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Rubio has an A+ rating, & has taken $3.3 million from the NRA. He is just one of many R’s (Cruz) who are handmaidens to the gun lobby. The safety of the public is not as important as their #NRABloodMoney.
Let’s dispel gun myths the NRA constantly parrots. tampabay.com/florida-politi…
Let’s dispel gun myths the NRA constantly parrots. tampabay.com/florida-politi…
“Guns don’t kill people, people kill people.”
This is probably the most common argument heard from gun advocates. It’s true that guns can’t kill by themselves & DO indeed need someone to pull the trigger... Guns don’t kill people, but allow someone who WOULD kill much easier, faster, more lethal means for killing. #GunReform
A person armed w/ a knife would do much less damage than a person armed w/ a gun, plain and simple. huffingtonpost.com/entry/its-time…
“The best way to stop a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun.”
It’s great if a shooter is stopped by a person w/ a gun, but it is not the optimal answer to bad people having guns. Being proactive will ALWAYS be better, preferable, and save more lives than being reactive. EVERY TIME! #GunReform
So often gun advocates complain that we need security in schools, which is fine, but it’s not enough. Countless times shooters have been stopped by guns, but only after innocent people are killed. Sutherland Springs is often claimed as a successful good guy w/ a gun situation....
...but 26 people were killed first. That is not success!! The best scenario, is preventing that scenario. The “good guy with a gun” narrative is also completely subjective. Everyone obviously likes to think they’re the “good guy with a gun”.
Or someone MAY be the “good guy”, until a switch flips, and they’re not. It’s easy to overreact in a moment, or misjudge a situation. This doesn’t make us all safer. abcnews.go.com/US/breaking-nr…
“Shooters always target gun-free zones. We should eliminate them and allow guns in all spaces.”
Coupled with the argument of eliminating gun-free zones is the thought that we should ramp up security in our schools. There is nothing wrong with putting metal detectors in place, but to say that gun free zones are an invitation to shooters is completely inaccurate.
Shooters do NOT choose their targets because they are gun free. The shooter almost EVERY TIME has some sort of emotional connection to the location, whether it be their school, workplace, or another personal resentment/vendetta issue.
It’s also illogical to think that a shooter chooses a gun-free zone because they will be less likely to be in danger, when so many either commit suicide themselves or suicide by police. If a shooter chooses a target & takes their own life, they are not selective of their target..
for safety reasons. Being reliant on “good guys w/ guns” is not the best way to promote gun safety-gun laws are. motherjones.com/politics/2013/…
“Guns give an advantage to anyone carrying. We should all be ‘force multipliers’ in every situation!”
The NRA often argues that having more ‘force multipliers’ makes every situation safer. In fact, it complicates everything further. Allowing anyone & everyone to possess firearms, and become a “force multiplier” just puts more danger & violence into any given situation.
Would you be comfortable knowing the person next to you is armed, who has impulse control issues & conduct disorder? Or the person in the aisle w/ extreme PTSD & severe dementia? How about the domestic abuser who uses violence to solve issues, whose parking spot you just took?
Some ppl are barred from carrying, but advocating that everyone be “force multipliers” is boo-hockey. Relying on crossfire from panicked citizens to SOLVE gun violence is the most ludicrous solution we could propose, yet gun advocates truly believe the concept on a massive scale.
Another scary fact is that some armed citizens (force multipliers) in mass shooting situations have openly admitted that they have almost shot a bystander in all of the confusion/danger. Again, “good guys w/ guns” is not the solution that it’s sold to be. 
“Safe storage laws would only hinder me from defending myself from an attack. I need to have quick and easy access to my firearm; that’s why I keep mine under my pillow/in my drawer/etc etc...”
First of all, this would mean you are definitely not a “good guy with a gun”, because what is far more apt to happen is a child/person other than yourself may discover that unsecured firearm, and accidentally/irresponsibly discharge it.
