Gun Bias...What the media isn't telling you!
Jan 9, 2015 22:04:21 #
The bias against guns: What the media isn't telling you
By Dr. John R. Lott Jr.
Just two days before New Years, a 2-year-old accidentally shot and k**led his mother at a Wal-Mart in rural Idaho. The victim was Veronica Rutledge, a 29-year-old concealed handgun permit holder. The child had reached into his mothers purse. Massive news coverage ensued.
Tragedies like these make headlines. Thats understandable. But where was the news media on the previous day, when concealed handgun permit holders likely saved multiple lives?
In Fargo, N.D., four people robbed a 36-year-old man and beat him unconscious. Fortunately, a permit holder stopped the attack. The passer-by, who has a license to carry a concealed weapon, brandished his gun to end the robbery, police reported.
If Americans hear only about the bad things that happen with guns, they will be much more likely to support strict gun regulations. The unjustified fears may also disarm people and prevent them from saving lives.
In Kissimmee, Fla., a church employee shot at a pastor after being fired from his job. The pastor had a permit and returned fire, wounding the attacker.
Werent these stories equally newsworthy? To save a stranger, a permit holder stood up to four attackers. Without the pastors concealed handgun permit, there could have been a mass shooting in a crowded church. That would surely have gotten massive national news coverage, but the pastor stopping the attack wasnt considered a story.
The lopsided coverage gives Americans a skewed view of guns.
The Associated Press at least tried to put the Rutledge case in some perspective. It noted that, a year ago, Idaho had more than 85,500 permit holders about 7 percent of the adult population. Yet even this doesnt do justice to the rarity of the tragedy.
I cant find another similar case of a child accidentally firing a permit holders concealed handgun. For decades, there have been millions of permit holders. Today, there are 12 million. It will probably be a very long time before theres another case like this.
My research finds that states saw no increase in accidental handgun deaths after adopting concealed-carry laws. Even non-fatal accidental gunshots result in permits being revoked, and those are extremely rare.
Some in the media have used the tragedy to exaggerate the risks of concealed carry.
Others listed two cases where a child shot an adult to death, but again neither case involved a permitted concealed handgun.
But even if one is looking at guns generally, not just permitted concealed handguns, accidental gun deaths are still very rare. There were 548 accidental gun deaths in 2012, the last year for which data are available. That sounds like a lot, but a new Gallup survey suggests that 134 million Americans have at least one gun in the home, meaning the accidental gun death rate is about 4.1 per million people living in a home with a gun.
Unfortunately, despite the familys claim to the contrary, the extremely rare tragedy with Veronica Rutledge likely arose because she stored her gun improperly. If she had a semi-automatic pistol, as some reports indicate, it would have been impossible for a two-year-old to have the strength to pull the slide back on the gun to chamber the first round. If she had a revolver or most pistols, it seems exceedingly unlikely that child would have switched off the safety. Thus, she had either already chambered the first round in the gun herself and/or switched off the safety, thus negating the guns safety features.
Media bias isnt just about how stories are covered. Its also about which stories are covered. If Americans hear only about the bad things that happen with guns, they will be much more likely to support strict gun regulations. The unjustified fears may also disarm people and prevent them from saving lives.
Nevertheless, Americans overwhelmingly believe that guns increase safety both inside and outside the home.
By Dr. John R. Lott Jr.
Just two days before New Years, a 2-year-old accidentally shot and k**led his mother at a Wal-Mart in rural Idaho. The victim was Veronica Rutledge, a 29-year-old concealed handgun permit holder. The child had reached into his mothers purse. Massive news coverage ensued.
Tragedies like these make headlines. Thats understandable. But where was the news media on the previous day, when concealed handgun permit holders likely saved multiple lives?
In Fargo, N.D., four people robbed a 36-year-old man and beat him unconscious. Fortunately, a permit holder stopped the attack. The passer-by, who has a license to carry a concealed weapon, brandished his gun to end the robbery, police reported.
If Americans hear only about the bad things that happen with guns, they will be much more likely to support strict gun regulations. The unjustified fears may also disarm people and prevent them from saving lives.
In Kissimmee, Fla., a church employee shot at a pastor after being fired from his job. The pastor had a permit and returned fire, wounding the attacker.
