The Global Liberty Community
10 Problems Only Gun Control Opponents Understand
After every unfortunate gun-related tragedy, gun control advocates and media pundits predictably call for tougher federal laws. This reactionary process is reliable: a horrific crime sparks circular blame and the disarmament agenda is exalted. The establishment cannot resist exploiting opportunities to promote an anti-firearm platform. If you’re a gun control opponent, if you value your right to self-defense or just love the smell of gun power and that clink of expended shells, you’ve undoubtedly defended yourself when some gun control advocate squawks, “Who actually needs an AR15!?”
Don’t worry, you are not alone. We captured our reactions below in this top 10 list.
1) Every single gun ever is called an “Assault rifle.”
2) Gun control advocates aren’t really against guns. They just want only the police and government agencies to have guns.
3) People complaining about how bad gun homicide is, when in reality it’s down 49% since 1993.
4) Listening to a gun control advocate blame arsonists for arson, bombers for bombings, and homicidal maniacs for stabbings. Then blame guns for all gun crime.
5) Media pundits say “Americans want gun control!” but according to Pew, 72% of Republicans, 55% of independents and 27% of Democrats feel protecting gun ownership trumps “controlling guns”.
6) Gun control opponents suggesting women “pee on themselves,” during a rape to deter an attacker instead of learning to arm themselves.
7) Being called an “ignorant gun-toting redneck Jesus freak” any time you don’t want to ban every gun ever after a tragedy.
8) When someone counters your long list of factual gun control rebuttals with, “Think of the children.”
9) The reaction when you tell someone that “the number of homicides at middle and high schools has steadily declined between 1993 and 2010,” and “that shootings are so rare that the average school would have to wait 13,870 years before a campus homicide would occur.”
10) Finding other liberty-minded individuals who realize you’re not an ignorant hillbilly and you really do care about people AND your right to bear arms.
Libertarian Girl
I believe in the ability of humankind to preserve and elevate the free minds and free markets that free people.
Join The Discussion
16 CommentsThoughts? Comments?
Please login or register to post a comment.
Alan June 28, 2014 , 9:25 am
I am no advocate for gun control. That said I more and more dislike open carry activism. Most people who open carry handguns are not qualified to actually use them. Using a handgun is not like riding a bike. You need regular practice on a REAL range not a still target range. If you want to do open carry activism either spend more time at a Live Fire Exercise range, or take the damn bullets out of the gun.
Without real and regular training you are more likely to be a danger to yourself and innocent people than you are to ‘Shoot the bad guy’. An empty weapon makes the point just as well as a loaded one. And here is a secret… No one will know the difference.
Derek June 29, 2014 , 2:21 am
I would have to disagree with you Alan about the unloaded gun as a deterrent against a violent attack. You should never aim a gun unless your prepared to shoot without hesitation. Some people when threatened with lethal force run away, but some will choose to stay and fight. Since you introduced lethal force into the equation, they will also apply lethal force not knowing that you were bluffing. Also your attacker may not be entirely lucid or sane, he could be in a drugged state or suffering from mental illness.
It’s best to use the threat of violence as a deterrent, but you need to be able to carry out that threat in the worst case scenario.
Alan June 29, 2014 , 2:57 am
So you disagree that people who do not regularly train on Live exercise should not be carrying around loaded weapons? I am sorry but most of the activist I have seen doing open carry are more excited about the prospect of shooting someone than they are the activism. I am not saying open carry is bad, but the person who is really interested in self defense open carries an unloaded hand gun and carries a short knife. The attacker is more focused on the handgun(a not very effective weapon in most cases) and the defender is prepared and has a more effective weapon (the knife). Most engagements happen at less than 20ft where a short knife is more effective.
Finally when your primary or in most cases only tool is a hammer…
Derek June 29, 2014 , 4:31 am
I don’t have any experience with gun activist, so i can not say as to how responsible they are with their weapon handling. I don’t disagree with you on the fact that if you are going to be armed then you need to be competent and knowledgeable about your weapon. On your initial post you made no mention of a knife, nevertheless in your scenario it would still be better to have the knife and a loaded gun. You are also assuming your attacker isn’t brandishing a weapon of some kind. I find your scenario makes a lot of assumptions(running away, 20ft, unarmed assailant, reserve knife) in order to be highly effective, whereas having a loaded gun is versatile enough to be effective in most scenarios.
