Myth No. 3 — Guns are Bad

ABC News | 23 Jan 04 | John Stossel

[SLB]

20/20: Gun Myths

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As televised on ABC's 20/20 - January 23, 2004 - Lies, Myths and Downright Stupidity,

By John Stossel

Myth No. 3 — Guns are Bad VIDEO

America is notorious for its culture of gun violence. Guns sometimes do cause terrible harm, and many kids are killed every year in gun accidents. But public service announcements and news stories make it seem as if the accidents kill thousands of kids every year.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, however, fewer than 100 kids 15 and under are killed in gun accidents every year. Of course that's horrible, and I understand why demonstrators say we need more gun control.

But guess what? The Centers for Disease Control recently completed a review of studies of various types of gun control: background checks, waiting periods, bans on certain guns and ammunition. It could not document that these rules have reduced violent crime.

The government wants to say things like the Brady Gun Control Law are making a difference, but they aren't. Some maximum security felons I spoke to in New Jersey scoffed at measures like the Brady law. They said they'll have no trouble getting guns if they want them.

A Justice Department study confirmed what the prisoners said. But get this: the felons say that the thing they fear the most is not the police, not time in prison, but, you, another American who might be armed.

It's a reason many states are passing gun un-control. They're allowing citizens to carry guns with them; it's called concealed carry or right to carry. Some women say they're comforted by these laws.

Many people are horrified at the idea of concealed carry laws, and predict mayhem if all states adopt these laws.

But surprise, 36 states already have concealed carry laws, and not one reported an upsurge in gun crime.

[ought-six]

What TCU professor?

[Bluntpoint]

I dropped my 11 year old off at his friend's house this weekend (we live in the country).

He took some Playstation 2 games, boots, overalls and a 20 gauge pump.

Just think how some uniformed soccer mom would view that!

[SLB]

He took some Playstation 2 games, boots, overalls and a 20 gauge pump.

LOL

I could imagine what a soccer mom would say about that.

[whereasandsoforth]

Laura Crane was her name, I believe. 77 years-old.

[George W. Bush]

A Justice Department study confirmed what the prisoners said. But get this: the felons say that the thing they fear the most is not the police, not time in prison, but, you, another American who might be armed.

They're afraid of the armed citizen far more than police because the police will try to disarm them and take them alive, respecting their rights every minute of the way.

The citizen will just open fire and shoots to kill, not to wound.

I was delighted when FNC recently ran a story on the increase in armed readiness among the elderly. They pointed out that they, as a generation, are more familiar with guns than younger Americans. They went on at some length about how the gun equalizes the elderly with a younger, fitter violent aggressor.

They had an old lady, practicing with a handgun, that was a mugger's worst nightmare. There was little doubt that that lady could and would shoot if necessary. Or even if just presented with a good opportunity to demonstrate her armed skills.

I know a few old ladies like her.

Hahahahahaha...

[George W. Bush]

Unloaded guns with trigger locks, locked away in safes...are bad! You might just as well have a cantalope locked up in such a fashion as far as defending your family with it!

Bluntpoint, people take the measure of safety in different ways. As is their right. If they at least have guns, maybe we should give them a pass and focus on the undefended idiots and the gungrabbers.

I've often wondered if gunowners organizations should undertake an effort to put signs outside of gunowners homes that say 'Warning: armed homeowner". Let the crooks observe that and then go hit the undefended. They might soon see the merits of gun ownership more clearly! A grassroots initiative that might actually succeed without new laws enacted or lobbyists or campaigns.

Even if the libs simply put up their own 'warning' signs to avoid being hit but still didn't have guns, they would be acknowledging publicly that guns are our best protection against violent criminals and theft.

[Bluntpoint]

Hey George! Is Condi hot?

Is Cheny really hooked up to one of those heart-lung machines 23 hours a day?

[Travis McGee]

Somebody posted a great thread on The High Road the other day about a real-world effect of this bill.

This HighRoader's buddy's wife would NOT let him buy a handgun, or any gun. NO WAY.

After they both watched Stossel's show, she changed her mind, and they're going to buy a home defense handgun.

I wonder how many times THAT was repeated across America?

Hooray John Stossel!

[Joe Brower]

John Stossel is a national treasure. It amazes me that his network allows him any airtime. Of course, he's still outnumbered a hundred to one, but "one man with courage makes a majority", eh?

Sometimes you wonder if there is some hope for the future after all.

[Badray]

Some good points to think about.

[Geritol]

"Guns sometimes do cause terrible harm, and many kids are killed every year in gun accidents"

I am not sure I get it. Here we have the second sentence attributing cause to an inanimate object. I have never heard of a shirt causing death unless it failed to perform properly, or spontaneously combusted. Cars do not cause auto accidents unless they fail, otherwise it is some person's fault. But with guns, it is the gun's fault for operating as advertised or roughly so? This is a horrible abuse of the language. The fact that this anti-gun biased language literally starts the article that claims that there is no real gun problem that can be solved by gun regulation shows that the anti-ginners have re-written the language to inherently support their side. As they say, he who gets to define the terms almost invariably wins the arguement.

[PsyOp]

The Second Amendment - Commentaries

[Darksheare]

Zardoz says that guns are good.
I'll believe Zardoz over the anti-gunners any day of the week.
He's more based in reality than the anti-gunners, even for a B grade fictional movie character!

[Ohioan]

Guns are tools. A gun is no better or worse than any other tool. Like every other tool, its use depends upon its user; and its morality or other qualities are derivative--totally dependent upon that user.

For analysis of the underlying issue, however, see The Right & Duty To Keep & Bear Arms. It is largely a symptom of the politically induced irresponsibility of our times, that so many fail to understand how basic the right to private arms really is!

William Flax Return Of The Gods Web Site