1) "Violent movies and videogames are to blame!"
Europe and Japan have violent movies and videogames; but nowhere near the shootings that we have. What they don’t have is semiautomatic weapons in the hands of their citizens.
2) "But... the Second Amendment!"
The second amendment says this:
"A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed"
If the founding fathers wanted no limits on guns, why did they include "A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state" in the amendment?
They could have simply had the amendment state: "The right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed."
But they didn't. Because the purpose of citizens bearing muskets was to form a well regulated militia to act as security for the state because we (wisely) had no standing armies at the time.
That's no longer the case.
Furthermore, the founding fathers never envisioned automatic and semiautomatic weapons. They shouldn't be available for private ownership any more than Tomahawk missiles should.
3) "But I need my guns to overthrow the tyrannical federal government!"
This excuse doesn’t make any sense.
If the purpose of gun ownership is to outshoot the US government, I'm afraid you're going to need fighter jets, stealth bombers, aircraft carriers, and nuclear submarines.
4) "I'll never be safe without my guns!"
Studies prove that gun owners, and their loved ones, are more likely to be shot by their guns than are criminals. Just ask gun owner, Nancy Lanza.
5) "Liberals are always trying to take away our guns!"
“Liberals” like gun control advocates Ronald Reagan and Rupert Murdoch?
"I support the Brady Bill, and I urge the Congress to enact it without further delay." -Ronald Reagan
"When will politicians find courage to ban automatic weapons?" -Rupert Murdoch
Or maybe “liberals” like Jesus Christ, who said: "Put your sword back in its place! Everyone who uses a sword will be killed by a sword."
6) "Guns don't kill people. People kill people!"
Tell that to all the people who accidentally shoot themselves and their loved ones. Tell that to children who find a gun in their house and accidentally kill themselves or their playmates.
7) "School shootings happen because God has been taken out of our schools!"
The supposed erosion of "American" values has nothing to do with increased gun violence.
Otherwise all the “godless, socialist, un-American” countries around the world would have more shootings than we have. But they don't.
What's really happened is the rise of the NRA as a political power. The result is more guns, and more semiautomatic guns, are out there than ever before.
Also, our politicians have been systematically cutting the social safety net that would have helped the mentally ill.
In short, too many guns, and less assistance for mental illness. The tragic result should come as no surprise.
8) "It won't make a difference if we take guns away! Evil will still find a way!"
Gun owners commit suicide at a higher rate than do normal people. Why is this if guns don't matter and people will find a way no matter what?
9) "If you outlaw guns, only outlaws will have guns!"
Um, not only outlaws. Law enforcement will have guns too.
This excuse is like saying, "If we outlaw murder, only outlaws will be murderers!"
…So?
10) "We need armed guards at every school in America!"
Columbine had armed guards present when the massacre happened.
There were plenty of armed men at Fort Hood when that shooting happened.
Viginia Tech has a campus police force.
11) "The NRA is unstoppable! It's hopeless to oppose them!"
If we want it bad enough, it will happen.
A semiautomatic weapon ban is achievable.
The number of American households that own guns has declined, from less than 50% in 1973 to just over 32% in 2010.
If the NRA was so damned powerful, how did Obama get re-elected? How did all those Congressmen the NRA were backing in 2012 end up losing?
Look, the NRA is just a lobbying group for gun manufacturers who would make less profit if semiautomatic weapons were banned.
Karl Rove, the Koch Brothers and the Super PACs got beat.
The NRA can be beat.
If 20 dead children isn’t enough to make it happen, then what the hell is?
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