Here’s a little whining in the Paper Formerly Known As The Paper Of Record about the fact that handguns have become fashionable among coeds at Mt. Holyoke.

Defenders of guns can intelligently argue that, as with fast cars, the pleasures of gun ownership are worth the increased mortality. That is an opinion with which one can agree or disagree. Likewise, it is true that the overwhelming majority of guns will be used responsibly (from the point of view of everyone except hungry coyotes). But it is pointless to try to deny the link between more handguns and increased murder and suicide.

Pointless? I suppose. Unless you’re actually familiar with the data and statistics…