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Debunking 3 Common Gun Control Myths

gun control myths

image credit NPR.org

I assume most people reading this article are pro-gun, and most of us pro-gun folks take anything coming from the illogical gun grabbers with not a grain of salt, but a can of Morton’s. Sound bites are a weapon the emotionally reactive gun-grabbers love to use, and often they are false, or half-truths. This article is to reveal the whole truth and arm us pro-gunners with a truthful and logical argument.

So we’ll take a look at the gun control’s arguments and debunk or reveal the whole truth. These arguments are better described as sound bites than any actual debating material. Three common gun control myths:

Myth: 40 percent of guns that are purchased are purchased in private sales.

Fact: First off, whenever I hear this I have to say “So what?” Forty percent of gun owners aren’t criminals, so who cares if they bought these guns privately? This “argument” is supposed to be fuel for the fire for universal background checks bills that were recently shut down. Politicians, talking heads on the news, and writers for the lib rags like the New York Times and USA Today love to use it. The whole problem with this statistic and this little sound bite is where it is derived from.

Understanding why this sound bite is popular is easy: It sounds good, especially when you don’t know the history of it. According to research done by Glenn Kessler and published in The Washington Post and in the fact checker section of www.washingtonpost.com, this study was done in 1993 — you know, two decades ago — and a whopping 251 people were interviewed. Actually, they were called on the phone.

According to Mr. Kessler, if you kept digging, the number shrinks to under 30 percent when you figured in guns that were given as gifts or inherited. So while technically the 40 percent of the 251 people did not have a background check conducted, once all the facts are brought to light it becomes a useless statement.

Myth: There’s a gun show loophole

Fact: The so-called gun show loophole is one of the most talked about, but often most misunderstood term in the gun control debate. The way the anti-gun groups make it sound is that criminals and psychopaths are roaming gun shows with lust in their eyes for these precious pieces of metal that will allow them to carry out their dastardly plans.

For those who know very little about gun shows and gun rights in general, the gun show loophole appears to be a way to bypass the federal law requiring background checks. The idea is that anyone at a gun show can buy any gun from any seller without a background check. This is simply not true. Sellers at a gun show are divided into private sellers and dealers. Regardless of where a dealer is, he has to do a background check; any private seller is simply selling private property.

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So there are sales that do happen at gun shows without background checks, this is true, but they are no different than any private sales. There is no gun show loophole that states that any gun sold at a gun show does not require a background check.

How many private sales are done at gun shows? I don’t have a national statistic, but I have personal experience from the many, many gun shows I have been to. Don’t get me wrong: I fully acknowledge that anecdotes aren’t replacements for statistical evidence, so take what I have to say for what it is. Most gun shows I go to are 99 percent dealers selling firearms, with the occasional tables set up with a few private sellers. These private sellers don’t have tables full of guns, and are often more concerned with buying or trading than simply making money.

OK, but how many criminals get their guns at gun shows? There obviously has to be a reason for all the hoopla about gun show sales. The Bureau of Justice Statistics did a report titled “Firearms Use By Offenders” and found that less than 1 percent of guns used in crimes are purchased at gun shows. That kind of makes the whole gun show loophole myth a bit ludicrous.

Myth: 90 percent of people support expanded background checks.

Fact: This one blows my mind. Ninety percent of Americans support expanded background checks? Then why aren’t Americans rioting, calling their elected officials. Why isn’t 90 percent of America angry about this?

My first question is: Where are these 90 percent? Do I just hang out and associate with the 10 percent that don’t support background checks? Even my friends that aren’t gun owners are either indifferent or know expanded background checks would have not have stopped Columbine, Aurora or Newtown.

Actually, this sound bite has been proven inconclusive, as well. According to a Washington Post-Pew Research Center poll, only 47 percent of Americans were angry or disappointed that the expanded gun control bill didn’t pass and 39 percent were happy or relieved it didn’t pass. The rest of those polled fell into the category of indifferent or no opinion.

This is a far cry from the 89, 90 and 91 percent we heard all over the news when the bill was being reviewed. Ultimately, informed Americans do not support these background checks, and they understand these checks would not have prevented madmen from getting weapons. We as Americans should never be assumed to be criminals.

What to Remember

These are only three examples of the myths, lies and half-truths gun control advocates like to use. I chose these three due to the fact they have been used most recently. The overall quality of these arguments is so low it can be a decent example of most control arguments. They are often based on dangerous sounding terms that sound really good on the evening news.

Hopefully I’ve given you all a few things to consider, and hopefully reinforced your own arguments when you come in contact with an anti-gunner. The truth will remain the truth in the face of any lie or half-truths. Stay vigilant my friends — now is not the time to become complacent with our gun rights.

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