Being cavalier w/ firearms means chances are far greater that they will be used in a manner other than the owner’s intent. Another great possibility is that it could be stolen from you if it’s not safely locked up....
....Between 237,000 & 380,000 guns are stolen from households each year. Legal gun owners are fueling criminal gun ownership! Lock up your guns!! businessinsider.com/criminals-stea…
“There are plenty of objects that can be used for violence (cars, hammers, knives), should we ban those?”
To be clear, I do not think we need to ban all guns, just implement sensible #GunReform. To see what measures would be effective, I can direct you to my “Effective Gun Reform” post:
twitter.com/i/moments/1007…
twitter.com/i/moments/1007…
So, most other objects have primary purposes that are NOT violence; cars, hammers, and knives all have fundamental purposes that are not defined as attack. Guns’ primary purpose IS attack, so we obviously need to restrict access to these devices more heavily than others.
We need to ask ourselves: If we allow more devices designed for violence out into society, should we not be surprised if more violence occurs?? 🤔
There’s also an argument that we shouldn’t have a future ban on assault-style weapons because:
“People are killed by other means much more often. Compared to other ways of dying, AR-15s don’t kill nearly as many people, so we shouldn’t concern ourselves with that.”
“People are killed by other means much more often. Compared to other ways of dying, AR-15s don’t kill nearly as many people, so we shouldn’t concern ourselves with that.”
Run a cost vs. benefit analysis on any other thing that causes death. Cars, knives, doctors, all kill as well, but when cost outweighs benefit, change/reform is very much needed. That goes for anything (not just guns). #GunReform
Also, just because something is not the TOP killer of innocent people, doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try to prevent those unnecessary deaths!!
thoughtspot.com/america%E2%80%…
thoughtspot.com/america%E2%80%…
“If people don’t have access to guns, they will still find a way to kill others, ergo gun control is pointless. People will use bombs... get bomb control instead.”
First of all, we already HAVE bomb control. You can't buy them in stores, materials are monitored if bought together or in bulk, manufacturers have strict liability, and building them is incredibly hard.
....This is why the Austin bomber, a skilled serial bomber, could only kill 3 people in 2 weeks, but a teenager could kill 17 people in minutes with an AR-15. Few other methods are as lethal as guns, while still being remarkably accessible.
“Criminals don’t obey laws. They will still acquire firearms.”
This myth is a redundant statement in itself; thank you for defining: a criminal. But it’s not as simple as just pressing a button & all laws are bypassed. If laws do nothing, then why do we have any at all?
We should at least TRY to make it harder for an unsafe person to kill others w/ ease, no? Laws are designed to hinder & deter as many people who would do harm as possible. And they do! One such example is that of background checks....
....Over 1.5 million people have been denied access to firearms because of regulations stopping dangerous people from having access to them.
Laws don’t catch every single perpetrator, but they’re designed to prevent as many incidents as possible. Thank you laws!! 🙌
Laws don’t catch every single perpetrator, but they’re designed to prevent as many incidents as possible. Thank you laws!! 🙌
Also intertwined with the previous myth: “Only law abiding citizens will be affected by gun reform.”
This argument also assumes that a person who wants to bypass laws can do so with ease. In reality it’s not that easy. Laws involving gun reform are designed to prevent as many dangerous situations as possible, NOT prevent every single shooting.
Also, law abiding citizens need not be unarmed by sensible #GunReform at all! Contrary to what #VeryStableGenius says, confiscation is not the answer. No one would be disenfranchised! If you ARE a law abiding citizen of sound mind, you have nothing to fear. So why the opposition?
“Well you can’t repeal 2A, or confiscate our guns! It’s unconstitutional.”
Some extremists do want to repeal 2A/unnecessarily confiscate guns from even law abiding citizens I’ll admit, but those are very few people. Those measures aren’t necessary, just sensible #GunReform.
