Senator Chris Murphy
Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, Pool)

Sometimes, even the experience of being shot is not enough to change a person’s mind about guns. I asked Murphy whether he’s spoken with people like his old House colleague Steve Scalise of Louisiana, the Republican minority whip who was wounded in the 2017 congressional-baseball shooting.

“What’s discouraging about the baseball shooting is that it seemed to harden people’s beliefs, in part because there were good guys with guns,” [Senator Chris] Murphy said. “I think for Steve, it hardened his belief that we need to have more guns rather than less guns. I can’t put myself in his shoes, but that certainly is discouraging for those of us who look at the data and see that where more guns exist, more gun crimes exist.” (Four years after the failed attempt on his life, Scalise advertises his strong support of the Second Amendment, concealed-carry reciprocity, and an A+ rating from the NRA on his government website.)

— John Hendrickson in The Struggle to Overcome Mass-Shooting Cynicism

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26 COMMENTS

  1. For the believer, no proof is necessary. For the nonbeliever, no proof is ever enough. Those who may change their views in light of new evidence are what we call “intelligent.” Those who remain confident in spite of evidence contrary to their beliefs? There are words for that, too.

    • “Those who may change their views in light of new evidence are what we call “intelligent.” Those who remain confident in spite of evidence contrary to their beliefs?“

      Some would call them ‘religious’…

      • “Some would call them ‘religious’…”

        The fascist and totalitarian religion of the ‘Woke’.

        Comply or be *crushed* by the collective… 🙁

        • Yessir. The liberal left was bought by a cabal of billionaire corporate masters. And they, with the help of the damaged like dacian the dunce and the miner one have been selling fascism in America.

    • The latest FBI data for 2020 shows that Legally Armed Citizens Shoot and Kill more Criminals then Law Enforcement. When seconds determine if You or a Loved One. Lives or Dies. Law Enforcement is minutes away. You are Your Own 1st Responder. Arm Up Carry On….

  2. I got hit by a car on my bike back when I was seven…. couldn’t wait to turn thirteen to get my limited (S. D. Farm). drivers license. I doubt anyone who had been shot and survived would be prudent to wait that long to get armed up.

  3. Guns are just like anything else that can be used for good or bad. I.E. A careless person runs over you with a truck and then another person rushes to carry you away in a truck. And before the dust settles comes the insane person that wants to ban trucks.

    God Bless Steve Scalise.

    • If a card carrying republican had shot Scalise instead of a “feel the Bern” lunatic he STILL wouldn’t be anti-2A! Murphy is a dope…

      • former water walker Poppy cock. Good Republicans don’t go around shooting people. We leave that to criminals and ANTIFA and BLM thugs.

  4. The research doesn’t show that more guns mean more shootings. Many parts of this country have households full of firearms and there is little problem in those areas.
    If you add gangs and easy money into the mix, you will see shootings, but that is not the fact that of the firearms, it is the violence that comes with drugs and gangs. If they couldn’t get guns, they would have razors and stabbing instruments.

      • Miner49er More Horse Pucky! The leading factor to “higher crime rates” in spite of what some “experts” (sic) say, it the break down of the family unit and the lack of parental supervision. There was plenty of “population density”during the 50’s and 60’s, but the “permissive society” had not yet taken root. You might want to get an education on the street and forget academia.

      • MinorIQ,

        Ever heard of the concept of “correlation does not equal causation”??? Care to speculate on how it might impact those statistics???

        Since you’re apparently into correlation, what do the top urban areas have in common, in addition to high crime rates?? (Narrator: The all have Dimocrat governments.)

        I may have recommended this to you, before, but if not, you should heed the words of Samuel Langhorne Clemens: “Keep your mouth shut, and let people think you a fool; don’t open it and remove all doubt.”. Old Sam was a smart guy. You are not.

    • I would lay long odds that on a person to person basis those who own the most guns commit the least number of shootings and those who commit the most shooting “own” no guns.

  5. I have owned weapons all my adult life and hunted with them in my teens and have carried one almost as long as Fl. let people have permits issued by the state have never shot anyone and don’t want to because taking a life is something I do not want to live with the rest of my life But understand this if it is necessary I will protect my family and others that are innocent and just have to manage the sadness and guilt with Gods help

  6. 40 years ago I was shot as the unarmed victim of a violent armed robbery. As soon as I got out of the hospital I bought my 1911 that I carry to this day. 25 years ago I used that 1911 to kill 1 and wound the other punk who kicked in my door in an attempted home invasion robbery. Never had a second thought about shooting the punks. Of course, I never had second thoughts about shooting people when in combat in the Army either. Not something I want to do. Not something I ever want to repeat, but will do what I must to protect those in my care or any innocent potential victims of a criminal.
    No matter what the anti gun folks say, the proof is in the actual records. The majority of guns used in crimes, or recovered during the arrest of criminal suspects are either stolen, or otherwise illegally obtained. Sorry, but it isn’t the gun that causes or commits the crime.

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