Werent these stories equally newsworthy? To save a stranger, a permit holder stood up to four attackers. Without the pastors concealed handgun permit, there could have been a mass shooting in a crowded church. That would surely have gotten massive national news coverage, but the pastor stopping the attack wasnt considered a story.
The lopsided coverage gives Americans a skewed view of guns.
The Associated Press at least tried to put the Rutledge case in some perspective. It noted that, a year ago, Idaho had more than 85,500 permit holders about 7 percent of the adult population. Yet even this doesnt do justice to the rarity of the tragedy.
I cant find another similar case of a child accidentally firing a permit holders concealed handgun. For decades, there have been millions of permit holders. Today, there are 12 million. It will probably be a very long time before theres another case like this.
My research finds that states saw no increase in accidental handgun deaths after adopting concealed-carry laws. Even non-fatal accidental gunshots result in permits being revoked, and those are extremely rare.
Some in the media have used the tragedy to exaggerate the risks of concealed carry.
Others listed two cases where a child shot an adult to death, but again neither case involved a permitted concealed handgun.
But even if one is looking at guns generally, not just permitted concealed handguns, accidental gun deaths are still very rare. There were 548 accidental gun deaths in 2012, the last year for which data are available. That sounds like a lot, but a new Gallup survey suggests that 134 million Americans have at least one gun in the home, meaning the accidental gun death rate is about 4.1 per million people living in a home with a gun.
Unfortunately, despite the familys claim to the contrary, the extremely rare tragedy with Veronica Rutledge likely arose because she stored her gun improperly. If she had a semi-automatic pistol, as some reports indicate, it would have been impossible for a two-year-old to have the strength to pull the slide back on the gun to chamber the first round. If she had a revolver or most pistols, it seems exceedingly unlikely that child would have switched off the safety. Thus, she had either already chambered the first round in the gun herself and/or switched off the safety, thus negating the guns safety features.
Media bias isnt just about how stories are covered. Its also about which stories are covered. If Americans hear only about the bad things that happen with guns, they will be much more likely to support strict gun regulations. The unjustified fears may also disarm people and prevent them from saving lives.
Nevertheless, Americans overwhelmingly believe that guns increase safety both inside and outside the home.
Jan 9, 2015 22:20:08 #
Hick
Loc: Deepest,darkest Arizona
Mr. Sutton, Thank you! Your piece is a drink of cool spring water, Sir. I hatched the idea while reading it, to explore ways by which some of the best pro- 2nd Amendment articles in this blog might be reproduced in moderate mass form for handouts, flyers, etc. then to be distributed as widely as possible. It would be my aim to elevate public knowledge on a vital philosophy. :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:
Jan 9, 2015 22:50:39 #
melbell
Loc: California / Kentucky
ldsuttonjr wrote:
The bias against guns: What the media isn't tellin... (show quote)
Thank you , for this article.
I believe guns are safe.
That statistic 4.1 per million is astounding.
It is a compelling case of media bias regarding the coverage and filtering of coverage.
I purchased my first firearms 20+ years ago.
I have purchased multiple firearms.
We have taught our children gun safety.
We also taught our children to drive automobiles.
We taught them to ride bicycles
We taught them to ride horses.
We taught them to swim
All of those activities are more dangerous than guns.
Other dangerous risks , we took with our children
Flu shots
V******tions
I wonder how those compare to that statistic
4.1 per million
I included some of the dangerous things I have allowed my children to do,
Because , some people are irrational about guns / firearms and the dangers they present to society and children.
This article may explain why.
Thank you for sharing it.
Jan 10, 2015 00:49:22 #
Hick
Loc: Deepest,darkest Arizona
DING ! Bullseye in the X-Ring & thank you for your comparative ratio article !
Jan 10, 2015 20:01:44 #
shipfitter
Loc: Wisconsin, for now
ldsuttonjr wrote:
The bias against guns: What the media isn't tellin... (show quote)
Heres a Fact for ya . Ive been shooting for 52 years now . Taught my wife to shoot , and bought her , her Own CCW . I have 15 guns in the house . My neighbors have None . I'll betcha , My house is a Lot safer than theirs is . Oh . My neighbors are LIBTURDS TOO .
Jan 10, 2015 20:04:50 #
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