As American’s, we often find ourselves glued to our T.V. sets and phones trying to process yet another mass shooting. America has managed to become the undisputed world leader in this category, and that is not something you want to be known for. Thirty-one percent of all mass murders happen in American even though we only make up five percent of the world’s population. This epidemic has gone on long enough. It’s time to take back the argument from a group of hostile conservatives holding this country hostage. Their regurgitated ill-conceived arguments against gun control have gone on for long enough. Here are five counter-arguments to combat these abominable talking points.

 

1. People who want to kill people are always going to find a way to do it.

Example: Senator Marco Rubio, “If someone’s decided, ‘I’m going to commit this crime,’ they’ll find a way to get the gun to do it.”

This a terrible argument and defies logical thinking, especially for a lawmaker. Rubio has concluded that creating laws to solve problems isn’t the answer. We don’t take this approach with drug dealers, terrorist, drunk driver, murders, etc.…. Legislators serve as their constituent’s collective conscious, and as such, play a crucial role in the passage of laws that promote public safety. Saying that a bad person will find a way to get guns and kill people is a statement of surrender. Congress can reduce gun-related violence and deaths by raising the standards for gun ownership.

 

2. A Good Guy with a Gun Beats a Bad Guy with a Gun

Example: National Rifle Association CEO Wayne LaPierre, “To stop a bad guy with a gun, it takes a good guy with a gun,”

This is a misguided argument against stricter guns laws. Sure, a police officer will stop a bad guy with a gun but it isn’t easy. The government does not track statistics on the accuracy of police offices in gunfights but a RAND Corporation eight-year study evaluating NYC Police Department firearms training found that the average hit rate during a gunfight was eighteen percent. The number rose to a mere thirty percent when the suspect did not return fire. If NY City’s finest can’t take out an active shooter eighty percent of the time, I don’t think Wayne would take his chances with a plumber or a painter with a pistol.

 

3. Assault Rifle Ban Won’t Work and Banning Guns Won’t Work

Example: Tucker Carlson said, “We know from ten years of experience that an assault weapons ban doesn’t work.”

The data tells us that Tucker is dead wrong. Gun massacre deaths dropped 43% during the ten- year period (1994-2004) that the assault rifle ban was in place and gun crimes involving assault rifles declined. The numbers could have been higher if the legislation had not grandfathered the assault rifles already on the streets. There has been a 239% percent increase in gun massacre deaths since the law expired. Go figure!

It’s simple, if we take away access to the mass murderer’s weapon of choice, mass shootings will decline, and stricter standards for gun ownership will have a positive impact on gun crimes.

 

4. My Guns Are for Self-Defense

Agreed, guns can be used in self-defense. The Pew Research Center reports that 48% of gun owners say they own a firearm primarily for protection. However, post-purchase the guns for self-defense argument goes south. A Harvard University five-year study of crime data revealed that for every person who uses a gun in self-defense, nearly six people use a firearm to commit a crime. The research proved that not only is self-defense gun use rare, with roughly (10.09%) was almost identical to the likelihood of injury when the victim took no action (11%). It turns out that your best bet for not becoming a victim of violent crime is to… Run Forrest, run… and call the cops.

Under no fact pattern do you need an assault rifle, which fires up to 45 rounds a minute to protect yourself from the common criminal. You’re not defending the country from foreign invasion Red Dawn style. I’m sorry Rambo, but you have seen one too many action movies.

 

5.   We Need the President to do Something

Example: Senator Joe Machin said, “If the President comes forward and says this is what I want done, this is what I am going to support, and I will give you the cover you need…. It’s up to President Trump.”

This is one lazy cop-out for a Politician. Here is a wacky idea, why don’t you just get something passed, put it on his desk and dare him to veto it?

President Trump lacks the moral fortitude, political courage or policy expertise to lead the charge on gun control. You can add gun control to the long list of things Trump was for until he was against: Dreamers, a Mexico-funded wall, punishing China for currency manipulation, pulling out of “obsolete” NATO to name a few.

This President is a fierce opponent in a twitter battle but backs down in the face of direct confrontation and has yet to veto anything. The vast majority of America is behind gun control, so do your job Joe and pass some common-sense gun legislation.

Here are a few numbers in support of gun control according to a POLITICO/Morning Consult poll:

Preventing sales of all firearms to people who have been reported as dangerous to law enforcement by a mental-health provider – 89% Support

Requiring background checks on all gun sales – 88% Support

Making private gun sales and sales at gun shows subject to background checks – 82% Support

Preventing sales of all firearms to people who have been convicted of violent misdemeanors – 84% Support

Barring gun purchases by people on the federal No-Fly Lists – 81% Support

Creating a national database with information about each gun sale – 78% Support

Requiring a mandatory waiting period of three days after a gun is purchased before it can be taken home -78% Support

Banning the use of bump stocks, which are gun accessories that allow a shooter to fire hundreds of rounds per minute – 77% Support

Banning high-capacity magazines – 70% Support

Banning assault-style weapons – 68% support

The list goes on and if you would like to check out the whole poll click here.

If in this tidal wave of public support for gun control you are waiting for Presidential approval to act. Then get out of the way and let your congressional colleagues who value the well-being of their constituents over the self-interest of the NRA pass legislation. Get something passed, put it on the President’s desk and see if your boy blinks.

Gun ownership is at a 40-year low, but for the 36% of Americans that own a gun, there are three compelling pro-gun arguments. The first is that guns are used for hunting and sport and for these sporty folk a rifle or shotguns will get the job done. If you need to unload a spray of semi-automatic firepower to bag your prey, you might want to consider a different hobby. The second is self-defense, and as covered above, your best bet is to buy a pair of running shoes and bolt in the opposite direction, but if you choose to stand your ground, a pistol or shotgun will offer you an 11% chance that you will live to tell. The third and final reason is the Dirty Harry argument, which holds that chrome is cool. To which I say, “Do you feel lucky punk?” You are going to need some luck. The risk of homicide is three times higher in homes with guns and suicide by gun increases 17-fold.

Until we pass gun legislation that controls the type of gun and who is eligible to purchase it, we can expect the body count rise, school shooting to increase, public spaces to be vulnerable and America to be the known as the land of the free, the brave and the mass murder.