Our opponents in the Civilian Disarmament Industrial Complex use wild accusations and appeals to fear and emotion to further their goal of a gun-free populace. That’s because they don’t have the facts on their side.
They conveniently avoid mentioning details like…medical errors result in seven to twelve times more deaths than guns do every year. Or that Americans use firearms to defend themselves between 500,000 and 2 million times a year (according to the CDC). Or that two-thirds of all gun deaths are suicides and wouldn’t be prevented by more gun control laws.
You know, little details like that.
Anyway, we’ve had a list of interesting information sources and references at the top of our page for years now under the Facts About Guns link. There are lots of useful factoids there that might help you totally pwn that annoying anti-gun relative who corners you at your next family get-together.
But it’s time to update it and spruce it up a little. So we figured, who better to ask about that than our knowledgable readers?
So please, tell us what kind of information you’d like to see there and how you want it to be presented. The sky’s the limit. Shoot for the moon. Be brutally honest (as if that’s ever a problem around here).
And thanks for your support.
Let’s start with the fallacy that police kill more black people than whites. As if it matters what color a criminal is. Fact is by numbers, not percentage, white people commit more crime and get shot by police waaaaay more. Just a few truths for all the BLM BSers…
PragerU has a great video about that
PragerU sings only to the choir. You gotta address the threat on their land. Wait till they invade yours and you’ve lost the battle.
Run in circles at your own risk.
Comments below read like Christmas morning. But wishing don’t make it true. Careful! The message is only one conspiracy theory away from labeled nonsense.
Just because you want something debunked doesn’t mean it can be debunked. And if the anti gunners can point to one wrong “fact” proclaimed by the pro2A side, the entire pro2A message is lost.
As an African-American, let’s continue on that theme with enormous numbers of black-on-black murders. We all know the debacle that Chicago has become, but my city of Birmingham is getting (or has gotten; depending on who you talk with) just as bad.
Bham isn’t the only area that has become real sketchy. Montgomery, Opelika, Tuscaloosa, and even some parts of Huntsville have turned into festering crapholes. Not a word though from all those screeching for “gun safety”. A bunch of white kids die because an RSO runs away and hides in FL though? Ban all the guns from everyone ever!
Thats true, I avoid Bham like the plauge. Everytime I hear a event there on the radio I think that sounds fun but to bad it’s in Bham. Be safe carry on
On the few (and I mean FEW) occasions this Huntsville resident heads into Birmingham (even driving through on the interstate) I carry extra magazines. That place has become the Mogadishu of Jefferson County.
I agree what one of the other posters said about Huntsville; the Green Zone is getting smaller; moving mostly from North Huntsville.
Keep it real. Too much hype and locker room banter and butt slapping makes us look like unwashed unhinged FUDDs.
The message will get through as long as we don’t sound like them.
I think I’ve read this here before, but, include how “gun violence” is mainly only a serious problem in democrat run major metropolitan areas. Once you get out of the cities, there is hardly any. And that the majority of all “gun violence” is gang related.
I like this. Also I’d like to see some US states vs European countries. I know it’s not apples to apples but I like to remind people here in Oregon that we have some fairly non-restrictive (for now) gun laws and lower violent crime rates than many nearly no gun euro nations. And that they’re even safer than that outside of already safe Portland.
The key comparison here: the violent crime rate of Vermont versus western European nations. This particular comparison is extremely compelling since Vermont has effectively zero firearms laws. Remember, anyone 16 years of age or older (who is not a convicted felon) in Vermont can legally carry a handgun openly or concealed pretty much everywhere in the state without any licensing, training, or government vetting. There are no background checks or vetting required in any private firearms purchase. And there is only the cursory federal background check on firearms purchases from federal firearm licensees.
According to gun-grabbers, Vermont’s violent crime rate should therefore be about 100 times higher than western European nations. Imagine their shock and surprise to find out that Vermont’s violent crime rate is similar or better than most (if not all) western European nations.
I think you’re missing what I’ve always considered the MOST important thing about Vermont as an example. TX has pretty good laws, AZ has real good laws, but Vermont has NO laws. Since it became a part of the US, US gun laws are enforced there, but they have passed none of their own. TX, for example, allowed no carry whatsoever until ’94, has been passing one law after another for over 150 years, and Vermont has passed none. THEN look at VT’s crime history, consistently calm and peaceful, would really be great if it weren’t so damn cold.
