How to make your case
Chris points out something we gun nuts often forget: If you ask most people in this country whether we have gun control, they’ll say no we don’t. If you ask them why, they’ll say something like “because the NRA keeps it from passing.
It is a perception issue. Despite there being several tens of thousands of gun laws on the books, people think otherwise. That’s, generally I think, due to poor press coverage of the gun issue. Chris also offers an exchange he’s had in which he tries to educate people on the gun laws.
Continuing this trend, Rusty has advice on How to Talk to People About the Upcoming “Assault Weapons” Ban.
I prefer illustrating the point with pictures. And if words are your thing instead of pictures, here’s an op-ed I wrote for a Maryland paper on the issue of assault weapons.
Update: and how can I forget this quiz by Greg that would quickly dispel the notion that we have few gun laws to those less knowledgeable.
January 22nd, 2009 at 10:17 am
I also suggest having them take this questionnaire. It can be eye opening.
January 22nd, 2009 at 11:58 am
Another bit of leverage is the Law of Unintended Consequences. Most of these proposed laws define “assault weapon” in a way that bans half the pistols used in the Olympic Games.
January 22nd, 2009 at 12:19 pm
I like the link with pictures -especially the September 13th and September 14th guns, a statement reminding of the less-powerful nature, and Greg’s quiz.
IMO the media intentionally confuses people about the incredible volume of gun-laws in existence at State and Federal levels, for both Buyers and Sellers (FFL’s).
By doing that they can perpetuate the “unregulated sales” myth. Maybe some numbers or a comparison to the Tax Code would help, along with a comparison: IRS=BATFE.
January 22nd, 2009 at 3:34 pm
It’s not “poor press coverage”, the coverage is EXACTLY what the bottom-feeding scum in the press want. Ignorant people are much more easily led; i.e. observe the output of drones from what currently passes for an “education” system.