Even though the NRA CONSTANTLY claims that all guns are going to soon be confiscated by the govt, that has yet to actually happen. All that REALLY happens is that every time they spout that nonsense, people who don’t know better go out and buy numerous guns/ammo....
....sending gun sales skyrocketing, along with the NRA’s own little payday. It’s very effective. progressive.org/magazine/over-…
“Don’t infringe on my gun rights, 2A says you can’t!”
This argument refers to the part of 2A that claims it “shall not be infringed”, and the NRA screams the phrase whenever sensible #GunReform is even discussed. SCOTUS has ruled that all rights have limits though....
We have the right to practice religion, but we can’t sacrifice virgins in the name of religion. We have the right to free speech, but we can’t yell “Fire!” in a crowded theater. And we have the right to bear arms, but not if that is infringing on others’ right to LIVE. 🤔
Justice Scalia has said: “Like most rights, the right secured by the Second Amendment is not unlimited…”. It is “…not a right to keep & carry any weapon whatsoever in any manner whatsoever & for whatever purpose.”
This means that if it’s for the betterment of public safety, #GunReform may be implemented. Examples include banning current manufacture of fully automatic rifles for civilians, banning domestic abusers’ gun ownership, background checks, bump stock bans, etc.
Scalia also said that guns in common use should not be banned, to which gun advocates cry: “The AR-15 one of the most popular rifle owned in America!” But we’ll note that the Heller case which Scalia spoke on was about self defense, for which the AR-15 is definitely not needed...
SCOTUS also ruled that “dangerous & unusual weapons” such as weapons “better suited for military use” may certainly be prohibited! Hmmm what does the AR-15 seem like it’s best suited for, besides gunning down school children....? amp.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/o…
“We don’t need more gun laws, we have enough already; we should just try to enforce those.”
This argument implies that if we implement more laws, we will forget how to enforce the prior ones. This really isn’t a rational point, & that is certainly NOT the case. #GunReform
This myth also implies that the old proverb “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” is applicable here. IT ISN’T. We should ALWAYS be trying to improve our laws and employing additional ways of cutting crime down.
“I can either own guns, or be a victim.”
This NRA myth is the epitome of a false dichotomy. It implies that there are no other options (there are). And it implies that a person cannot be BOTH (you can). It’s not one or the other.
ALSO, we should point out that there are numerous gun owners who CREATE victims as well. 🤔
“Guns are used for so many things (competition, hunting, sport, target practice), we can’t ban them or restrict them.”
Guns are used for all those things... But their PRIMARY use is for violence, don’t get that twisted. #GunReform
Also, let’s make a priority list of competition, hunting, sport, & target practice. Then tell me if public/school safety should be on that list as well, & WHERE it should be on said list. Let’s prioritize. The rest should take a backseat here, #GunReform is needed in our nation.
“But DGU’s (defensive gun use) are 2.5 million per year, so the good far outweighs the bad. Everyone should always be armed; gun reform would be harmful.”
This claim that gun advocates so often quote is taken from a survey done by Kleck and Gertz in 1995. For that survey, they randomly asked 5,000 Americans if they or anyone in their household had used a firearm for self protection in the last year....
....About 1% answered yes, which they then extrapolated to the entire population, giving them the figure of 2.5 million DGU’s per year, along with an inaccurate gun myth. #GunReform
The National Crime Victimization Survey however (which analyzes tens of thousands of households), suggests that this figure is closer to 65,000 DGU’s per year. The NCVS first actually establishes that there was a possible victim;....
....Kleck & Gertz did not confirm that anyone was actually victimized, and included spurious accounts of self defense in their findings. More recent studies have found that DGU is actually MUCH more rare than many realized. scientificamerican.com/article/more-g…
“If someone is going to commit suicide, they will do it. We can’t prevent it with gun reform.”
This could NOT be less true. Most people who try to take their own life but fail, go on to regret their attempt. If someone has access to firearms they are much more likely to succeed at their suicide attempt.