BS argument, compare Vermont to 1st world rural NOT URBAN countries and then we can talk. Vermont, has 82.6 percent of its population living in either rural areas or small cities.
“…Also I’d like to see some US states vs European countries. ”
YES!
And where possible some direct comparisons like the fact that Texas is nearly twice as large as germany (by area) and has roughly a third of the population of Germany.
Or the fact that the UK is about half the size of California (by area) and has twice the population of California.
I know this doesn’t change any of the per-capita measures but it does put a lot of other things into perspective.
Modern leftists are the domestic enemies our Founders warned us about.
We need to de bunk the police “brutality” thing. They deserve better
Articles with comparisons of police “shootings” stats and the resprctive demographics and their crime rates of those demographics.
Take out suicides and gang members murdering each other and we really dont have a problem…
And the players should stand for the anthem…..
Anything to compare amounts of crime and also gun crime separately in countries that do not allow citizens to have firearms. I’m so tired of the in Australia blah, blah, blah fun buyback BS…
How about the latest Dianne Feinstein horse-puckey? The AR-15 format rifle is NOT “in common use” (the Heller clause) because millions of them only sit in closets or safes, and aren’t actually being used. I already shredded this on the paid subscription site of a major paper, but what are the numbers?
How many AR’s are out there in the US, and how many have fired them in the last year; at the range; out hunting varmits, coyote, or deer?
How many AR’s are out there in the US, and how many have fired them in the last year; at the range; out hunting varmits, coyote, or deer?
The answer to the former question is ‘tens of millions’, there is no reliable data regarding usage. Feinstein might be aware of the lack of data, and perhaps hoped to sucker Kavanaugh into commenting on it.
Anyone else remember the Roberts nomination, where one of the Senators (Russ Feingold, I think) repeatedly asked questions that Roberts would not be able to answer without committing an ethics violation? That’s what we’re dealing with.
How much ammo for the AR-15 is sold? That alone has to show that these guns get used, not to mention those that fire another caliber.
“How many AR’s are out there in the US, and how many have fired them in the last year; at the range; out hunting varmits, coyote, or deer?”
And this is relevant to what?
A typical AR-15 (or a variant thereof) chambered in 5.56 or an AK-47 (or a variant thereof) chambered in 7.62X39 is NOT a *high-powered* rifle. People spout this *high-powered* line all the time and it makes my ass itch. These, and rifles like them, are medium powered.
Ok, I recognize that there are already some articles in the facts about guns that deal with issues like ‘what is/is not an assault rifle’ and “high capacity” magazines and such but, one thing I often have to struggle to convince people of is that weapons like the AR and AK (and several others) are not used by the worlds militaries because they are super extra double plus deadly but because they are light, cheap, easy to maintain, field serviceable and so on. Also, military people carry around ammo like 5.56 and 7.62×39 not because it is some uber-killer but because it is just good enough and is small enough and light enough that joe grunt can carry more rounds than he could of .308 or 30-06 or 7.62x54R or whatever. The number of rounds sent down range in a fire fight matters a lot and, since joe grunt has to carry every round he eventually fires, the more he can carry the more he can shoot.
Not sure how to make that rant a useful entry in “Facts about Guns” but there it is.
Also, I think any fact sheet should pound home the fact that in America today, you are not likely to get shot. Not at all, seriously, we’re talking a 0.01% chance or lower that you ever get shot. POTG are not shooting people, shootings are rare, mass shootings more so. I know not everyone has a taste for the statistics but, to me, they are significant. I don’t know if Foghorn still has a role at TTAG, but I always appreciated that he would work the numbers. I’d like more of that. Publish the data, give us easily communicated data and analysis that shows just how much of a non-problem guns and gun owners are.
Speaking of stats, a factoid that I have seen stated on TTAG many times (By RF among others) is that 80% of shootings in the U.S. are gang related. I have been unable to substantiate that datum from independent sources. If it is correct, I’d like to see the numbers. If it is not, I’d like to know.
MyName,
The statistic is that violent criminal gangs commit about 80% of ALL crime in the U.S. — which of course includes all violent crimes with all weapons (not just firearms).
Source:
https://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/nation/2009-01-29-ms13_N.htm
And this source tells us that criminals are the overwhelming majority — on the order of 75 to 90% — of murder victims!
