These four steps will stop mass killings

Semiautomatic "hunting rifles," "target rifles," and "assault rifles" have only two differences among them.

First, cosmetic, the outer plastic or wood. Second, the magazine, or number of bullets they hold.

The first two hold up to 10; the last holds 15, up to 30 in some states. Otherwise, all three guns perform exactly the same, i.e., one bullet expelled for one trigger pull.

The only real difference between them is Assault Rifles look scary and have a name with a bad connotation.

Irrefutably, "banning assault rifles" will solve absolutely nothing. Criminals/Terrorists will simply use the next best legal gun and a few more magazines to do exactly what "assault rifles" do.

In fact, if enacted, it actually makes matters worse by giving the public a false sense of security. So when politicians like Dick Durbin say, "We have to get rid of these terrible assault rifles that spray bullets," they are both lying (Assault Rifles don't "spray" bullets,) and worse, they are tricking the public into believing it will actually make them safer, which it absolutely will not.

There is a four-step procedure guaranteed to reduce the likelihood of mass-murders and the casualties of those that do occur. Unfortunately, two steps are liberal supported and two conservative supported. Given all four are required to achieve the goal, we're doomed to accept the "new normal" of high-casualty lone-gunman mass murders.

The four steps? 1) combine all security databases into a single nationwide background checklist. 2) mandate ALL gun purchases and transfers require a background check. 3) make the entire United States a "shall-allow" concealed-carry zone, leaving nowhere a law-abiding background-checked citizen cannot carry a gun for defense of themselves and others. 4) eliminate gun-free-zones so potential mass-murderers know there's nowhere without a likelihood of immediate armed response.

John Kauck

Grayslake