Strange But True: Journalists Never Seem to Ask Gun-Grabbers Why Their Predictions of Blood and Death Never Come True

As you might expect, our friends in the gun control industry aren’t happy about ATF’s proposed rule changes. They have a problem, though. Crime in America is at historical lows and continues to fall. At the same time, gun sales remain strong and more people are carrying than ever before. Even The New York Times ran a favorable piece Friday on an armed citizen who saved lives by opening fire on a spree shooter.

This presents a real problem for the civilian disarmament industrial complex. They only have so many tools to use in order to get their names in the media and continue to raise more cash. Their repeated apocalyptic predictions of soaring violence and chaos in the streets couldn’t have been more off the mark.

Still, that’s really all they know how to do. Stirring up fear and panic is their stock-in-trade, so they tend to fall back on it no matter what the reality IRL may be. They need to keep themselves in the media and appear to remain relevant. And member of the media, who almost unanimously agree with them on policy, are always there to help.

But here’s a caution for the jernalizmists out there. If you get the chance to talk to people from Brady, Giffords, Everytown, or similar orgs, you are being completely negligent in your job (or outright biased) if they spout more garbage like they did in the tweet above and you don’t press them on why all of their prior predictions that crime would rise have been wrong. Sometimes hilariously wrong.

1. They made similar predictions of doom after Bruen. Homicide rates have fallen to record lows.

2. Every time a state passes constitutional carry, they say that state will see a surge in homicides, the most high profile example being Florida. Again, it didn’t happen.

3. These orgs also claimed Heller would lead to devastation. Instead, homicide fell until several years later with Ferguson.

4. When NFA taxes were eliminated for certain items a year ago, they said that would lead to more violent crime too. Nope.

5. In April of last year, they said Trump administration funding cuts to various community violence intervention nonprofits would “lead to an immediate surge in violence. There is no question that people will die and communities will suffer.” Didn’t happen.

6. If you go back far enough, gun control activists claimed the rise of shall-issue permitting would lead to crime surges. Again, in Florida. Back then though, their political allies at least admitted they were wrong when nothing bad resulted: “There are lots of people, including myself, who thought things would be a lot worse as far as that particular situation [carry reform] is concerned,” Florida Representative Ronald A. Silver (D), who opposed the law, told the Palm Beach Post in 1990. “I’m happy to say they’re not.” John Fuller, general counsel for the Florida Sheriffs Associated, added: “I haven’t seen where we have had any instance of persons with permits causing violent crimes, and I’m constantly on the lookout.”

So, to my friends in the media, the next time you’re writing a story on gun laws and get a quote from an anti-gun organization in which they — once again — predict more doom, and gloom, ask them why literally none of their other prognostications of death and destruction have come true. Their answer should be enlightening.

 

Kostas Moros is Director of Legal Research and Education for the Second Amendment Foundation.