Source:
http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/nation/2007-08-31-criminal-target_N.htm
This article is indicative of the problem. Unfortunately, it comes from data compiled by just a couple of cities. What would be really useful is national data plus data from the major centers of homicide. That data probably won’t be as specific as this article. What it will do is paint a broad picture. Then, get a drill-down on some specific cities such as Baltimore and Milwaukee, as provided here.
Get over you argument, the “intermediate” rounds are the best compromise of weight and controllability when it comes to killing as many people as possible with a highly portable weapon inside of 300 yards. So yes it is not the most powerful, but is is damn well the most efficient for killing two legged critters
Never said they weren’t effective, said they weren’t “high powered”. And, FWIW, I essentially said the same thing you did – they are lighter than high powered rounds and deadly enough. In other words, an effective compromise.
We need the numbers, source, and corresponding data that shows:
(1) Police commit crimes at significantly higher rate than concealed carry licensees.
(2) Police shoot bystanders at a significantly higher rate than concealed carry licensees.
(previous post with links removed because it caught the filter))
“useful factoids”
Factoid isn’t a fancy word for fact, it means something that appears to be a fact but is not. Factoids are only useful if you are attempting to deceive.
“So please, tell us what kind of information you’d like to see there and how you want it to be presented. The sky’s the limit. Shoot for the moon. Be brutally honest”
The NRA’s long history of opposing the natural, god given, right to keep and bear arms.
Examples:The NRA’s endorsement of the 1934 NFA (which banned the firearms most useful for a milita trying to throw off such government),1968 GCA (which banned a quarter of the population from buying a firearm at a dealer or owning a handgun, banned arbitrary classes of imports, killed mail order of firearms/ammo and many other infringements), endorsement of the anti-open carry Mulford Act, writing the LEOPA and Undectable Firearms act. Current CEO Wayne LaPierre support of continued ban on civilian ownership of the most common types of firearm in the world and past endorsements of universal gun registration and gun free zones. Current NRAILA head Chris Cox support of more background checks and gun confiscation. Marrion Hammer’s support of the above mention ban on the most common firearms, a ban on bumpstocks and attacks on candidates who the NRA to focus on gun rights instead of her paycheck. The NRA’s endorsement in the 2018 Georgia Governor’s primary going to a guy with a terrible record on guns but good record for punishing those who hurt the NRA’s money.
Not to mention the god of the Republican party and his actions on open carry in Ca(when he was governor). Republicans have been instrumental in most of the gun control in this country.
Oh yeah, that Raygun Ronnie was a campaign conservative is worth a mention.
It would be helpful to update the links to sources as well. Staring with the DoJ comment about AR15’s not being military grade (part of the Defense Distributed decision I believe).
Nothing slows down/stops an anti-gunner more than quoting the government’s own words.
We also need the source and more exact numbers to support the claim that something like 90% of victims who successfully defended themselves with a firearm merely had to brandish and never even pulled the trigger.
A video on important Supreme Court cases would be nice.
Haynes vs United States, 1968 ( criminals cannot be punished for not registering guns)
South vs Maryland, 1855 ( police are not responsible for your defense
Also, a dab of John Locke and natural rights may be good.
A couple of thoughts.
1. The facts and logic are nice. Very nice. I’ve used TTAG’s Facts About Guns section in various arguments over the years. HOWEVER, I don’t think it would be a bad thing to leverage some emotion as well.
For example, Dr. Suzanna Hupp’s testimony after the Luby massacre is just devastating. I know there was testimony at some point about a young woman who was raped on campus because she could not carry there. There are video after video of CCW holders who stop bad guys and are called heroes by others including police officers. Leverage the power of the medium (the web) and put together some of those videos and embed them.
2. As for the Facts About Guns itself, please consider creating:
a) A downloadable PDF that can be easily printed and circulated.
b) An infographic (or a series of infographics) that can be easily shared via social media, including Instagram
c) A video with good quality production values (maybe a collaboration with folks like PragerU or Colion Noir?) that goes through those facts.
Foremost and most importantly. Everyone MUST Understand that facts and figures mean nothing in this fight. The leadership in the democratic establishment learned this decades ago. The people leading this War on the 2nd Amendment rely on the emotions of their acolytes. By constantly beating the drum of their cause. They keep their tribes in line. This fight must be won at the ballot box or it will need to be fought with the bullet box.
Keep Your Powder Dry…
I’m just happy to see the “Look at this baby” poster again. That was brilliant.
