When the human species does not understand something, it is normal for us to encircle it in myth. These myths can lead to baseless opinions that are nothing short of being irrational. This cannot be seen any better than with the topic of firearms and the thing is…. Everyone secretly loves firearms, but they don’t understand them- which leads to irrational opinions that are based on nothing but hearsay. Often this hearsay comes from parents, educators, politicians, or anyone else that is seen as being “knowledgeable and reasonable.”
Now… when I say everyone secretly loves firearms, I know that there are exceptions, and that some people do in fact hate firearms. I do believe though that a majority of people love firearms, but they don’t understand them, so they fear them…and they find information to perpetuate that fear so that it doesn’t seem so irrational to their own mind. Everyone was excited when John Wick 2 came out- even those who “hate” firearms were excited. Everyone was excited for Grand Theft Auto 5, the new Call of Duty, or even Fallout 4. What do these all share? Firearms. There are staunch firearm haters out there who have even downloaded the “Modern Weapons” mod for Fallout 4 which puts real life weapons into the game- how crazy is that!? In real life a lot of these gamers (or anti-gunners in general) just do not understand firearms and because of this they find a reason to stay away from them (nobody wants to seem ignorant). They buy into the propaganda that gets put in front of them such as “Australia is so much safer than the United States” which is something I have dived into in a previous blog which you can find on my website.
Back in the early 2000s and mid to late 1990s “experts” everywhere were pairing crime with video games, movies, or anything else they could find because they simply could not explain why crime was on the rise. Despite stricter regulations across the board including a firearms ban crime was still on the rise. Back in the 1960s in the United States there were rifle clubs, hunting clubs, and more in high schools- many of the older readers will remember their school having ranges or having their rifle in their truck or locker during school hours. In fact, firearms safety was a class that was taught in many schools… and there weren’t as many-if any- school shootings. What has changed? From the late 1990s to early 2000s the “experts” realized that if video games and movies were causing the crime rates to increase there would be a lot more crime. What happened from the 1960s to today? Familiarity and understanding of what something is. That something is firearms and firearms are nothing more than a tool. More people die every year due to obesity, medical malpractice, and drunk driving than by murder committed by a firearm, or even suicide done with a firearm. We aren’t pushing to ban silverware, doctors, alcohol, or even tightening the belt on what the FDA allows the public to ingest (including products with a 15 mile long list of side affects ). For some reason though… there is a ferocious fight for if people are allowed to protect their right to life, their right to self-preservation, and their choice to participate in a hobby. Why…? If you are a person who is against firearms… do you think that you do not have the right to defend yourself by any means necessary?