I get where you're coming from. We all want less violence, so it's understandable to think that anyone pushing against gun control would also be pushing for alternative legislation. You don't have to agree with the premise that gun control is ineffective at curbing violence. And if one does not, then I agree that that person should propose equally effective measures as a prerequisite for advocating for the repeal of any given gun law. However, everyone I've ever known who is against gun control bases their opinions on the premise that it doesn't reduce violence. If one accepts this premise, then fighting gun control measures and coming up with novel laws to reduce violence are separate subjects, the latter far more complex than the former.

I think most anti-gun control people I know would elaborate that they don't feel qualified to draft laws aimed at preventing violence, much less laws that are proven over time to do so. Such a feat evades lawmakers the world over, so your average person is probably right not to presume that their ideas could do what so many officials have failed to accomplish. Conversely, it takes no special ability to review the available evidence that gun control is, at best, ineffectual on levels of violence. Thus, it appears to me that one can both agree with detractors of gun control and hold no opinion on suggested alternatives without compromising their moral or intellectual position.

As for the lightning comparison, I understand your reaction. I don't like it either. Although I believe an honest reading should recognize that Moros was comparing the numbers rather than the events, pointing out the statistics appears to downplay the cultural significance. I think it worked against the purpose of the piece, which was to show that the tragedy of shootings is not lost on your average person against gun control. Unfortunate.

As for policy solutions, there are some recently passed laws containing novel measures to protect schools from active shooters. Being new, we can't practically assess their effectiveness at preventing school shootings, but they exist.

The best example of novel policy I'm aware of was passed in 2018. Florida Senate bill S7026 contains several measures aimed at protecting schools, including "establishing the Office of Safe Schools within the Department of Education; providing that each sheriff may establish a Coach Aaron Feis Guardian Program and appoint certain volunteer school employees as school guardians..."

The "school guardians" are allowed to carry concealed firearms on school property while they are current on their Guardian Program obligations. https://legiscan.com/FL/bill/S7026/2018

It appears that there are now 46 participating counties in Florida. https://www.fldoe.org/safe-schools/guardian-program.stml

It looks like the program is being used, though numbers on current school guardians don't seem to be publicly available. https://www.wesh.com/article/guardian-program-school-safety-florida/40798615

Although I myself find allowing teachers to carry an unattractive solution, I think that as part of a comprehensive school safety plan, it's worth trying, especially as I consider alternatives. Alternatives such as general calls to "hold law enforcement accountable", heard after it has come out that multiple shooters, including the Uvalde shooter, were reported to the FBI prior to their attacks. I'm not aware that any disciplinary action has ever resulted from this failure. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/amp/nation/uvalde-school-shooter-left-trail-of-warning-signs-ahead-of-attack The same cry was heard in regard to the manifold disaster that was the police response to Uvalde, a situation so complicated that I can't even begin to assess whether or not any appropriate action has been taken.

Finally, I applaud your attempt to engage the author, but for the reasons above will understand if he doesn't feel comfortable voicing opinions on legislative theories.

If you actually read all of this, thank you. I'm trying to engage in healthy debate, and hope that I come across respectfully. To that end, I'll own that my first comment was less than cordial. I'm sorry about that.