“Factoid isn’t a fancy word for fact, it means something that appears to be a fact but is not. Factoids are only useful if you are attempting to deceive.”
I think some fact / factoid pairings would be useful. Facts from us: factoids from them. Most of the facts we end up repeating, again and again, are responses to anti-people outrageous claims. The pairing matters, something like this:
“Gun deaths are an epidemic.” — Well, not an epidemic(1), not a leading cause of death(2); actually decreasing rather spectacularly over recent years(3), as gun ownership has gone up(4).
1 – FBI numbers say otherwise. Also, it’s not an epidemic, see how those work(z)
2 – CDC?
3 – ?
4 – FBI?, CDC, ? who else?, (Directionally, background checks and carry permits stand-in somewhat for gun ownership, both going up in the last 10+ years(x)(y).
“It’s a myth that a good guy with a gun ever stops a bad guy with a gun.” — Well, from the drumbeat of stories in the press, that’s just not true(5), or you can go at the studies the CDC finally released, after burying them for 20-ish years(6). Those only count *reported* incidents, *where the gun is shown, handled, brandished or fired.* Violence that never happens because a BG knows there’s a gun there doesn’t get counted much. (Aside from what looks like a negative correlation between home gun ownership and violent crime.(7))
Another Thought
It might be useful to collect some of these facts in little, one-two paragraph bits on a theme. Like this:
More guns-more crime / more guns-less crime
Lots of people claim that more guns create more crime. It seems like the opposite is true in the US. “Gun violence” as measured by has been going down for decades, while gun ownership among citizens went up(1)(2). Indeed, the locations with the highest gun violence in the US go with the most restrictive gun laws / lowest legal gun ownership(3). Or locations with the highest gun ownership tend to have the lowest gun violence.
It doesn’t seem to be the guns. It seems like more guns legally in citizens’ hands goes with less gun violence. Even gross counts of “more guns” seem to go with less gun violence.
I was doing my best to help the anti gun propaganda but the handle in the shovel broke and I ran out of bullets, shhhhhh.
I am a cop. At best it takes us minutes from the time we are dispatched (which could be another minute or more from the time you call 911) until we get to where you need us. Arm yourself, get some training, practice, be smart, educate yourself with the abundant resources (online, books, friendly people at the range…), do not be cheap on your gear, run scenarios in your head on a daily basis in diverse situations and locations, do not be an idiot or thug with a gun, and be careful what you do and say after a DGU. Disciplined and armed law abiding Americans are a gun control freak’s worst nightmare. Stay safe!
I’d like a simple, easy to reference list of common antigun claims along with a brief refutation of it, or flaws, and links to data or other information that can be used to counter it. For example, a common claim is that if you have a gun in the house it is more likely to be used against you by an attacker than you are to use it to defend yourself. Having a citation of where the original claim came from and a short talking point about why it isn’t true would be helpful. Data and non-2A site links would be most helpful.
I’ll state it again: citing facts does not move the needle with people ruled solely by their emotions.
The only way to crack that wall is to appeal to their emotions. We need to frame the argument as the new Civil Rights issue of the 21st century… and never let up on that for one moment. We need to turn their rhetoric against them and make their efforts to diminish or outlaw our rights an attack on our freedom to be who we are.
I’ve posted this on more news sites than I can count – cut, copy and paste it everywhere it is applicable.
If we can all agree that: 1. Self defense against any unlawful attack is a basic human right. 2. That as a basic human right, self defense is and should always be considered a Civil Right of the People and thus the exercise of that right must be immune from restriction, infringement, licensing or taxation by Government at any level. 3. That the Civil Rights of the People are not subject to the approval of the Majority Opinion and belong to every Individual regardless of their social status. 4. That any infringement, restriction, licensing requirements or taxation levied on the free exercise of a Civil Right is a violation of that right. 5. That any law, policy or rule that prohibits or discourages the free exercise of any Civil Right is an infringement on that right. 6. That if a law, policy or rule that prohibits or discourages a Citizen from legally acquiring the tools, weapons or means to freely exercise their Civil Rights, then their rights have been infringed. -Then it follows that those who advocate for the preservation of the right of the People to keep and bear arms are, in fact, Civil Rights advocates. It also follows that those who oppose the right of the People to keep and bear arms are against the People’s civil rights. We have a word for people who advocate for or try to use the force of law to infringe on the civil rights of others: we call them Bigots. 🤠
Pretty easy to agree with.