Many other means of suicide are less difficult to recover from, but sadly a gun in the mouth means a person is much less likely to continue living afterward. #GunReform
Statistics show a clear and tragic pattern: states with loose gun laws have significantly higher rates of suicide. Access to firearms increases the likelihood of suicide success. Should a person’s life end because they make a grave and fatal mistake? hsph.harvard.edu/magazine/magaz…
“Waiting periods for guns are pointless, and infringes on my right to bear arms. It’s unconstitutional!”
Waiting periods won’t infringe on your rights at all. You’ll still get your gun sparky, you may just have to wait a few days to bear arms.
This measure of #GunReform is actually proven to significantly reduce murders and suicides. Someone who wishes to impulsively hurt themselves or hurt others is much less likely to do so if they are forced to wait it out for a while. sciencemag.org/news/2017/10/g…
“We don’t need #GunReform, we need to improve our mental healthcare system.”
While I 100% agree that we need to provide better access to mental healthcare, this is not an either/or situation. We SHOULD want to improve BOTH mental healthcare AND #GunReform!!
We must first address the negative stigma regarding this matter though. 1. Mental health issues ≠ violence. The two are not automatically equivocated. Just because someone struggles with a mental health issue, does not mean they will be violent.
The opposite is actually true. Statistically, someone who suffers from a mental health issue is much more likely to be the victim of a crime than the perpetrator.
2. We need to dispel the myth that someone who experiences a mental health issue is bad or “crazy”. One in four people live with some sort of mental health matter. That doesn’t make them “crazy”, or weird, or bad.
There also shouldn’t be a negative stigma around a person who seeks treatment for any mental health issue (but there is).
States need to expand Medicaid to make treatment more accessible, Congress/Executive branch needs to fix the ACA to require insurance companies to once again provide affordable treatment options, and more should be done to help families/children who struggle with these issues.
PREVENTATIVE measures for mental health are MUCH more effective for financial & developmental reasons, for both the individual & the country, as opposed to incarceration!
We can work on all of these objectives, as well as sensible #GunReform. Safety isn’t a single lens issue.
amp.slate.com/technology/201…
amp.slate.com/technology/201…
“Jesus wanted us to have guns, I’m just doing what the Bible says.”
Yes, this is a REAL argument, made by the more illogical & extreme gun advocates. They argue that in Luke 22:36, Jesus tell his disciples that “...if you don’t have a sword, sell your cloak & buy one.”
Loose gun advocates then argue that guns are the swords of today... And that Jesus loves guns... I’m not kidding. That passage is taken out of context though; he doesn’t mean literal swords, he is metaphorically speaking of being ready for the opposition ahead.
Jesus actually famously said “All who draw the sword, die by the sword.” To think that Jesus loves/loved guns is on a whole other level of self indoctrination.
And just so you don’t think I’m lying, here’s a real screenshot I took of a post in the NRA-ILA app. People actually believe this.
“So many shooters are liberals, we just need to ban liberals from owning guns!”
This is the most pointless pattern a person could draw. It’s just an attempt to demonize Democrats, or infuriate someone who is having a logical discussion. There’s no real substance or merit in this tangent.
I shouldn’t have to point out that this is obviously false (but I will). Most shooters are also male. Should we ban all men from owning guns?? Look at all of the useless correlations we could draw. Don’t even engage in this worthless talking point. 🤔🙄 tylervigen.com/page?page=1
“30% of people in the U.S. own guns, #GunReform will never work...”
It’s true that there are quite a few gun owners in the U.S., but many are RESPONSIBLE gun owners and are in favor of sensible #GunReform. Most of us should want our neighborhoods, schools, churches, concerts, movie theaters, restaurants, offices, hospitals, & homes to be safe.
