Illusions Revolt!

Gun safety advocates hold signs during a rally to honor victims of gun violence on the steps of the Colorado State Capitol in Denver, 2013. AP/Brennan Linsley Jonathan Spiegler , Michigan State University and Jacob Smith , University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill Gun violence remains a highly controversial issue in the wake of school shootings in Parkland, Florida, and other communities . At such times, politicians seem compelled to offer the public solutions. The two most prominent solutions put forth are stricter gun control laws and addressing mental illness . The frequency with which these two solutions are proposed might suggest that they are equally important. Yet, there is little research that directly tests the relative effectiveness of stricter gun control versus a mental illness solution. We are political scientists who have studied this issue. In a forthcoming paper from Policy Studies Journal , we report on our study ...

Wonder where your retirement funds are tonight?  Are you one of the many who fear they may be hanging out with friends of the NRA and it's cretin-in-charge, Wayne LaPierre? Well now there's website with an easy way to find out. Easily check if your retirement funds are invested in the gun related industries — from manufacturers like Smith & Wesson to retailers like Walmart, the largest firearms sellers in the U.S. Just plug in the name of the fund and the site will tell you in seconds what percentage of the fund is invested in stocks tied to weapons. Then the click of a button finds other comparable funds that don’t invest in any gun stocks. OK Mr./Ms. Socially Conscious - no more excuses. Put your money where your heart is! Check it out here .

On April 5th, by a count of 85-35, the Mississippi state House of Representatives voted to allow some members of some churches to carry guns inside "houses of worship". While the chosen ones are supposed to undergo training, they will not need to worry about carrying a permit for holstered weapons. Can we get a Hallelujah! Now, if only there were a Bible verse to offer guidance about what kind and style of gun The Lord would prefer.