1. I practically never see the 1939 Miller case mentioned, which ruled that the 2nd A applies ONLY to military type weapons. It specifically ruled that if a weapon is not used by the US military (or of similar type), then it is not allowed for the civilians. The current hype about “military-type assault” weapons would be the opposite of the Miller case.
2. It is evident that almost all mass shooting and most of the gun-related crimes are perpetrated by Democrats or children of Democrats. We need those statistics in bullet-proof tables and easy to access and present. The narrative should not be that “America has a gun problem,” but that Democrats have a gun problem.
America has a Democrat problem.
Compare a county-by-county map of violent crime rates in the U.S. with a map of counties that voted for Trump vs. Hildebeast. The similarities are undeniable.
Wait, now, that’s not quite it. If it is not commonly used by the military it is not protected by 2A, not the same thing as “not allowed for civilians”.
The Miller case was about owning a short-barrel shotgun. The government made a case (erroneously) that short-barrel shotguns were not used by the military and, therefore, the 2A protection to owning one did not apply. The arrest for possession of the shotgun was upheld. Erroneously, because the US Army did in fact use short-barrel shotguns in WW I, but there was no one on behalf of Miller to present the evidence. So, yes, if the 2A does not provide the protection, a citizen cannot possess it. Just as a citizen cannot possess a bomb.
@Alexander: You grossly misconstrue the Miller case. It does NOT say that ONLY military weapons enjoy 2A protection. That’s perfect nonsense. What it seems to say is that a weapon that could reasonably contribute to the efficiency of the militia IS entitled to 2A protection.
Let’s take the humble .22 single-shot rifle. No one would seriously argue that it is a military weapon. Yet, I think there would be a consensus that it serves as a training platform for youth who will in just a few years reach the age of military duty. As such, it contributes to the efficiency of the militia.
The Miller court declined to take “judicial notice” that a sawed-off shotgun was a weapon that could reasonably contribute to the efficiency of the militia. It left that inquiry to the district court (which never resumed the case).
We learn nothing from the Miller case as to whether a weapon that might contribute to the efficacy of a person’s self-defense, hunting or amusement enjoys any 2A protection. No such matter was argued in the Miller case.
We learn from the Heller case that a weapon suitable for self-defense is entitled to 2A protection.
SHUT UP, MOM. It’s probably you or your bad choices that killed your kid.
More children die at the hand of their own family then do from gunshots every year.
A child that dies from a gunshot is most likely to have been shot by the Mother’s husband or her boyfriend.(not necessarily the father)
American SPCC
https://americanspcc.org/child-abuse-statistics/
Annual estimate: 1,750 children died from abuse and neglect in 2016.
Almost five children die every day from child abuse.
53.7% (More than one-half) of perpetrators were women,
78.0% of child fatalities involve at least one parent.
70.0% of child fatalities are under the age of 3.
74.6% of the child abuse victims die from neglect.
44.2% of the child abuse victims die from physical abuse.
49.4% of children who die from child abuse are under one year.
Numbers that add up to around 400% are not helpful to understanding.
Larry, What don’t you understand? Ok, let me explain so even you can understand.
You and I are at an impasse.
You are 50% of the conversation.
You are also 100% incorrect by trying to add up percentages that overlap.
I am sure you are at least 75% an idiot.
That does not add up to 225%.
If that does not make any sense to you, I would like to revise my estimate on your idiot percentage.
Lets have lots of stats on California with its almost UK perfect gun laws. The Rancho Tehama Shooting is a great example of how every Nazi law in the state was implemented but still the shooter built his own “Ghost Gun” and killed a bunch of people with an “Evil AR.” They also have bullet control now only months away from the full ammo purchase background check which is a new black market. But why just cross the border in to free America and buy bulk street ammo when you can make it at home in your drug den for bigger profits?!?!? And if your going to do it illegally why not do it illegally better and make some “Cop Killaz” AP rounds for the street too. Mark my words you will soon see a dead cop killed with from a handgun with a hand loaded AP bullet that is only on the street because they cant get ammo from the store, which is never AP, but from an entrepreneurial dealer! Have you seen housing prices there you got to make that cash money somehow.
