Co-victims of gun violence, people who are closely related to other people who have been murdered by guns, or are related to killers using guns, should have full access to professional mental health providers who are equipped to help them cope with trauma. It’s really disturbing when someone you know gets gunned down.
Being a co-victim is much worse than just having a bad day. It is trauma that is likely to follow a co-victim throughout every aspect of their life, for as long as they live. It is possible to learn to cope with gun trauma. But, the best support comes from a psychiatrist or psychologist, with a PhD.
Insurance doesn’t cover that. A taxation on guns is a reasonable solution.
Tax Gun Manufacturers?
Gun and ammunition manufacturers don’t care what you do with a gun. Besides the manufacturers have so much money that they would barely notice another tax. They’ll just find another loophole and not pay it, anyway.
Besides the manufacturers are so far removed from your daughter being shot to death in your living room. Manufacturers are not implicit, right? Let’s tax the gun and ammunition buyers.
Murder Tax
Here is how it works. For every gun a person owns, they owe a Murder Tax. It would need to be a flat tax. I’m thinking maybe $150/year. I’m flexible on that. But, that seems reasonable.
Let’s call it the Murder Tax. We could call it the Killer Tax, but that’s a little too cute. Murder is not cute.
This tax money is earmarked for mental health support for co-victims. If they need support beyond what they are currently receiving, co-victims can go to any psychiatrist or psychologist and request an appointment, independently of any health insurance. The doctor does not need to be in a specific network. The money goes directly to the service provider, no referral needed.
Gun owners will pay this tax, on their annual tax forms, for every gun they own. This is so much simpler than taking guns away from people, right? You can keep your gun. But, you pay a fee, like joining a hunting club.
Sales Tax
There’s a special sales tax on guns, also called the Murder Tax. I’m thinking maybe 7%? Every time you buy any kind of ammunition, there will be a 7% Murder Tax. See? It shows up on your sales receipt: Murder Tax. Some stores might even print the Murder Tax in red. It’s like eating at a restaurant.
A little unnerving? Nah. You like your guns. You’re tough. You’re free. You can still buy ammunition.
We’re just helping you help us: the victims of gun violence.
Maybe you won’t murder anyone with your gun. But, who knows. The night is young.
Murder Insurance
Ask your insurance agent about Murder Insurance. You might want to bundle that with your homeowners insurance. It’s cheaper that way.
Murder Insurance is extra insurance you take out, because you own a gun or three. Each gun increases the likelihood of someone being murdered by a gun you own.
But, you do you. You decide how much gun insurance you need. Go ahead and calculate how much the cost of mental health services for up to 7 co-victims will be.
I know, hon…. It’s really hard to guess who you’re going to kill with each of your guns. Well, for most people anyway.
Here is how it works. You pay a premium to help the friends and family of a dead person after they are murdered with your gun. Isn’t that simple? You don’t even need to be the one who shoots someone to death. You’re covered, even if someone steals your gun and kills someone with it. Think how handy that’s going to be at a mass shooting! It pays for mental health services for as long as all those people need—all paid for out of your insurance.
Of course, your rates go up drastically for each killing, individually.
Also, every year you have to submit a photo of your gun (of each gun) to your insurance agent. If you cannot show evidence that you still have a gun in your possession and you cannot show a sales receipt proving you sold it, your rates triple. But, hey, that gun was worth buying, right? As long as you keep paying those premiums, you don’t need to worry where that gun is or what it is being used for. Guns don’t kill, right?
Informational Gun Campaign
There will also be a certain amount of the Murder Tax going toward an informational campaign. Now, the manufacturers do need to pay for this.
Every single box of ammunition will be labeled with warnings reminding customers not to use their guns to kill people. They will be like the warnings on tobacco only…different. Maybe more like Smokey the Bear.
The package could also bear a national hotline number. I did a little Googling and couldn’t find one that focuses on people intending to commit murder. I did find a forum where people were asking why there isn’t one. One response was that they should call 911. That’s not going to happen.
Others said a potential killer should just call a suicide hotline. In my personal opinion, there is probably quite a bit of difference between being suicidal and being homicidal. For one thing, suicide doesn’t usually involve killing other people. It certainly can but the very definition of homicide includes harming other people.
But, yes. Print a Murder Hotline number and web address on every package of ammuntion.
Gun Gear
We should also tax all gun gear like those orange vests and ammunition vests. I mean a lot of people like to dress like hunters, even if they don’t own guns. What’s a little extra tax Murder Tax to look like a murderer? It might become vogue to show off your receipt proving you had to pay a Murder Tax. That orange vest might just save your life, too.
So whaddya think? You on board with the Murder Tax?
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On a more positive note, here are some links you might interesting. It’s not like we aren’t trying to deal with gun violence and to prevent it. I have not vetted any of these sites, nor do I endorse them. I am just mentioning them.
momentsthatsurvive.org Lives changed by gun violence
www.ncgvr.org National Collaborative on Gun Violence Research
gunmemorial.org National Gun Violence Memorial
www.thehotline.org/… National Domestic Violence Hotline