NPR: Does carrying a pistol make you safer?

[pdempsey1097]

I found it interesting that the article begins by saying, despite the FBI stats showing violent crime has continually declined Americans are increasingly arming themselves.

What they did not note, was a possible connection between the two . . . . . . .

 

[PiratePast40]

I found it interesting that the article begins by saying, despite the FBI stats showing violent crime has continually declined Americans are increasingly arming themselves.

What they did not note, was a possible connection between the two . . . . . . .

And they didn't show how the uneducated gun owners weren't killing each other either. We're going to see this fight front and center next spring. All of those wringing their hands and crying about the uneducated idiots carrying guns need to be thinking hard about what they're advocating. Do we really want government telling us how much paid training we need to exercise our God given rights?

 

[boogerhook]

I found it interesting that the article begins by saying, despite the FBI stats showing violent crime has continually declined Americans are increasingly arming themselves.

What they did not note, was a possible connection between the two . . . . . . .

There is also a pretty well documented theory that Roe vs Wade made a difference.

 

[PaulB47]

Even a year or two ago, this article would be much more slanted.

That's just a sign of the times. The gun prohibitionists are losing a lot of their constituency as liberals arm themselves. So, in order to not lose any more, they have to tone the rhetoric down a bit.

It could also be that the producers have themselves come around some and are not so antagonistic to us because of that. But that's not the way I'd bet. Pardon my cynicism.

 

[nwslopoke]

I feel safer knowing I have the option to use or not use my gun. I feel less safe giving more options away to someone else. I know there are many (maybe millions) people that have guns, someplace in a closet (possibly ) that aren't gun people. They play both sides of the fence and would rather give the police / government the power to defend them.

 

[pietro beretta]

I found it interesting that the article begins by saying, despite the FBI stats showing violent crime has continually declined Americans are increasingly arming themselves.

What they did not note, was a possible connection between the two . . . . . . .

This is one of the reasons the left said the article was bias, that NPR was insinuating that there was a correlation between the two.

Yet, you point out that they did not make a possible connection between the two. I am assuming that you feel they should have?

Just something to think about for a second.

 

[pdempsey1097]

This is one of the reasons the left said the article was bias, that NPR was insinuating that there was a correlation between the two.

Yet, you point out that they did not make a possible connection between the two. I am assuming that you feel they should have?

Just something to think about for a second.

It just seems like a fairly obvious possibility to leave out. I do understand that those with various "views" will tend to see information through their own "filters".

Also "There is also a pretty well documented theory that Roe vs Wade made a difference."

Wow - that's a little dark. Roe v Wade was in 1973. I think the violent crime stats have been dropping in more recent decades.

 

[boogerhook]

It just seems like a fairly obvious possibility to leave out. I do understand that those with various "views" will tend to see information through their own "filters".

Also "There is also a pretty well documented theory that Roe vs Wade made a difference."

Wow - that's a little dark. Roe v Wade was in 1973. I think the violent crime stats have been dropping in more recent decades.

Not dark at all. The crime drop started in 1993, if I remember correctly, that's 20 years after unwanted children were not born. I did not come up with that correlation, it was documented in Freakonomics.

 

[Doc In UPlace]

" I don't know if I want half these people walking around with pistols, I see how they shoot at 10 feet from the firing line, if you can't hit the paper at 10 feet, maybe you shouldn't carry it ...until you can."

Hahahaha, no kidding. It's pretty scary, and let's not forget sweeping the firing line with their muzzles, clueless to why the people are ducking out of the way.

 

[boogerhook]

Huh!...apparently I personally caused the US crime rate to drop.
Y'see, 20 years after I could legally enter a bar for the first time correlates to the start of declining crime rates.
I'd start taking credit for it on all the talk shows, maybe run for office as a "tough on crime" candidate...
However, I realize correlation isn't causation...
...so I must still remain my humble self.

funny, but not intellectually honest... I get your point, but freakonomics had quite a bit of science behind it... http://freakonomics.com/2005/05/15/abortion-and-crime-who-should-you-believe/

and btw, the "correlation isn't causation" statement holds true for the increase in gun ownership just the same....

 

[206thsense]

I found this to be a pretty neutral story. No matter the news source, be it NPR, Fox News, the newspapers, CNN, Vice News, etc. we should always have our critical thinking cap on to discern sources, biases, and POVs.

The comments section on the article has the usual anti-gun idiots in it though, so beware. You have your typical "HE SHOULD HAVE SHOT HIM IN THE LEG" or "OMG GUNS ARE THE DEVIL THEY MAKE YOU EVIL".

I think the thing that was actually communicated effectively is pulling out your gun to defend your life is a serious matter. I'm glad all the gun owners they interviewed sounded level headed and well aware of this fact. Because you know NPR was probably just dying to interview that jackhole who blew up that load of tannerite and lost his leg. "How does it feel, sir?"

 

[TM-Salem]

I dont feel safer in a general sense while carrying, anything can happen even when you are carrying a firearm. You could get caught in a drive by shooting or shot from behind and your firearm did not help so you were not safer. Now.. If I keep my awareness level where it should be at all times and dont go into the wrong places, then it may help to make me feel safer