Opposing Gun Control Because We Want People to Be Shot

When leftists and others who support gun control criticize libertarians and conservatives for their opposition to gun control, they often make it sound as if we want innocent people to be shot.  What a spiteful accusation!  We who have friends and families we hold dear want people around our beloved country to be shot!  Who came up with this malarkey?!  (Although I must say, for an ideological direction of the political spectrum that goes out of its way to sell Darwin’s theory, gun control certainly seems to contradict survival-of-the-fittest…)

Honestly though, ridiculous episodes like the emotionally charged gun control debate currently happening in America remind me of why I grow increasingly weary of politics (and increasingly in opposition to direct democracy).  In this episode the leftists are spouting most of the ridiculous rhetoric, though neoconservatives have thrown in a few eyebrow-raisers of their own.  I was glad Ron Paul spoke out against the NRA’s proposal for police officers on every school campus in America.  Can anyone say police state???  Yet this very paradox—the desire for fewer guns in the hands of citizens as well as the desire for freedom from government encroachment in daily life—comes at a price: risk.

I won’t dare make any ridiculous claim about the left wanting people to be shot , regardless of their use of such baseless propaganda against conservatives and libertarians like myself.  The left is currently hailing an assault weapons ban recently made into law in the state of New York.  I understand that the left pursues gun control because they want citizens everywhere to be safer.  The problem is that there is overwhelming statistical evidence (and gut-wrenching anecdotal evidence) that testifies to the contrary.

I’ve found that leftists, like neoconservatives, tend to base their agenda and ideology on emotions rather than cold, unbiased logic.  While I can certainly appreciate the emotional appeal for gun control, I’m glad I took a step back and clearly thought it through based on the evidence.  Here are several points to honestly consider, as well as cited sources for follow-up investigation by my readers.  Please approach them with an open mind and ponder them, taking your time to chew them over.

The vast and overwhelming majority of gun crimes in New York (and the rest of America) are committed with illegally obtained weapons, most of them obtained via the UNREGULATED black market.[1] [2]

Chicago—the city with the most gun restrictions in America—is the city that experiences the most violent gun crimes per capita.[3] [4]

9 of the 10 most-used guns used in violent crimes are handguns—revolvers and 9mm semi-autos—not assault weapons (the top ten’s odd gun out is a shotgun).[5]

Sandy Hook Elementary, the movie theater in Aurora, and Columbine High School were each already designated gun-free zones.  This may come as a shock to some people, but CRIMINALS tend not to obey laws; any criminal willing to harm another human being usually won't be deterred by the mere illegality of automatic weapon.

I can account for at least four instances from the last 30 days (Dec 15-Jan 15) where shooters in public places were stopped by someone nearby who was carrying a gun.  One was in San Diego[6], another in Clackamas[7], the third in San Antonio[8], and the fourth happened in Sacramento.[9]

A recent study from Harvard shows gun control to be counter-productive.[10]

Data Masher offers a fantastic presentation with pure state-by-state statistical data on violent crime versus households with loaded firearms.  Violent crime and gun ownership have a direct inverse relationship (the less violent crime, the more households with guns).[11]

We don't yet know what drives people to commit massacres and other grievous atrocities.  It's not a problem we can solve overnight.  But in the end gun control laws do more to prevent law-abiding citizens from self-defense in life-or-death situations than they do to stop criminals from preying on people.  In the meantime, I support the idea of allowing teachers and administrators to carry their guns with them as long as they pass an annual gun safety course.  I’m also in favor of allowing concealed-carry permits to more citizens as long as they have a clean criminal record and pass an annual safety course.

I think we’d be much better off imitating what Switzerland does.  They have a higher per-individual gun ownership rate than the U.S. does.  However, the Swiss approach gun ownership with a completely different culture.  Though Switzerland has no standing army, it does have a mandatory national militia.  The vast majority of able-bodies men are issued rifles by the government and made to undergo annual militia refresher training.  Rather than being a sign of pissing-contest masculinity the way it is in our country, gun ownership is considered a patriotic and respectable duty in Switzerland.  For this reason it’s a common and benign sight to see Swiss men on sidewalks, in buses, and other public places with rifles slung over their shoulders.[12]  Perhaps America’s problem lies not with guns, but with people and decrepit culture.

 

And one last thing: the wise people who brought you the freedom of speech/expression, freedom from unlawful searches and seizures, the right to a speedy trial, and freedom from self-incrimination (as well as the other peachy items from the BILL OF RIGHTS) are the same folks who brought you the Second Amendment.  Just something to think about…

"Germans who wish to use firearms should join the SS or the SA. Ordinary citizens don't need guns, as their having guns doesn't serve the State." --Heinrich Himmler

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[1] Seifman, David. “NY thugs’ guns flood in from all over US.” New York Post. July 31, 2012.  <http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/ny_thugs_guns_flood_in_from_all_jQBgtK1Kjv0EGOTRksDgEJ>

[2] Noyes, Dan. “Hot Guns: how criminals get guns.” PBS Frontline. <http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/guns/procon/guns.html>

[3] Slevin, Peter. “Chicago grapples with gun violence; death toll soars.” The Washington Post. December 21, 2012. <http://articles.washingtonpost.com/2012-12-21/national/36017398_1_gun-violence-homicide-rate-national-gun-debate>

[4] Hawkins, Awr. “Obama’s Gun Control Not Working in Chicago.” Breitbart. October 28, 2012. <http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2012/10/28/Obama-s-Gun-Control-Not-Working-Out-So-Well-In-Chicago>

[5] Shannon, Elaine. “America’s Most Wanted Guns.” Time Magazine. July 12, 2002. <http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,320383,00.html>

[6] “Officer shot armed suspect in San Diego movie theater.” WEAR TV. January 13, 2013.

[7] Benner, Mike. “Clackamas man, armed, confronts mall shooter.” NWCN News. December 14, 2012. <http://www.nwcn.com/news/oregon/183609901.html>

[8] “San Antonio theater patron, gunman wounded.” UPI. December 17, 2012. <http://m.upi.com/story/UPI-81581355749002/>

[9] Munoz, Luana. “Old Sacramento Security Guard Describes New Year’s Eve Shooting.” Fox 40. January 2, 2013. <http://fox40.com/2013/01/02/old-sacramento-security-guard-describes-new-years-eve-shooting/#dMtJ5vskdBiFHDJj.99>

[10] “Harvard Study: Gun Control Is Counterproductive.” The American Civil Rights Union. <http://theacru.org/acru/harvard_study_gun_control_is_counterproductive/>

[11] “Crime vs Gun Ownership.” Data Masher. <http://www.datamasher.org/mash-ups/crime-vs-gun-ownership#map>

[12] Bachmann, Helena. “The Swiss Difference: A Gun Culture That Works.” Time Magazine. December 20, 2012. <http://world.time.com/2012/12/20/the-swiss-difference-a-gun-culture-that-works/>

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Handguns photo by Joshua Shearn and used via CC BY-SA 3.0 license.  Albert Riedeler photo of Himmler is in the public domain.  The creep smiling at the far right is Reinhard Heydrich.  Harry Turtledove wrote an alternate-history novel in which Heydrich is the protagonist.  The novel is called The Man With the Iron Heart.  It's a fantastic read.  Get it!  You're welcome...