Arm the XX

'Guns don't kill people. Women don't kill people; men kill people.' ~ Penn Jillete

Violence is not randomly distributed. There are genetic markers that are highly correlated with violent tendencies. One set of genes is present in 96% of the incarcerated violent criminals in the US , yet is present in only 49% of the general population. These same genes are also present in the majority of Arab suicide bombers and 100% of NHL hockey players. There is a simple, low-cost, 99.9999% accurate genetic screen to find the carriers of these 'violence genes,' using a simple karyotype that can be performed in any hospital. There is even a technical name for this gene complex: in molecular biology, we call it the 'Y Chromosome.' I say that it is time that we use our knowledge of this genetic marker to reduce crime; any other course can only lead to more unnecessary deaths. Think of the children.

How can we best use this knowledge to save lives? We could delete all people with 'XY Syndrome' and reproduce the species solely by cloning. Removing the XY complex from the human genome would drastically reduce the level of violent crimes. There would also be additional benefits to public health. The average lifespan would go up by about six years. The incidence of genetic disease would fall, as XY sufferers are orders of magnitude more likely to come down with X-linked defects. Traffic deaths would fall, as would all beer-related injuries.

However, a government powerful enough to round up and de-animate three billion people might be difficult to keep within Constitutional boundaries. This is especially true considering that governments are largely composed of XY-syndrome persons; in fact, governments killed well over 160 million civilians in the 20^th Century in peacetime. These same difficulties face even the least intrusive preemptive measures, such as fitting all the XY with computer-monitored explosive collars.

However, there is a way to utilize the reduced tendency to violence of the XX population without violating rights or increasing centralized government power.

Currently, of course, much political effort goes into preferentially disarming XX citizens instead. Gun control laws in major cities do nothing to keep 9mm automatics and AK-47s away from male career criminals, but they are very effective in removing the .38 revolvers from the purses of career women in the subways. It is time that we adopt a more logical approach.

If we are really serious about reducing violence, then all non-felon XX citizens should have their Second Amendment rights restored. This would include national open-carry and concealed-carry rights, on aircraft, subway stations, and everywhere else. No restrictions on automatic weaponry or anything else; a SAW for Susie, a grenade launcher for Grandma.

If even 1% of US women were armed, the ecological niches for violent criminals and terrorists would be drastically restricted. How long would the boxcutter-armed XY fanatics on the 9-11 flights have lasted if the stewardesses had had Smith & Wessons? How many of America 's Most Wanted would be wanted no longer?

Victim disarmament didn't work. Arm the XX.