Also, just because there are many gun owners and copious amounts of guns out there, doesn’t mean we should assume: ‘We’re too far gone anyway, no bother trying to fix things.’ Of course we should try to improve circumstances. Let’s not be short sighted. vox.com/platform/amp/p…
“We need to protect ourselves from tyranny, which will overtake this country if we have gun reform.”
First, the 2nd Amendment was written to be a long term and general solution to a national issue, not for individuals to solve disagreements with their government by acts of gun violence.
So if an individual is deemed unfit for firearm possession, tyranny will not take hold because that person can’t shoot others. #GunReform
Second, when 2A was written, guns were much simpler and less deadly than the guns of today. They could not write laws governing firearms with over 200 years of technological advancements. See Thomas Jefferson’s thoughts on fluid law.
Third, if you ARE up against our govt, do you really think it would be effective using rifles to defeat “tyranny”? Do you know what our govt is capable of? Tanks, helicopters, drones, & missiles won’t be swayed by rifles. Not that a ‘Red Dawn’ scenario will ever happen AT ALL.
Fourth, if you really believe the only thing keeping our government from becoming *unreasonably cruel is the thought of citizens possibly shooting them in an uprising, you don’t understand our government.
We solve problems by voting, by protesting, with civility-NOT by keeping our leaders shaking in their boots due to threats of violence. If good government spawned from violent, armed populations, then Somalia & Afghanistan would be the most successfully governed nations on Earth.
We also have a system of checks and balances: three separate branches of (elected/nominated) government, & separation of federal & state government. This was purposefully structured to ensure against such autocratic possibilities.
Lastly, just because a country implements strict #GunReform, DOESN’T mean tyranny will reign down upon us. Just ask ALL OTHER DEVELOPED NATIONS! It has been beneficial for them, and look! No tyranny. Good job all other countries! 👏
“Look at Switzerland. They don’t have gun violence issues, and they’re all required to own firearms! The more firearms the better!”
This myth is just misleading, and very cherry picked. No, the Swiss are not required to own firearms. It is important to note however, that it IS mandatory in Switzerland to join the military, for all able-bodied males.
After military training is completed a non-assault weapon may be purchased from the government, by the graduated soldier. As you might imagine this means that every gun owner in Switzerland has a high-degree of gun training & is taught a healthy respect for gun safety.
Swiss citizens are required to undergo a background check for every gun purchase & the Swiss government reserves the right to strip citizens of their guns for criminal offenses. #GunReform
It is also interesting to note that being required to have a career in the military makes gun ownership a prestigious honor in Switzerland, versus in America where owning a gun simply means that one managed to accrue a few hundred dollars.
Swiss gun owners often speak of a deep sense of Nationalism that comes along with their gun ownership. Whereas in America, citizens often speak of needing guns to defend against other Americans or the government.
cfr.org/backgrounder/u…
cfr.org/backgrounder/u…
“Gun laws don’t work, just look at Chicago.”
This myth is stale. So Illinois has some strict gun laws (not the strictest), but it does NOTHING to implement those laws if neighboring states have lax gun laws. 60% of guns recovered from crimes in Illinois are from surrounding states. That’s very significant! #GunReform
If a state has strict gun laws but it’s neighbors have loose ones... a child who seeks mayhem can very easily go to the house whose parents set no rules or boundaries. And clearly they do! npr.org/2017/10/05/555…
“Mexico has strict gun control laws, but take note of their record high gun violence!”
That’s very true. But they have the huge issue of their northern neighbor having very loose gun laws! 70% of guns recovered in Mexican crimes can be traced back to the U.S., and that’s just what they have been able to trace! #GunReform
Our country is literally fueling their gun violence issue. So when someone says Mexico has gun control but still has record death rates by firearms, they actually have us to thank for that.
aljazeera.com/amp/indepth/op…
aljazeera.com/amp/indepth/op…
“You can’t implement gun reform. If someone wants to force me to obey these laws, you’ll have to try to take my guns from me. Come and get them!”
