Gun Myths



Posted: Saturday, January 22, 2011

by Walter Rhett
Charleston Perlo

The myths about the benefits of gun ownership are just as deadly as the weapons being purchased. Myth one: ownership equalizes the odds. Where? When? In urban neighborhoods where innocents are wounded and killed by stray gunfire in shoot-outs between rival groups? In incident after incident when the myth smugly arises to await the next time, only to arise again.

In fact, one of the persons gathered in Tucson had a gun and chose not to use or display it, rightfully assessing it would have only added to the fear and confusion when it was far to late to have any effect.

Myth two: any sensible curtailment of availability will start the descent down the slippery slope of the loss of gun rights. Is that why the entire country ran out of certain ammunition and faced six month waiting periods shortly after the President was sworn in? Sounded more uphill to me.

Myth three: all guns, parts, shells are equal. (Well, we make some exceptions for wad-cutter bullets and bazookas and a few others.) Can they really not tell the difference between an extended clip and a standard one? Add up the math, do the percentages; the extended clip and certain models increase the likelihood of unskilled users striking human targets. It only costs a unit of 20 cents to purchase a shell that can end a life.

My father hunted; my brother is retired from an urban police force where in 25 years he never discharged his weapon at a human target. He is certified as a nation firearms trainer. He maintains a variety of weaponry. But even he doesn't buy into the myths.

Not only Obama, but all of us have some culpability in the myths continuing to thrive.
 

Walter Rhett Walter Rhett attended Ohio State and writes from Charleston, SC. He writes about national and global affairs with an eye on Southern history and culture and enjoys listening to his readers.

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Top-level comments on this article: (1 total)
» left by Jennifer Stewart
 1 year 114 days ago.
153 fans.
The world has become so used to guns and totally inured to what they actually are, and so many are seemingly oblivious to how they are manipulate into believing they have to have a gun. You sum it up in your sentence "It only costs a unit of 20 cents to purchase a shell that can end a life." We all need to work on our independence of mind, think for ourselves. Thanks for debunking the myths.
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