But to the original point, I think heavily insisting on gun training is better than telling them to unload their gun. I’m also surprised these gun enthusiast would relish the chance to practice with there weapon on a frequent basis.
Derek June 29, 2014 , 4:34 am
I hate it when you hit post and then see your spelling errors…sigh.
Alan June 29, 2014 , 6:46 am
Try being dyslexic.
My original post pointed to the fact that most people do not have the training to walk around with a loaded weapon. Firing at a still target does not qualify one to actually draw and fire your weapon in those rare cases where something like that is needed. This is why I emphasized live ranges. I have now met several OC activists in NH (in addition to some where I was living before). I have met exactly 1 I would trust with something more than a spoon I’d the S hit the fan. For the rest its a power trip, and they brag about having the opportunity to and I quote one here “ice a bad guy”(who the hell even says that? Lay off the movies.).
The truth is it takes several thousand hours just to become proficient. A few shoots at a range does not make the actions second nature which is what you need in situation like that.
I have seen the elephant as they say. I have had people pull hand guns, I have had people pull knives on me. Dealing with a situation like that requires calm cool and training if your not going to get you or a bystander else killed.
For those who want to do activism unload your gun, you can still make your point. As for the people who know what your doing, in that rare situation I can’t handle it on my own I want you armed and ready. But the chances someone like that is needed is less than being struck by lightning. I am making a distinction between they activist and the boy scout (always be prepared). An untrained or half trained person is more dangerous to bystanders than to bad guys.
I want to give an actual example. I live in what I am told is a bad neighborhood. I say what I am told because I just don’t see it having lived in an number of actual ghettos. To walk a dog this guy got a 10in rambo knife (absurd), and practiced running in place and quick drawing it. He had the knife because he had to sell his guns. And he just could wait for some thug to try and jump him.
Having lived in actual ghettos and a semi closeted homosexual who saw same sent to the hospital for being homosexual. Ya I wasn’t impressed and wouldn’t trust the guy with a pair of finger nail clippers. Violence should only be a last extreme, and from first hand knowledge you cannot react. You must act on a level equivalent to instinct. A few hours training with anything, knife, gun, rifle, is not enough.
Objectivist Dad January 18, 2015 , 12:12 am Vote0
I don’t think you are an expert on combat. What if your opponent is actually two people with guns? Stabbing one isn’t likely to cause the other to run and take cover. Shooting or shooting at one likely will.
Also, “most” doesn’t mean all.
Lastly, you can always leave the loaded gun in the holster and pull the knife. Can’t forgo the knife and shoot someone with the unloaded gun.
Google Massad Ayoob and Col. Jeff Cooper.
Tiffany Madison June 29, 2014 , 11:31 pm
//Most people who open carry handguns are not qualified to actually use them.//
Do you have data to support this allegation?
Alan June 30, 2014 , 1:20 am
I do but not in front of me. When I am in front of my computer I will post them. For now I will point out that in order to remain proficient requires hours of practice each week. There are an awe fully few gun ranges to provide this service. The math does not add up.
Audrey C June 30, 2014 , 9:29 am
Good question! Also – who should be given the power of qualifying or disqualifying someone to exercise their constitutional right to bear arms (if, indeed, open carry is permitted in that state)? Because we’ve totally had good luck giving some folks the power over others in the past. I’m sure it’ll work this time.
Objectivist Dad January 18, 2015 , 12:13 am Vote0
Where’s the Like button? 🙂
Foo Quuxman August 8, 2014 , 11:41 pm Vote0
This is relevant:
http://esr.ibiblio.org/?p=5260 “Does firearms competency testing do any good?”
Barkha January 21, 2015 , 6:29 pm Vote0
Are you for private pools? Do people need to pass a swimming test to build a pool in their back yards? How about people visiting home with pools? Allowed? or “needs swim test”?
Mike Vroman June 30, 2014 , 1:32 am
I would agree with Alan that far too many who carry, whether open or not, are insufficiently prepared. I don’t, however, agree that most of these unprepared people are necessarily a danger to bystanders, as the trouble can easily come and pass before they recognize it.
Situational awareness and the ability to recognize potential danger are, in my experience, the chief deficiencies.
Foo Quuxman August 8, 2014 , 11:39 pm Vote0
What is the gif with the guy taking the express elevator to the ground floor from?
Streeter November 5, 2014 , 5:21 pm Vote0
I believe that is from IT Crowd