January 12, 2023
Defending Your Right to Bear Arms
Key Takeaways
There are several common, yet deeply flawed arguments against your Second Amendment rights.
Here are four of the most common claims, and the reasons why they are false.
fact checker: SECOND AMENDMENT
Setting THE RECORD STRAIGHT on some common yet deeply
flawed arguments against your second amendment rights
“Banning Guns is the Best Way to Stop Gun Violence and Mass Shootings.”
FALSE: The argument for banning guns (or severely restricting them) is usually accompanied by the presumption that everyone will comply with such a ban, and thus, eliminating guns is possible. These are inaccurate presumptions. Policies that broadly ban guns or ignore the connection between mental health and gun violence are failures by elected leaders to uphold public safety and safeguard the rights of the people.
“Everyone will Obey Laws Restricting Gun Usage and Ownership.”
FALSE: Many guns are already in the hands of lawbreakers who do not obey the law. Our Nation’s present crime epidemic suggests that stringent gun restrictions do not disarm criminals ¾ they only take the best measure of self-defense out of the hands of innocent civilians. Cities with the strictest gun control measures, such as Chicago and New York City, are seeing record rates of gun violence and an alarming crime epidemic. Innocent people are victimized when they cannot carry their firearms for self-defense.
“The Second Amendment is Irrelevant Now Because We Have an Established
Military and Police System.”
FALSE: The Second Amendment enshrines into law your existing right to self-defense. This right transcends any historical period or event, and though the Founding Fathers wanted to ensure an armed citizenry could defend itself against an oppressive government, they saw the right to self-defense as basic as freedom of speech or religion. Determined not to repeat history’s mistakes, they gave our elected leaders the mandate to recognize the natural rights of humanity, and 250 years later, our Republic still stands.
“Europeans don’t have Mass Shootings because they don’t have Guns.
The U.S. Should Follow Suit.”
FALSE: In Europe, both attitudes towards firearms and rates of gun ownership vary widely across the continent. Though there are fewer total mass shootings in Europe, high rates of gun ownership in both the U.S. and Europe do not necessarily correspond with higher rates of gun violence. Switzerland and Sweden have comparatively high gun ownership rates and very little gun violence. Czechian citizens have inherent rights to firearms, but have had only two mass shootings since 1998. Ultimately, the U.S. was uniquely founded on the right to bear arms, which is as sacrosanct as all our first amendment rights. It is neither possible nor desirable to reverse this.