Noodling on this further, here are some random thoughts I have on this topic:
1. The focus should be on mass shooting prevention, and crowd security. It seems gun free zones should be better protected (which may be impractical), or eliminated. Perhaps have trusted zones where only people who have gone through background checks / severe vetting can carry guns in those places. This means people like ex-law enforcement, private security guards (who are allowed to carry guns in the course of their jobs), people with government security clearances, etc., can carry guns in places like concerts, schools, etc. That means there are more potential lawful defenders of innocent people against someone who is crazy or evil enough to attack innocent people.
2. Have a
voluntary registry of gun owners who are willing to take extensive background checks, register their firearms, take extended safety classes. These gun owners are allowed to have national concealed carry permit capability, and only they are allowed to carry firearms in most places in the US without legal hassle or worry. 99.99% of these gun owners will most likely be one of the good guys, who will be able to stop an evil person from doing harm or defend themselves if need be. For everyone else, they will still be subject to the existing patchwork of laws in each jurisdiction, for good or bad.
3. Technology will eventually solve or eliminate gun crimes. Advanced gun shot sensor analysis devices will instantly pinpoint where a shot is coming from, enabling rapid response. Public and private cameras will capture perpetrators and their movements, making their gun crimes a single event that ends in their capture or demise. Advanced future sensors (combination infrared / mass detection / metal detection technology) can detect when people are carrying firearms or ammo, or even explosives or other dangerous devices, and set off alarms for rapid response. These technologies will probably evolve sooner rather than later, as we are on the cusp of a new era where, like it or not, your every public movement will be analyzed and tracked as soon as you step outside your home.
4. Suzanna Gratia Hupp's testimonty was very compelling to me:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1u0Byq5Qis in terms of being vulnerable as a victim in a mass shooting situation.
5. Evil people will do evil things, instead of singularly focusing on the exact method they used at any one time, focus on how to improve public safety in combination of factors - how to deter / prevent innocent people from harm by any number of factors - guns, explosives, vehicles, etc. Where this is a will, there will be a way for bad people to do bad things. If we can enable more good people to have tools to fight back against bad people, and better design public security / safety, society as a whole should be better off.
6. If I could snap a finger and have all guns disappear from this planet, I would. That ain't happening, so if the chances are that bad guys will have guns, then good guys / gals should have guns.
7. Look at how well prohibition of alcohol and drugs have worked. Banning guns or severely restricting them may not lead to the panacea many people are so attracted to. There needs to be better ways to manage gun ownership than just banning evil features or guns. A gun is merely a tool, that can be used for good or evil. 99.99% of people are good. Give them the chance to use the tools for good, against the 0.01% that is evil.
/end my random stream of thoughts on this topic.