Reality Check: Are calls for stricter gun laws really about guns?

Worldwide – U.S. Ranks 1st in Gun Ownership and 28th in Gun Homicide, Ron Paul says Resent and Resist

Since Sandy Hook’s devastating shooting, there have been discussions from everyday citizens, politicians, media pundits and political organizations on how to resolve the problem that has taken mainstream media spotlight in the past year; the problem? Shooting sprees, which have occurred in malls, movie theatres and schools.

One of the trends that has followed in the wake of Sandy Hook’s shooting is misinformation or inaccurate reporting on gun-related statistics. To cut it short, CNN’s Piers Morgan in particular has led the way for pro-gun law advocates and has done a great job at displaying statistics, which are demeaning. For instance, Morgan continues to claim that Britain, a country that happens to have firearms banned, only produced 35 gun-related homicides in 2011.

Sure, but looking at the overall picture, Britain is actually second in the European Union when it comes to crime rates. The UK also has the fifth highest robbery rate, and fourth highest burglary rate; to top it off, the EU declared Britain the most violent country out of all European countries.

As SLN reported, “However, according to the CATO Institute and FBI statistics, when guns were banned in the UK, armed robbery rates jumped 40%. In Australia, armed robbery rates increased 40%. The statistics also show that the majority of robberies in the UK happen when people are home, which is 50% of the time.”

Interestingly, Britain’s violent crimes rate is 2,034 per 100,000 people compared to the United States’ 466 violent crimes per 100,000 people.

As Fox19’s Ben Swann pointed out, the U.S. has the highest gun ownership in the world – 88 guns per 100 people. Although the U.S. has the highest gun ownership, America is 28th in the world when it comes to gun homicides; 2.97 per 100,000 people.

Luckily, Representatives in D.C. like Thomas Massie from Kentucky are taking the stand against gun grabbers and lawmakers who think reforming firearms is a reasonable idea. The freshman Congressman proposed a bill recently that would repeal all federal “gun-free school zones”, Massie explained, “Gun free zones prevent law-abiding citizens from protecting themselves, and create vulnerable populations that are targeted by criminals.”

A prominent figure in the Liberty movement and a man who helped Rep. Massie find his path to D.C., former Congressman Ron Paul spoke out against the idea of gun grabbing on Wednesday during the Alex Jones show. Paul said regarding Obama signing a gun-related executive order, “Well, it should go without saying, he’s has gone way too far. It should also go without saying, he’s acting with the use of illegal violence.”

The former Rep. detailed, “I’ve always assumed the line in the sand will be drawn, if the federal agent marches in, unannounced and they say, well give me your gun and give me your gold. I don’t think we’ll do that, calmly. I think the American people will highly resent it and resist.”

In Debate with Breitbart's Shapiro, CNN's Piers Morgan Calls the Constitution 'Your Little Book'

“You come in here, brandish your little book as if I don’t know what’s in there--” 

“My little book? That’s the Constitution of the United States. It’s our founding document, Piers.” 

“I know what’s in your Constitution.” 

“Do you really?” 

That was the climax of a heated debate between Breitbart News Editor-at-Large Ben Shapiro and CNN’s Piers Morgan on live television this evening--one in which Morgan came off much the worse for wear.

Shapiro began by pointing out that for weeks, Morgan had bullied guests who defend the right to bear arms by "standing on the graves of the children of Sandy Hook." 

“How dare you,” said a rattled Morgan. 

“I have seen you do it repeatedly,” Shapiro replied. 

He challenged Morgan to explain whether he wanted to ban all guns, not just “assault rifles,” since the vast majority of gun deaths involve ordinary handguns. “Why don’t you care about banning the handguns in Chicago?” Shapiro asked him.

Morgan, who later stated that he supported Americans’ right “to defend themselves with a handgun or a pistol,” pointed out that the weapons used in recent sensational mass shootings had been “assault rifles,” and insisted that the debate was not one of “left and right,” because his position ought to be the consensus, as in Britain. Shapiro countered that the basis of the Second Amendment was not self-defense or hunting, but the ability to resist government tyranny--a point that Morgan attempted to mock, unsuccessfully.

Shapiro’s statement is worth quoting in full: 

Shapiro: I think the reason that it’s about left and right here is because fundamentally, the right believes that the basis for the Second amendment--and they believe in the Second Amendment--the basis for the Second Amendment is not really about self defense, and it's not about hunting. It's about resistance to government tyranny. That’s what the Founders said, and that’s what the right believes in this country.

Morgan: Which tyranny are you fearing, yourself? 

Shapiro: I fear the possibility of a tyranny rising in the country in the next fifty to a hundred years. Let me tell you something, Piers. The fact that my grandparents and great grandparents in Europe didn't fear that is why they're now ashes in Europe. So this kind of leftist revisionist history where there's never any fear of democracy going usurpatious or tyrannical, is just that. It’s fictitious.

Subsequently, Morgan accused Shapiro of wanting to “do nothing” about mass shootings, to which Shapiro replied that his position was to improve background checks and screening for mental illness and criminal histories among potential gun owners and their households. Shapiro later pointed out the hypocrisy in attacking the National Rifle Association and the Second Amendment without subjecting violent video games, the American Civil Liberties Union and the First Amendment to the same scrutiny.

Morgan then presented Shapiro with a letter co-signed by Ronald Reagan in 1994, urging support for the assault weapons ban (an ineffective policy, which lapsed after ten years). He challenged Shapiro to justify “why an American needs an assault weapon.”

Shapiro repeated his point on tyranny, to which Morgan said: “Do you know how absurd you sound?” 

In so doing, he proved Shapiro’s point: 

Here’s where you go into the bullying....For weeks now, you have been saying that anybody who disagrees with your position is absurd, idiotic, and doesn’t care about the dead kids in Sandy Hook. And then when I say that’s a bullying tactic, you turn around and say that I’m bullying you.

Later on the program, once Shapiro was safely off camera, Morgan admitted: “In an ideal world, I’d have all guns gone, as we have in Britain, but this is not my country and I respect the fact most Americans wouldn’t wear that kind of argument.” 

An epic win for Shapiro, and for our "little book."

Chuck Woolery on Assault Weapons

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=evEg1VNfX3o