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Mike Bloomberg is running two misleading gun control ads during the Super Bowl
Townhall.com ^ | February 3, 2020 | John R. Lott Jr

Posted on 02/03/2020 7:56:56 AM PST by Kaslin

Mike Bloomberg is running two misleading gun control ads during the Super Bowl. One ad focuses on the 2007 Trolley Square Mall shooting in Salt Lake City, Utah where five people were killed. The other ad greatly misstates the number of children killed by firearms each year, while also overlooking the true cause of these deaths.

Each 60 second ad apparently costs about $10 million. But that's only a fraction of the $248 million that the ten-week-old campaign has spent on campaign ads.

In one ad, Kait Hinckley talks about how the Trolley Square shooter killed her 15-year-old sister and permanently disabled her mother. But like 94 percent of all successful mass public shootings, the attack occurred in a gun-free zone. The Trolley Square Mall contained clearly-posted signs that prohibited people from carrying permitted concealed handguns.

Fortunately, an off-duty police officer was carrying his gun. He did so in violation of the posted signs.

Ken Hammond, an off-duty officer from Ogden, Utah, was on a different floor and at the opposite end of the mall. It took him three minutes to arrive at the scene, at which point he cornered the gunman and exchanged fire until other officers arrived. "There is no question that his quick actions saved the lives of numerous other people," Salt Lake City Police Chief Chris Burbank said.

Incredibly, Hammond endured lengthy hearings and had to pay hefty legal fees. His career as an officer was on the line. While Hammond eventually kept his job, his ordeal is likely to make others think twice now about ignoring gun-free zone prohibitions. 

Unlike Bloomberg, the Trolley Square Mall learned its lesson and took down the gun-free zone signs after the attack. If only someone had been even closer to the attack, then perhaps Hinckley’s sister and mother might have been protected, 

In December, a concealed handgun permit holder was able to stop an attack even more quickly at the West Freeway Church of Christ near Fort Worth. But Bloomberg was dismissive: “It may be true that someone in the congregation had his own gun and killed the person who murdered two other people. But it’s the job of law enforcement to have guns and to decide when to shoot. You just do not want the average citizen carrying a gun in a crowded place.”

In recent years, civilians have stopped dozens of such attacks in churches, businesses, movie theaters, restaurants, and malls. The only exceptional aspect of the West Freeway case was that the permit holder’s actions actually garnered some national attention, unlike the vast majority of these heroic acts. None of the problems that Bloomberg seems to fear -- permit holders shooting bystanders or being shot by arriving police -- occurred in any of those cases.

A second Bloomberg ad is another emotional one-minute spot in which Calandrian Simpson Kemp recalls her son's death from a gunshot. No details are provided on that particular case, such as whether it was a gang shooting. The ad, however, is emblazoned with the claim: "2,900 CHILDREN DIE FROM GUN VIOLENCE EVERY YEAR."

Unfortunately, Bloomberg’s ad doesn’t provide a source for this claim. From 2013 to 2017 — the most recent five years for which data are available — total murders, suicides and accidental deaths of non-adults averaged 1,900 per year. This is not an insignificant number, but Bloomberg’s figure is off by a thousand deaths a year.

The overwhelming majority of non-adult murders involving drug gangs, and nearly all of the victims are teenagers. Drug dealers are the primary source of illegal guns. Since they can’t go to the police for help in their turf wars, gangs need firearms to protect their valuable property.

If you could click your fingers and make all illegal drugs and guns vanish from the United States, it wouldn’t be long before drugs and guns start pouring back into the country. Even banning guns wouldn’t stop this any more than banning illegal drugs have stopped them. If you doubt that look at Mexico, which has had only one gun store in the country since 1972 and less than one percent of adults legally own a gun. Mexico’s murder rate is now twice as high as in 1972 and 6 times higher than what we have in the United States. 

Suicides aren’t quite as common as murders for those under 18 years of age, but what Bloomberg ignores is all the research showing if guns aren’t available, people use other just as effective methods to commit suicide.

Bloomberg’s emotional arguments might sell well, but they won’t make people safer. When you heavily regulate gun ownership, only the criminals end up being armed. That makes it easier for criminals to harm law-abiding citizens.



TOPICS: Culture/Society; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: banglist; bloomberg; rkba
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1 posted on 02/03/2020 7:56:56 AM PST by Kaslin
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To: Kaslin

When Nanny Bloomberg disarms his security team and has a disarmed security team at his office.....we can talk.


2 posted on 02/03/2020 7:59:53 AM PST by ealgeone
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To: Kaslin

A liberal politico has false or misleading advertising??? I’m shocked, just shocked......

sarcasm


3 posted on 02/03/2020 8:03:44 AM PST by Dilbert San Diego
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To: Dilbert San Diego

Under the proposal by faux-cuh-hauntus, should bloomers be arrested?


4 posted on 02/03/2020 8:05:06 AM PST by rktman ( #My2ndAmend! ----- Enlisted in the Navy in '67 to protect folks rights to strip my rights. WTH?)
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To: Kaslin
"Bloomberg is running two misleading gun control ads ..."

Of course he is. He's a Democrat. It's what they do.

(with apologies to GEICO)

5 posted on 02/03/2020 8:06:40 AM PST by Be Free (When guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns.)
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To: Kaslin

Just another leftwing gungrabber. The D party really really really needs to come up with a salable candidate. How did they ever assemble their current crop of Utter nut jobs and commie type ideologies. And liars. ??????????