This is actually an argument just posted by the NRA a couple days ago. No one is taking everyone’s guns, but they parrot this narrative in order to rile up their more hardcore base. #GunReform
It will lead to a nice payday for the NRA, paid by those who actually do fear confiscation, all while it polarizes the more uneducated parts of their fan club even further.
ANYONE who implies or threatens violence if sensible new #GunReform laws are enforced, loses all validity in their pitch because.....
1. He/she is obviously not a “good guy with a gun”, or a poor law abiding citizen who is inconvenienced by gun laws. A person clearly has neither of those valiant traits if they’re so easily ready to murder in order to get their way.
2. They are certainly not making a great case for the “lax gun laws keep us safe” contention.
3. He/she may be a bit unstable, making me question their capacity for safely possessing a firearm in the first place.
Anyone who wishes to argue about the best way to prevent gun violence, and is willing to enact violence to prove their point, may not be the most credible or levelheaded professional to engage in discussion. Thank you NRA for showing your true (violent) intentions. 🤔
“We shouldn’t discuss gun reform right now. Don’t politicize this shooting.”
Every shooting that happens is tragic. And it is a terrible thing to take advantage of a situation, but if we try not to politicize EVERY shooting, we’d never be able to discuss #GunReform ever.
There is a mass shooting almost every single day in the U.S. We’d be doing a disservice to those killed if we didn’t try to fix this serious problem!
vox.com/a/mass-shootin…
vox.com/a/mass-shootin…
“The U.S. is saturated with hundreds of millions of guns. If guns were a factor in violence, our country would be riddled with an epidemic violent outbreaks. Firearms must not be an issue.”
This myth is spouted by someone who hasn’t done their research. Our country is well known for having drastically higher gun violence rates than other developed countries, that should be no secret by now.
gunviolencearchive.org
gunviolencearchive.org
If we ALSO observe homicide and violent crime rates, the U.S. still has significantly higher rates in those areas as well. So it’s not as if other countries parallel our crime rates, with offenders finding other ways to enact brutality if they don’t have access to a firearm.
If firearms are more strictly regulated, that country will have substantially lower violent crime rates. Our country IS experiencing an epidemic of gun deaths, to think otherwise is blatantly incorrect. It’s time to change that. #GunReform
hdr.undp.org/en/content/hom…
hdr.undp.org/en/content/hom…
“Why does the NRA get blamed for gun violence in the U.S.? Innocent NRA members have nothing to do with these shootings.”
The NRA CONSTANTLY decries this unfair argument, taking offense on behalf of all its members when a shooting occurs & blame is shifted upon it once again. #GunReform
BUT let me be clear, NO ONE is blaming the members of the NRA for having a hand in gun violence, we are blaming NRA the gun lobby, not NRA the members.
The gun lobby always attempts to rally its members, claiming they are being blamed for a recent tragedy, when in reality it’s the corporation that’s being implicated. And why does the gun lobby deserve so much blame?
They constantly advocate for looser gun laws, enabling greater and greater amounts of dangerous situations to exist and compound in our country. They donate millions to political campaigns in order to sway our lawmakers to pass and keep gun laws in their favor (nonexistent).
The NRA donated $30 million to #VeryStableGenius’ campaign alone (which was found to have been Russian backed). Some argue that they do this in order to lobby for its members’ gun rights, but that’s actually not the case.
While many gun owners and NRA members agree on even the simplest gun safety measures, the NRA has been vocal about opposing even the most common sense reform efforts. That is because the NRA fights for gun manufacturers, NOT its members.
The NRA receives much of its monetary backing from its memberships dues yes, however it receives even MORE $$ from the gun/gun accessory manufacturing companies. Many of these companies pledge a certain % of their sales to the gun lobby, others a flat amount from each sale.
In recent years, the NRA has accepted over $60 million from the firearms industry. None of that includes advertising benefits the NRA sells to gun manufacturers in publications, which accounts for 10% of its revenue. It’s no wonder we have a tough time making #GunReform claims.
