In the wake of the heinous attack on Charleston’s Emanuel American Methodist Episcopal Church, Democrats’ ritual calls for more gun control have louder than usual, and a mainstream media’s focus on the threat of “mass shootings” has been kicked up a notch.

The question none of the Democrats or media outlets have asked is why gunmen, historically speaking, attack churches and school but bypass NRA meetings?

Why do they target Fort Hood twice within a five years period while opening fire in Walmart remains unpopular?

To ask the questions is to answer them. Law-abiding citizens are largely prohibited from possessing guns for self-defense in churches and schools around the country, but they may be heavily and openly armed at an NRA meeting. Likewise, soldiers are then mandated to be unarmed on stateside military bases while law-abiding shoppers at Walmart can and frequently do carry guns to protect themselves and their families.

Consider James Holmes, the individual who allegedly shot and killed 12 and wounded 70 during a July 20, 2012, showing of “The Dark Knight Rises” at an Aurora movie theater. Shortly after the attack, Fox News reported that there were seven movie theaters showing the film within a 20-minute radius of Holmes’ residence, some of which were closer than the Cinemark theater he attacked.

For example, the Cinemark theater was a four mile long, eight minute car ride, while another theater showing the film “was only 1.2 miles (3 minutes) away.” But of all the theaters within a 20-minute radius, including the one just three minutes away, the Cinemark theater was the only one that barred law-abiding citizens from carrying guns for self-defense.

The lesson is clear: Gun control literally enables criminals; it makes their lives easier by guaranteeing otherwise pesky and determined victims will not have the ability to defend themselves once the shooting starts.

Example: A survivor from the attack on Charleston’s Emanuel African American Episcopal Church said her only course of action against the gunman was to plead with him to stop.

Unarmed people are vulnerable people, and criminal predators prey upon them.

Follow AWR Hawkins on Twitter: @AWRHawkins. Reach him directly at awrhawkins@breitbart.com.