Duke Researcher Shows Cars are 80% Risker Than Guns
https://bearingarms.com/bob-o/2015/09/01/duke-researcher-shows-cars-80-risker-guns/
High-speed police chases have killed thousands of innocent bystanders
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2015/07/30/police-pursuits-fatal-injuries/30187827/
WHO reveals shocking figures on air pollution deaths
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/air-pollution-deaths-who-report-solution-linked-climate-change-experts-say/?ftag=CNM-00-10aac3a
Outdoor and household air pollution, the report says, kill seven million people every year from “exposure to fine particles in polluted air that penetrate deep into the lungs and cardiovascular system, causing diseases including stroke, heart disease, lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases and respiratory infections, including pneumonia.”
Did you read the actual report? This is a global warming propaganda piece. Anything coming from the WHO should be taken with a grain of salt. Follow the money trail.
Rate Of U.S. Gun Violence Has Fallen Since 1993, Study Says
https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2013/05/07/181998015/rate-of-u-s-gun-violence-has-fallen-since-1993-study-says
Balanced IV Fluids Seem to be Safer than Saline in ICU
Giving balanced crystalloids led to a lower rate of composite outcome of death from any cause
https://www.medpagetoday.com/meetingcoverage/sccm/71414
He told MedPage Today that while a 1% reduction may not sound large, the absolute impact would be highly significant given that more than 5 million people in the U.S. are treated in ICUs every year. Semler estimated that 50,000 to 75,000 deaths per year could be avoided by replacing saline with balanced fluids, along with 100,000 cases of renal failure leading to 40,000 to 50,000 patients needing dialysis.
auto-bot troll profile
WHO
More active people for a healthier world
The global action plan on physical activity 2018 – 2030
http://www.who.int/ncds/prevention/physical-activity/gappa
From “Global Action Plan on Physical Activity” pdf document (link at above site):
The global cost of physical inactivity is estimated to be INT$ 54 billion per year in direct health care, in 2013, with an additional INT$ 14 billion attributable to lost productivity. Inactivity accounts for 1–3% of national health care costs, although this excludes costs associated with mental health and musculoskeletal conditions
Wow. You shilling for a global government?
YO!! Pg2! WTF is this about, you seem to have a clue, I do not. Can you fill us in? So far, sounds idiotic!
Lol, I’m just a pro freedom, anti-vaxxer nutcase. Pay no attention to my posts.
In instances of mass shootings with really high injury counts, I’d love to see the breakdown of gsw”s vs sprained ankles, skinned knees, etc..
Warren v. District of Columbia
A truly disgusting crime, with an equally disgusting ruling.
Police are just people with all the good and bad that entails. Even a good competent police officer is at best minutes away when every second counts. God forbid you get a bunch of asshats assigned to you like Warren/Taliaferro and the Parkland bunch.
Communists are not interested in facts or logic. We can bring up the most salient points and it will not matter. This guy sums up pretty well why were losing, and why were very likely to lose this.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5MrLc1jbco
If I had a magic wand I’d see to it that most of the message about RKBA reached far beyond the readers/contributors of TTAG. Most of what we do here is preaching to the choir- the people who might really benefit from an understanding of our rights are never going to get it. I have to admit I do not do social media but there must be another way to make RKBA more mainstream among all Americans that the vehicles we have at present.
The stats and facts are certainly important, in my opinion anyway. But if this site is going to call itself “The Truth About Guns”, it really should also have more material in the “Facts” section that reveals the Truth About AntiGun Rhetoric. While it is also useful to debunk the myths and debate the BS info and emotional idiocy the left propogates, its also important to educate people about the WAY that the antigun left deliberately frames the debate. I know this issue has been rightfully and properly discussed on TTAG before, but a PDF/webpage that more directly addresses this should be at the very top of any “facts” section.
The reality is that the anti-2A crowd knowingly uses different (and often horribly incorrect) words when discussing guns. It will be difficult to win anything when we only play the game within the antigunners carefully manipulated rhetoric/terms/rules.
Examples:
-The term Gun violence is, on its own, misleading (guns arent violent unless people do violent stuff with em).
-Comparing our rates/stats of “gun violence” against any other country is usually horribly misleading because doing so ignores the real issue of VIOLENT CRIME. But then we need to define the term violent crime appropriately, and this goes way beyond most peoples attention span.
-Whether it’s “common sense gun laws”, “assault rifle”, “military weapons for civilians”, “high capacity magazines”, etc, the antis are always creating/adapting/using bogus terms to help frame the debate in their favor. This is an evil, destructive, misleading, and manipulative tactic.
