(courtesy thetruthaboutguns.com)

“nvolt’s been three weeks since the October 1 massacre in Las Vegas, the worst mass shooting in modern American history,” Jennifer Mascia (not shown) and Alex Yablon write at thetrace.org. “In that time, at least 2,545 more people have been shot across America, 772 of them fatally, according to the Gun Violence Archive.” Setting aside the question of how many of those shot were felons or engaged in criminal activities, it’s worth noting that The Trace is, by its nature, a context-free zone . . .

Extrapolating from 2016 statistics generated by the National Safety Council, some 2,307 Americans died in traffic accidents in those same three weeks. That’s more than double the number of firearms-related fatalities. The motor vehicle-related death toll includes hundreds of Americans not involved in criminal activities, a significant percentage of whom were children and teenagers.

Extrapolating from a 2013 study by the virulently anti-gun rights Violence Policy Center using data compiled by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, there were also some 3908 defensive gun uses (DGUs) in the three weeks since the Las Vegas shooting (based on the VPC’s conservative five-year average of 67,740 DGUs per year).

There is no comprehensive data base of media accounts of DGUs. By the same token, there is evidence that most DGU’s go unreported. Even without factoring in the police fear factor, I reckon civilian-owned firearms are a significant net positive for society.

Not that the pro-gun control mainstream media would dare mention that fact. Nor does it matter.

Americans have a natural, civil, Constitutionally protected individual right to keep and bear arms. It doesn’t depend on the democratic process or arguments of social utility. But if the RKBA did depend on arguments of social utility it would win. Just so you know.

25 COMMENTS

  1. Ok…break it down by location…then by race…see where the problem really lies.
    Oh…and in that same time…2,000+ abortions per DAY have happened.
    I am pro-choice and pro 2A…not hypocritical like many on both sides.

  2. “…civilian-owned firearms are a significant net positive for society.”

    I think this is the point that has to be hammered instead of responding point for point to most anti gunners. Never, ever accept the framework the left puts an issue into, re-frame it in relevant terms, like “more lives saved than lost.”

    Arguing that it’s a right won’t do much without a plain understanding of what that right affords us day to day. Yes, it is a basic human right, protected in this countries defining document, however the truth is we have a large swath of the population that have been deliberately not taught what a right really is and why they’re important and many people have been sort of inoculated against the concept.

    • “the 2nd Amendment is not your permission for the Author to keep and bear arms, it is, rather, the unalienable right that prevents you from having to ask the Author permission to start (for your own desired reasons, AND THROUGH THE POSESSION OF YOUR OWN MEANS) the next Civil War, because the Author hereby forswears that no request for permission will come the other way if the Author is so inclined.” [J.M. Thomas R., TERMS, 2012, Pg. 107]

    • I’m with you Marcus. It sets the right tone for the conversation, and frames it in an inescapable dichotomy; more gun control = more victims, less gun control = less victims.

    • “…civilian-owned firearms are a significant net positive for society.”

      That is a trap we should NOT get into. The right of the people has nothing to do with statistics of any kind.

  3. Extrapolating from 2016 statistics, some 230 million Americans have been lied to by the MSM and their Democrat handlers in those same three weeks.

    • So long as this fox keeps her eyes on me, not the muzzle of that pistol, I’m good.

      This looks like it should be captioned, “Harvey, I’m looking at YOU.”

      Speaking of which, ranges that look to cater to women might make a “killing” with silhouette targets of Harvey. (Not the big rabbit, the other one.)

      • Fox? It doesn’t matter what sort of ironic edginess & hot hipster the Trace is pimping her as; she’s more swamp rat than reynard, being a ‘ganger like my exwife.

        So unless that outfit is specifically aiming her tiny low-rent charms at hipsters, Jodies, and betting on Pavlovian response……

        Fail.
        If you’re shilling for Bloomturd, it’s what you do.

      • And if the sillouettes were life-like with an hi-vis big cash moneywad contract, a majority of fem Traceists wouldn’t even see the Harvey.

  4. Is that The Range at Austin? Went there this weekend with my daughter who attends UT. Lots of fun bonding time. By the way, people that oppose the suppressor law have never shot at an indoor range!

  5. “Extrapolating from 2016 statistics generated by the National Safety Council, some 2,307 Americans died in traffic accidents in those same three weeks.”

    And in the late 60’s and early 70’s the Automobile Safety Movement used “carnage on our highways” as a political wedge issue to promote, among other things, the 55mph speed limit. The movement was promoted by Ralph Nader who’s “Nader’s Raiders” passion for the cause was eerily similar to the passion of the Mom’s.

    • There’s also some fairly compelling studies that show speed limits can increase fatalities and accidents on the road.

  6. “At least 3900 Defensive Gun Uses” and they wonder why Bloomies shills are so much less committed than pro-gun folks.

    They should really read Machiavelli’s thoughts on using mercenaries.

  7. “Jennifer Mascia (not shown) and Alex Yablon write at thetrace.org.”

    Yeah, I had a bad case of the Yablons once…

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