest, but to the one that banned self-defense.”
The shooting that took place in Orlando (just like in San Bernardino) was in a gun-free zone where people couldn’t defend themselves.
(2) Gun-free zones don’t work.
Gun free-zones don’t forbid people from carrying guns; they just forbid law abiding citizens from carrying guns. Bad guys don’t follow the laws. It is not as though Omar Matteen would have seen the gun-free sign and then decided to leave his gun in his car because he didn’t want to break the law. Do you think designating a place as a “murder-free zone” would prevent murders? There is technically no such thing as a “gun-free zone” (because a bad guy can always bring a gun to the location); there are only “self-defense free zones” for citizens.
In conclusion, the heartbreaking and tragic shooting in Orlando and may have been avoided by allowing those inside to carry firearms. May we work toward more protection for law-abiding gun owners moving forward so that they might be able to prevent another tragedy.
On behalf of the National Carry Academy Team, we would like to send our deepest apologies to the friends and family members of those who lost their lives. The shooting will forever change those affected by such tragedy.
Travis Bond is the Director of Business Development for Firearms Legal Protection in Dallas, TX. He is a veteran of the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Army and is also a former Law Enforcement Officer. Travis has held various positions in the business world, including COO, VP Operations, VP Sales and Marketing and has owned three businesses. He and his wife, Paula, currently own DFW Shooters Academy, and live in Lantana, TX.
1. Lott, John, “Guns in Schools can Save Lives,” in USA Today, 2012. http://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2012/12/25/gun-free-zone-john-lott/1791085/
2. Ibid.
Gun-Free Zones and the Orlando Shooting
June 17, 2016
A few days ago, the largest mass shooting in the U.S. occurred in a “gun-free” club in Orlando, FL. Before we even knew the total number of victims or what had happened, media outlets were shamelessly using this as an opportunity to promote their political ideology of gun control.
Gun control is a complicated issue. However, the purpose of this article will focus on just one facet of gun control: “Do gun-free zones make people safer?”
To clarify, a “gun-free zone” is a place that forbids law abiding citizens (who even have concealed carry permits) from carrying in a particular place.
Here are two thoughts about gun-free zones:
(1) Historically, gun-free zones are very dangerous.
According to John Lott, a Chief Economist with the U.S. Sentencing Commission, “With just one exception, every public mass shooting in the USA since at least 1950 has taken place where citizens are banned from carrying guns. Despite strict gun regulations, Europe has had three of the worst six school shootings.” He also writes, “Killers go where victims can’t defend themselves. In the Aurora, Colo., movie theater shooting, out of seven theaters showing the Batman movie premiere within 20 minutes of the suspect’s apartment, only one banned permitted concealed handguns. The suspect didn’t go to the closest nor the largest, but to the one that banned self-defense.”
The shooting that took place in Orlando (just like in San Bernardino) was in a gun-free zone where people couldn’t defend themselves.
(2) Gun-free zones don’t work.
Gun free-zones don’t forbid people from carrying guns; they just forbid law abiding citizens from carrying guns. Bad guys don’t follow the laws. It is not as though Omar Matteen would have seen the gun-free sign and then decided to leave his gun in his car because he didn’t want to break the law. Do you think designating a place as a “murder-free zone” would prevent murders? There is technically no such thing as a “gun-free zone” (because a bad guy can always bring a gun to the location); there are only “self-defense free zones” for citizens.
In conclusion, the heartbreaking and tragic shooting in Orlando and may have been avoided by allowing those inside to carry firearms. May we work toward more protection for law-abiding gun owners moving forward so that they might be able to prevent another tragedy.
On behalf of the National Carry Academy Team, we would like to send our deepest apologies to the friends and family members of those who lost their lives. The shooting will forever change those affected by such tragedy.
Travis Bond is the Director of Business Development for Firearms Legal Protection in Dallas, TX. He is a veteran of the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Army and is also a former Law Enforcement Officer. Travis has held various positions in the business world, including COO, VP Operations, VP Sales and Marketing and has owned three businesses. He and his wife, Paula, currently own DFW Shooters Academy, and live in Lantana, TX.
1. Lott, John, “Guns in Schools can Save Lives,” in USA Today, 2012. http://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2012/12/25/gun-free-zone-john-lott/1791085/
2. Ibid.