Tom Gabor and Fred Guttenberg. "Large body of misinformation is fueling American gun violence." Published at 11:07 a.m. ET June 7, 2023
The sentence emphasizes how widely the gun lobby has spread false information about the safety and ownership of firearms in America. Gun control advocates point to phrases like "people kill, not guns" and "A good guy with a gun stops a bad guy with a gun" as instances of their campaign to persuade Americans that possessing a gun makes them safer, even though data suggests otherwise. The book "American Carnage" tracks the origins of this false information back to the radicalization of the gun lobby in the 1970s and disproves almost forty of the fundamental misconceptions that have been spread by the pro-gun lobby. Some of the strategies used are supporting biased studies, creating a sense of dread of crime, and preventing federal funding for studies that highlight the dangers of gun ownership.
The text highlights the damaging effects of false claims propagated by extremists and the gun lobby, which make America a more dangerous place. These organizations have been successful in convincing some people that carrying a firearm and keeping it loaded and handy at home increases safety. As a result, during the past 20 years, carrying a gun daily has become far more common, and almost half of gun owners keep their weapons loaded and accessible. The fact that more states 26 today, including Florida do not require permits or training to carry a gun also contributes to the normality of gun ownership. Lethal encounters have increased as a result of this permissive atmosphere, with spontaneous arguments emerging at social events and on the road.