What also makes it tough is the fact that there is no industry backing the gun control issue. Gun rights advocates have numerous wealthy corporations able to back their best interests, and able to ensure the NRA gets what it needs monetarily.
In fact, compared with groups that aim to push for #GunReform efforts (like @Everytown, @GiffordsCourage, @AMarch4OurLives, or @MomsDemand), the gun lobby is able to outspend their efforts in campaign support for gun control 40 to 1. 🤯
SO when someone claims the members of the NRA are being unjustly blamed for gun deaths, that’s really not the case. NRA members are about 5 million people, which is actually only 5% of gun owners. And gun owners are only around a third of the entire U.S. population.
The NRA, in any case, represents 0% of those subsets of people. They stand for loose gun laws, which lead to increased gun violence, plain and simple.
businessinsider.com/nra-power-lobb…
businessinsider.com/nra-power-lobb…
In the past couple months, we’ve exposed and unraveled numerous NRA myths and talking points for what they are: unreasonable excuses not to enact sensible #GunReform. Let’s go back through them all, & please HELP ME, let me know if there are any that I haven’t addressed!
NRA Myth #1:
“Guns don’t kill people, people kill people.”
“Guns don’t kill people, people kill people.”
NRA Myth #2:
“The best way to stop a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun.”
“The best way to stop a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun.”
NRA Myth #3:
“Shooters always target gun-free zones. We should eliminate them and allow guns in all spaces.”
“Shooters always target gun-free zones. We should eliminate them and allow guns in all spaces.”
NRA Myth #4:
“Guns give an advantage to anyone carrying. We should all be ‘force multipliers’ in every situation!”
“Guns give an advantage to anyone carrying. We should all be ‘force multipliers’ in every situation!”
NRA Myth #5:
“Safe storage laws would only hinder me from defending myself from an attack. I need to have quick and easy access to my firearm; that’s why I keep mine under my pillow/in my drawer/etc etc...”
“Safe storage laws would only hinder me from defending myself from an attack. I need to have quick and easy access to my firearm; that’s why I keep mine under my pillow/in my drawer/etc etc...”
NRA Myth #6:
“There are plenty of objects that can be used for violence (cars, hammers, knives), should we ban those?”
“There are plenty of objects that can be used for violence (cars, hammers, knives), should we ban those?”
NRA Myth #7:
There’s an argument that we shouldn’t have restrictions on assault-style weapons because:
“People are killed by other means more often than assault style weapons. Compared to other ways of dying, AR-15s don’t kill nearly as many people.”
There’s an argument that we shouldn’t have restrictions on assault-style weapons because:
“People are killed by other means more often than assault style weapons. Compared to other ways of dying, AR-15s don’t kill nearly as many people.”
NRA Myth #8:
“If people don’t have access to guns, they will still find a way to kill others, ergo gun control is pointless. People will use bombs... get bomb control instead.”
“If people don’t have access to guns, they will still find a way to kill others, ergo gun control is pointless. People will use bombs... get bomb control instead.”
NRA Myth #9:
“Criminals don’t obey laws. They will still acquire firearms.”
“Criminals don’t obey laws. They will still acquire firearms.”
NRA Myth #10:
(Intertwined with the previous myth) “Only law abiding citizens will be affected by gun reform.”
(Intertwined with the previous myth) “Only law abiding citizens will be affected by gun reform.”
NRA Myth #11:
“Well you can’t repeal 2A, or confiscate our guns! It’s unconstitutional.”
“Well you can’t repeal 2A, or confiscate our guns! It’s unconstitutional.”
NRA Myth #12:
“Don’t infringe on my gun rights, 2A says you can’t!”
“Don’t infringe on my gun rights, 2A says you can’t!”
NRA Myth #13:
“We don’t need more gun laws, we have enough already; we should just try to enforce those.”
