(AP Photo/John Locher, File)
In the wake of a mass shooting, support for gun control seems to soar. That’s likely because the horrors of what just transpired hit people at an emotional level and they’re susceptible to the kind of rhetoric gun control advocates excel at. They’re willing to entertain thoughts about infringing on people’s rights because they’re upset.
As a result, those efforts tend to revolve around mass shootings. Assault weapon bans, red flag laws, and similar measures sound like the appropriate response.
The thing is, mass shootings are actually pretty rare, even with all of what we see in the media. Your odds of getting struck by lightning are better than of being a victim of a mass shooting.