How many times do the same ignorant gun-control arguments need to be refuted?
The few counter-examples offered by gun-control zealots do not stand up under scrutiny. Perhaps their strongest talking point is that Britain has stronger gun-control laws than the United States and lower murder rates.
But, if you look back through history, you will find that Britain has had a lower murder rate than the United States for more than two centuries — and, for most of that time, the British had no more stringent gun-control laws than the United States. Indeed, neither country had stringent gun control for most of that time.
In the middle of the 20th century, you could buy a shotgun in London with no questions asked. New York, which at that time had had the stringent Sullivan Law restricting gun ownership since 1911, still had several times the gun-murder rate of London, as well as several times the London murder rate with other weapons.
Neither guns nor gun control were the reason for the difference in murder rates. People were the difference.









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Until the media is no longer controlled by the same ignorant tools.
NotCoach on December 18, 2012 at 12:38 PM
Until we cave.
Cindy Munford on December 18, 2012 at 12:39 PM
However many times stupid people pronounce them.
Schadenfreude on December 18, 2012 at 12:40 PM
sesquipedalian, you have a call holding on line two. Sesquipedalian line two.
rogerb on December 18, 2012 at 12:41 PM
Beat me to it.
cozmo on December 18, 2012 at 12:42 PM
Big Bird. That’s how many.
forest on December 18, 2012 at 12:44 PM
The MSM doesn’t want to be bothered by facts. Just go see that little twinkle toe’s (CNN’s Lemon) comments.
MoreLiberty on December 18, 2012 at 12:45 PM
At least once more.
Bmore on December 18, 2012 at 12:50 PM
Seventy times seven
22044 on December 18, 2012 at 12:51 PM
Have you seen this about a private equity firm selling its stake in the gun maker who makes the gun used by the murderer?
http://www.theblaze.com/stories/private-equity-firm-sell-its-stake-in-gun-manufacturer-after-shooting-watershed-event/
L
letget on December 18, 2012 at 12:52 PM
Its like being a cat lady – it always takes one more
tomg51 on December 18, 2012 at 12:53 PM
Yeah, no kidding. I was arguing against the same fallacies, inaccuracies, and outright lies two decades ago. It’s deja vu all over again.
Sowell is my hero.
Socratease on December 18, 2012 at 12:54 PM
England is not a significantly diverse population. Thus, it will have lower violent crime.
astonerii on December 18, 2012 at 12:57 PM
I guess it’s a PC PR move but financially it’s stupid. Gun sales are doing nothing but going through the roof.
MoreLiberty on December 18, 2012 at 12:59 PM
Wake up. They’re not arguments anymore. They’re propaganda.
ronsfi on December 18, 2012 at 1:06 PM
Seventeen?
John the Libertarian on December 18, 2012 at 1:10 PM
Such a good piece. Share it far and wide.
nicktjacob on December 18, 2012 at 1:11 PM
Sowell is always awesome. Wish there were more conservative voices like him in the media.
Caiwyn on December 18, 2012 at 1:14 PM
That depends. If you use linear logic, then you only have to do it once.
But if you use circular (i.e., liberal) logic, then you keep making the same arguments FOREVER.
logis on December 18, 2012 at 1:28 PM
LOL. Um, every time.
Dusty on December 18, 2012 at 1:29 PM
And they just accepted Sharia law quietly, like good little dhimmi. Thus they get to live.
rhombus on December 18, 2012 at 1:33 PM
How does taking away a person’s right of self-defense make they safer?
Galt2009 on December 18, 2012 at 2:14 PM
Do people realize that the Oppressive-Left has eviscerated a good potion of the Bill of rights?
1st amendment – instead of acting as a check on governmental power, the Bull Spew Media [BSM] is now an enabler of that power.
(Not to mention the Oppressive-Left’s use of that amendment to destroy religious practices in the nation)
2nd amendment – The intent of which was a another restraint on the government, the Oppressive-Left wants to turn that on it head as a control of the people.
Galt2009 on December 18, 2012 at 2:20 PM
The estimable Dr. Sowell is, as usual, correct and brings lucidity instead of emotion to the debate.
Joe Mama on December 18, 2012 at 2:35 PM
Until someone comes up with a reasonable answer why we have so many more spree killings than say…Canada, or Australia.
ernesto on December 18, 2012 at 2:54 PM
Absolutely. #clarity
ConservativeLA on December 18, 2012 at 3:05 PM
Until liberals start making decisions based on reason instead of emotion.
backwoods conservative on December 18, 2012 at 3:19 PM
To the Hot Air editors: There should be an exclamation point, not a question mark, on the title link.
njcommuter on December 18, 2012 at 3:31 PM
Because we are 10X the size? of Canada and more than that of Australia? Because both countries have more sensible involuntary commitment laws (no ACLU).
Just guessing here….
iconoclast on December 18, 2012 at 3:34 PM
Because we have allowed the leftest to make it impossible to remove the criminally insane from society until after they have gone on a rampage.
Slowburn on December 18, 2012 at 3:43 PM
Liberals have no concept as to how large the country is.
Just for example:
California = 37,691,912
Australia = 22,843,820
Frank Enstine on December 18, 2012 at 3:47 PM
Liberals first inclination to anything … ban it.
darwin on December 18, 2012 at 3:52 PM