-The way the antis talk about “gun violence prevention” is another one. All of the laws they keep proposing would not measurably improve public safety at all, and we do have the data to prove it.
-Anyone who disagrees with “common sense gun laws” automatically is then assumed to lack any sort of common sense. IMO, the only way terms like this should ever be used by 2A supporters is for laws that blatantly support the 2A/RKBA cause. Example: national concealed carry (no permit required) is a Common Sense Gun Law, as it seems like a no brainer/common sense thing for anyone who actually reads and properly understands the 2A.
-The “Cmon now you dont need XYZ” or “No one needs more than a revolver” to protect yourself argument is totally bonkers. How does some wealthy, insulated power monger anti-2A nutjob know what anyone needs (or doesnt need) to defend themselves, their family, or their property? Have they studied defensive tactics? Are they actually aware of the realities of defense? Of course not. In their mind, everyone can afford to pay for an entourage of private ARMED security to keep you safe.
-The antis only talk about how gun laws affect “gun owners” or “hunters”. We need to do a better job of helping people understand how crappy gun laws are more than just an inconvience to recreational shooters- they make us all MUCH less safe- this is a huge issue for people in many other walks of life besides the common “gun owner” or “hunter” categories.
I always use the example of an abused wife/girlfriend. Say she finally gets the courage to leave her abuser- how will she protect herself, against what is certainly a larger, stronger attacker that really is a legit threat to her safety? Her abuser will know exactly what car she drives, where (and when) she works, all her friends/family members, her social media accounts, etc. Its foolish to assume a shelter or a restraining order can protect her at all. What is she supposed to do? Even if she has the cash to cover it, is she supposed to sign up for a stupid state mandated CCW class, then wait a few months before she goes out in public? Is she supposed to go try to buy a gun, then somehow be protected by a magic forcefield of naivety during an idiotic “waiting period”?!! No- she should arm herself as quickly and completely as possible, and the law should not only allow this, the laws should encourage and enable it. But sadly, right now, laws all across the country are causing innocent victims of abuse like this to be attacked, beaten, raped, killed or (just as bad) stay with their abuser because they know there is no legal way for them to potect themselves with force of arms. Antis dont have any answer for this, so its probably safe to assume they just dont care at this point. Again, anothe reason to get em out of the govt ASAP.
-There are a zillion other terms, statements, etc I could add here but I think Ive made my point!
Lastly I also want to add that this foolish, manipulative, and misleading rhetoric used by the antis should prove to every single American that above all else, these anti-2A people should not be making any laws about firearms ever (and that the antis should be voted out of office ASAP).
The people that are screaming the loudest for more gun control are typically people who know the least about firearms. Why not put people who are real, legit experts in charge of “improving” our gun laws? Not statisticians, but actual gunsmiths and professional shooters. If a person cant understand semi vs full auto, or how completely idiotic the NFA rules are, how are they qualified to regulate firearms?
My fav recent example of this (as maddening as it is), is DiFi trying to argue that MSRs are “not in common use”. How would she have any idea what firearms are in common use, without ever setting foot near a single gun range or even bothering to try and google up some statistical data?
We need to get more people to understand the simple concept that one person’s experience is not representative of the population. Just because YOU (1 person) didnt defend your life/have fun/enjoy hunting/spend quality time with a pistol/rifle/shotty/silencer/flamethrower/tank/fullauto/whatever, it doesnt mean that NO ONE ELSE SHOULD.
How about child gun statistics in really easily digestible format. How likely is a child to die from gun accident WHEN THERE’S A GUN IN THE HOME (that is an important distinction) vs other more common means.
How likely is a child to go on a murderous rampage with a gun (asking for a friend whose wife is terrified of this and talking about getting rid of the guns. :p)?
Need charts, but need all sources listed (which you are very good at, just wanting to be very very specific as asked)
Everybody talks about Heller and McDonald but a peice about the importance of the Caetano v. Massachusetts case in regards to the protection of self defense weapons that were not around at the time if the founding would be great. I believe I read a TTAG article about this but pinning it to the gun facts section would be a good idea. Also expounding on how that case blows the “2A only protects muskets” argument to hell.
Also, as a side, I follow TTAG on IG. More pro gun memes (like the one making fun of MDA above) would be a good tool to get younger people on board. Reddit called the last election “The Great Meme War of 2016” for a reason.
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