Because I’m a glutton for punishment, I signed up for Giffords’ email newsletter. For those who are unaware, Giffords is one of the nation’s leading anti-gunner organizations. It was formed by former Rep. Gabby Giffords (D-AZ), who was shot in the head during a mass shooting at a 2011 event in Tucson.
She later became a staunch anti-gunner advocate, which is why I recently received a fundraising email from her organization. It’s good to know what the enemy is up to, isn’t it?
This email began by stating that “more than 46,000 people are killed with a firearm in this country.” The organization further asserts that “Politicians know how to fix it, yet many refuse to act.”
The reason why is because politicians are afraid to vote in favor of gun control, according to Giffords.
If you ask politicians why they've voted against gun safety bills in the past or why they are afraid to speak out about this issue, they will privately tell you that it’s because of fear of retribution from the gun lobby or the Trump administration.
Speaking of fear, the organization’s email starts employing one of the left’s favorite tactics: Mindless fearmongering.
But the truth is, that fear is nothing like the fear victims of gun violence experience when the first echoes of gunfire ring out.
That fear is nothing like the fear parents and friends feel when they hear news of a shooting at a school or a workplace attended by a loved one.
That fear is nothing like the fear a victim of domestic abuse feels when they hear a knock at the door from an abuser who they know has access to a gun.
Every day, politicians choose fear of the gun lobby over the courage to act. They choose to accept the epidemic levels of gun violence plaguing our country.
But it doesn't have to be this way.
It’s the same kind of messaging that is popular among anti-gunner groups, including “Everytown for Gun Safety,” “Moms Demand Action,” and others.
Here’s the thing: Politicians should be afraid to violate our Second Amendment rights. Those supporting more gun control restrictions should live in fear of losing their jobs if they support measures aimed at cracking down on the right to keep and bear arms.
But it’s the second part that gets me. The anti-gunner lobby routinely exploits victims of gun violence to terrify the populace into giving up its Second Amendment rights. They highlight real tragedies and use them as examples of why more gun control is necessary.
In this case, Giffords is using irrational fear to scare people into donating to its cause. The folks at this organization know better than to appeal to logic to advance their agenda.
What they rarely do is explain what new or existing gun laws would have prevented a particular mass shooting, act of gang violence, or domestic violence killing. This is because the laws they favor do not work. After all, criminal-minded people refuse to follow them, which leaves the law-abiding folks more vulnerable.
The left uses fear to manipulate people into supporting their anti-gun and anti-liberty agenda. It’s the only weapon they have since their arguments tend to fall apart like a sand castle in a hurricane when they are subject to even a modicum of scrutiny.
The reality is that Americans should be more afraid of a government seeking to strip their gun rights. Disarming people, or making it more difficult for them to arm themselves, places them in far more danger than allowing them to purchase firearms.
The Bureau of Justice Statistics National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) found that defensive gun uses occur between 60,000 and 100,000 times per year. This is on the low end. Several other studies suggest they happen even more often.
In light of this, it makes absolutely no sense to prevent people from arming themselves. Gun owners are far more likely to use their firearms to defend their lives and property than to victimize other people. If this is the case, it is clear what America should truly be afraid of: A government that wants to take their firearms.