6 posted on 02/03/2020 8:09:00 AM PST by faithhopecharity ( “Politicians are not born; they are excreted.” Marcus Tullius Cicero (106 to 43 BCE).)
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To: Kaslin

“A second Bloomberg ad is another emotional one-minute spot in which Calandrian Simpson Kemp recalls her son’s death from a gunshot. No details are provided on that particular case, such as whether it was a gang shooting.”

Believe that someone on the Chicks on the Right FB page did a little backchecking and found this: “The deceased man was identified as George Harold Kemp Jr., 20, who died from multiple gunshot wounds. Sheriff’s spokesman Bob Haenel said, “Witnesses told deputies they were riding with Kemp in Kemp’s vehicle. Kemp drove to the Lakemont subdivision to confront Brandon Lacour over a personal matter. Kemp parked down the street from Lacour’s residence and called him on his cell phone, challenging Lacour, 17, to a fight. Lacour showed up with several other persons, all riding in Lacour’s vehicle.” Haenel went on to explain, “Lacour and his passengers exited the vehicle and approached Kemp. One of Lacour’s passengers was carrying a hand gun. Witnesses told deputies that Lacour told the subject with the gun to shoot George Kemp, which he did.”


7 posted on 02/03/2020 8:13:30 AM PST by OttawaFreeper ("The Gardens was founded by men-sportsmen-who fought for their country" Conn Smythe, 1966)
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To: ealgeone

Have them wear jackets with a logo claiming they’re a gun free zone. That should protect them.


8 posted on 02/03/2020 8:14:00 AM PST by SkyDancer ( ~ Just Consider Me A Random Fact Generator ~ Eat Sleep Fly Repeat ~)
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To: Kaslin

Both were stupidly inaccurate lying ads.


9 posted on 02/03/2020 8:14:31 AM PST by SkyDancer ( ~ Just Consider Me A Random Fact Generator ~ Eat Sleep Fly Repeat ~)
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To: Kaslin

Honorable men who have worked hard their whole lives to excel in their endeavor used as puppets for an agenda. No discussion allowed. No platform allowed.

What time is the game on? /S


10 posted on 02/03/2020 8:19:50 AM PST by PGalt (Past Peak Civilization?)
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To: Kaslin

Sanders. Bloomberg. Soros. Schiff. Nadler. Schumer. Except during election cycles, I suspect not one of them has - worshiped - in a synagogue for decades.

Remember this Florida nut?

https://www.adl.org/resources/backgrounders/trunews-and-rick-wiles-end-times-anti-semitism-and-anti-zionism

Thank G_d for Dennis Prager.


11 posted on 02/03/2020 8:20:24 AM PST by QBFimi (It is not your responsibility to finish the work of perfecting the world... Tarfon)
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To: ealgeone

EXACTLY.

Like 99% of ordinary folks, I cannot afford to hire a team of bodyguards, so I must do as much as I’m able to protect my loved ones & our home myself.

Yours, TMN78247


12 posted on 02/03/2020 8:25:25 AM PST by TMN78247 ("VICTORY or DEATH", William Barrett Travis, LtCol, comdt., Fortress of the Alamo, Bejar, 1836)
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To: Kaslin

“Each 60 second ad apparently costs about $10 million.”

But they have the nerve to talk about the “Gun Lobby” or the “Big gun lobby”.

I doubt the NRA could afford to run even 1 ad during the superbowl. Even if they could afford it the Media would refuse to run it.

Mike is what my cat leaves in his sandbox.


13 posted on 02/03/2020 8:34:48 AM PST by desertfreedom765
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To: TMN78247

Very true. Just because Bloomberg can hire an armed security team to protect him doesn’t give him the right to tell the rest of us that we don’t deserve armed protection. My view is that our lives are no less valuable than his, and our 2nd Amendment rights are no less important either.


14 posted on 02/03/2020 8:37:17 AM PST by Enterprise
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To: Kaslin

If this guys pokes his head up at a dem debate, he is dumb. He is best off staying on the periphery.

Having said that, he is annoying and needs to be taken out if he shows the slightly sign of being their nominee.


15 posted on 02/03/2020 8:40:49 AM PST by FlipWilson
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To: Kaslin

“misleading”

Without it they have NOTHING. All of them..including the RINOs and the NeoCons.


16 posted on 02/03/2020 8:42:52 AM PST by Leep (Everyday is Trump Day!)
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To: Kaslin

It’s not gun violence...it’s CRIMINAL violence. The guns don’t jump up and shoot all by themselves.


17 posted on 02/03/2020 8:46:04 AM PST by JimRed ( TERM LIMITS, NOW! Build the Wall Faster! TRUTH is the new HATE SPEECH.)
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To: Kaslin

Light rail in Denver has no gun signs. I ignore them.


18 posted on 02/03/2020 8:56:48 AM PST by bravo whiskey (Never bring a liberal gun law to a gun fight.)
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To: Enterprise

“Blooming Idiot”, as he’s commonly referred to in South Texas, is a DUNCE regardless of how much money that he has.

And YES he seems to believe that his family is more important to be safe from criminals than his is.

Yours, TMN78247


19 posted on 02/03/2020 9:20:32 AM PST by TMN78247 ("VICTORY or DEATH", William Barrett Travis, LtCol, comdt., Fortress of the Alamo, Bejar, 1836)
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To: TMN78247

Bump!


20 posted on 02/03/2020 9:21:21 AM PST by Enterprise
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