“We don’t need more gun laws, we have enough already; we should just try to enforce those.”
NRA Myth #14:
“I can either own guns, or be a victim.”
“I can either own guns, or be a victim.”
NRA Myth #15:
“Guns are used for so many things (competition, hunting, sport, target practice), we can’t ban them or restrict them.”
“Guns are used for so many things (competition, hunting, sport, target practice), we can’t ban them or restrict them.”
NRA Myth #16:
“But DGU’s (defensive gun use) are 2.5 million per year, so the good far outweighs the bad. Everyone should always be armed; gun reform would be harmful.”
“But DGU’s (defensive gun use) are 2.5 million per year, so the good far outweighs the bad. Everyone should always be armed; gun reform would be harmful.”
NRA Myth #17:
“If someone is going to commit suicide, they will do it. We can’t prevent it with gun reform.”
“If someone is going to commit suicide, they will do it. We can’t prevent it with gun reform.”
NRA Myth #18:
“Waiting periods for guns are pointless, and infringes on my right to bear arms. It’s unconstitutional!”
“Waiting periods for guns are pointless, and infringes on my right to bear arms. It’s unconstitutional!”
NRA Myth #19:
“We don’t need #GunReform, we need to improve our mental healthcare system.”
“We don’t need #GunReform, we need to improve our mental healthcare system.”
NRA Myth #20:
“Jesus wanted us to have guns, I’m just doing what the Bible says.”
“Jesus wanted us to have guns, I’m just doing what the Bible says.”
NRA Myth #21:
“So many shooters are liberals, we just need to ban liberals from owning guns!”
“So many shooters are liberals, we just need to ban liberals from owning guns!”
NRA Myth #22:
“30% of people in the U.S. own guns, #GunReform will never work...”
“30% of people in the U.S. own guns, #GunReform will never work...”
NRA Myth #23:
“We need to protect ourselves from tyranny, which will overtake this country if we have gun reform.”
“We need to protect ourselves from tyranny, which will overtake this country if we have gun reform.”
NRA Myth #24:
“Look at Switzerland. They don’t have gun violence issues, and they’re all required to own firearms! The more firearms the better!”
“Look at Switzerland. They don’t have gun violence issues, and they’re all required to own firearms! The more firearms the better!”
NRA Myth #25:
“Gun laws don’t work, just look at Chicago.”
“Gun laws don’t work, just look at Chicago.”
NRA Myth #26:
“Mexico has strict gun control laws, but take note of their record high gun violence!”
“Mexico has strict gun control laws, but take note of their record high gun violence!”
NRA Myth #27:
“You can’t implement gun reform. If someone wants to force me to obey these laws, you’ll have to try to take my guns from me. Come and get them!”
“You can’t implement gun reform. If someone wants to force me to obey these laws, you’ll have to try to take my guns from me. Come and get them!”
NRA Myth #28:
“We shouldn’t discuss gun reform right now. Don’t politicize this shooting.”
“We shouldn’t discuss gun reform right now. Don’t politicize this shooting.”
NRA Myth #29:
“The U.S. is saturated with hundreds of millions of guns. If guns were a factor in violence, our country would be riddled with an epidemic violent outbreaks. Firearms must not be an issue.”
“The U.S. is saturated with hundreds of millions of guns. If guns were a factor in violence, our country would be riddled with an epidemic violent outbreaks. Firearms must not be an issue.”
NRA Myth #30:
“Why does the NRA get blamed for gun violence in the U.S.? Innocent NRA members have nothing to do with these shootings.”
“Why does the NRA get blamed for gun violence in the U.S.? Innocent NRA members have nothing to do with these shootings.”
This is just statistical assumption however. Gun Violence Achive puts CONFIRMED DGU each year at an average of 1,584. I will admit that many DGU incidents can involve not even having to use the weapon, just the sight of one may be defense, but NOT to the degree of millions/year.
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