What's your favorite retort or rebuttal to anti-gun arguments?

[teflon6string]

1. "If guns kill people, then mine must all be defective."

2. "Funny, your puppet politician has been protected by people with assault weapons for 47 years, but he believes you're too stupid and irresponsible to own one."

3. "You're right, all guns should be illegal, just like drugs since that's working so well."

Glib retorts like those aside, I run down the list of people we both know who responsibly own weapons with 15, 25 and 30-round magazines. Law-abiding friends, parents, kids, aunts, uncles, cousins and grandparents we love and respect. And I remind them that career political hacks like Biden, Harris, Brown, Newsom and Inslee are working hard every day to turn them all into felons.

 

[Dinglenutz]

Glib retorts like those aside, I run down the list

If they lead off with "Guns are designed to kill people" or veer off there once the car licensing pool goes dry for them (see also the comment above RE moving the goalposts) it's really tempting to go with those, or if a little more fact friendly retort is needed, point out that clearly, with more guns than people in America, most guns don't actually kill people.

But once they start moving the goalposts like that (unless "made for killing" is where I wade in) it's probably pointless.

 

[Mikej]

it's probably pointless.

Most times I think yes.

I think things have become so polarized is why. Where are the people now days like me? I never had thought's about guns one way or the other. I never shot a gun 'til Boy Scout summer camp. A very controlled atmosphere. There we're guns in our house that I never saw shot. Went rabbit hunting in the desert with high school buddies, and borrowed a .22. Point is, where the heck are the people that want to se what gun ownership is all about?

Are people REALLY so dumb as to form their entire outlook on a subject from news stories?

Could the above be used as a reply/retort to anti-gun statements?

 

[BrandonOR]

In my experience anti-gunners typically have underlying mental health issues so arguing with them is futile.

@Kruel J dropping truths out here

 

[The Heretic]

Most times I think yes.

I think things have become so polarized is why. Where are the people now days like me? I never had thought's about guns one way or the other. I never shot a gun 'til Boy Scout summer camp. A very controlled atmosphere. There we're guns in our house that I never saw shot. Went rabbit hunting in the desert with high school buddies, and borrowed a .22. Point is, where the heck are the people that want to se what gun ownership is all about?

Are people REALLY so dumb as to form their entire outlook on a subject from news stories?

Could the above be used as a reply/retort to anti-gun statements?

The problem is that as the number of guns owned compared to the number of people increases, the number of gun owners compared to the number of people decreases. Gun owners in the USA are a minority and the percentage of gun owners is getting smaller, while those who have never owned or shot a gun increases. That is why many people form their opinions on the issue from third party sources, most of which are anti-gun to one degree or another.

 

[Mikej]

The problem is that as the number of guns owned compared to the number of people increases, the number of gun owners compared to the number of people decreases. Gun owners in the USA are a minority and the percentage of gun owners is getting smaller, while those who have never owned or shot a gun increases. That is why many people form their opinions on the issue from third party sources, most of which are anti-gun to one degree or another.

That's where the idiocy comes in. Learning all you know of a subject from the nightly news? And, I guess "Studies" in written media. With no hands on, or personnel experience. That's why they call 'em sheep I guess.

 

[BanjoGeek]

I like when someone says 'We register cars, license drivers and sometimes require driver training. Why can't we treat guns like cars?".

Other than the "Cars and driving are a privilege, guns are a right." reply, it just doesn't have the same impact as something like the below.

"Like cars then, if I keep my guns on my private property, then I shouldn't have to register them, need a license to use them or be required to have any training. So Yes, I'm for that."

It would beg the question, why don't we treat cars like guns? In many instances it would require the car to be locked inside an enclosure with the fuel for the car stored in another location. You could only purchase one car per month and pass a BGC prior to taking possession. If there were any glitch in the BGC intel then you are on hold, never mind you need that car to get an important person in your life to medical treatment or they will die. Someone steals your car and kills someone, you are liable as well as the manafacturer. I could go on but you get the idea. The anti 2A's bring up that argument quite often but they don't want it to work both ways. Best response, refer to AndyHawken.

 

[Wood Worker]

Actually I was just beginning a poll on that subject, and if you could please give me a list with full names and addresses of you and your closest friends or colleagues that agree with you that I shouldn't own guns, I will consider it.

Thats my response.

 

[titsonritz]

Piss off gayrod works too.

 

[CRBMoA]

I just tell them, "We are all our own First Responders". Most just don't realize it yet.

 

[Rkangel]

Are people REALLY so dumb as to form their entire outlook on a subject from news stories?

Yes...
And sometimes not even a news story, but something Alyssa Milano tweeted or Jim Carey puked up as a drawing.

 

[Capn Jack]

I mostly don't bother discussing guns with anti's as the majority of them cannot hold a discussion without it degenerating into an argument.

 

[DB is Here]

Why can't we treat guns like cars?

You first, go pay for your car in full then wait 10 days so the Government can determine your fitness to own it and give you a permission slip to own one.

Why can't we treat cars like pencils?...

 

[Dinglenutz]

I mostly don't bother discussing guns with anti's as the majority of them cannot hold a discussion without it degenerating into an argument.

Some of them think they can be reasonable though, and it can be fun disabusing them of that notion.

 

[Superglide]

You first, go pay for your car in full then wait 10 days so the Government can determine your fitness to own it and give you a permission slip to own one.

After which you will be required to submit your route and destination for approval ( no different than airlines).
And your phone will not work inside your car ( for safety reasons, of course).
And also for safety, crash helmets will be required for all occupants of said vehicle (what do you mean by it violates your freedom. Studies show.......)

 

[a6m5]

I guess I'm surrounded by decent people, because while I'm pretty opinionated on gun rights, discussion always stay civil(Twitter is different story).

Some of the points I bring up in defense of gun rights:

• I'm originally from Japan, where crime rates were low. Didn't need guns, criminals didn't have guns either. When we moved to SE Portland(ages ago), we had home broken into, nearly carjacked & little brother almost kidnapped. THERE ARE LOT OF CRIMINALS IN THIS COUNTRY. Even if you had the time to call 911, they may not get to you in time. Add to that, there are millions & millions of guns in this country, many of them owned by bad people. Try living in a dangerous neighborhood. You'd be pretty naive to believe taking guns away from law abiding people's going to make things better.
• I believe more people are victimized by effect from alcohol consumption everyday than guns, but I don't see any movement to ban booze. I don't think they really care about safety, I think they just don't like guns.
• Many say Second Amendment is outdated. If you've actually studied even little tiny bit of world history, you'll see it's quite the opposite. AND WE REPEAT SAME MISTAKES OVER & OVER. Heck, take a look outside First World countries. Until mankind learn not be a-holes, Second Amendment will stay relevant.

I usually lose people when I share my belief that Second Amendment guarantees my right to own a M4.....

 

[MrSteez]

Theres a very significant point to be made that i always bring up first.

Repeating firearms have existed in civilian hands in basically the same functionality for about what, 150 years now? Only in the last 30 or 40 years has it apparently become a problem that people own them. Its disingenuous, and counter productive to solving the problems antigunners try to use as examples. in the last few decades weve seen increasing magnitudes of social engineering tools put into the hands of often evil people. Its not the technology thats causing the problem, its psychos creating more psychos by pulling the strings of peoples sanity, stability, health, freedom. i mean, couldnt people order guns directly to their door like 60 years ago? Didnt have the same kind of violence back then

 

[Patriot1775]

I don't waste my time or oxygen on sheeple.

 

[American123]

Every mass genocide in recorded history has been perpetrated by those with arms slaughtering those without/less. Often precipitated by a "disarmament."

 

[po18guy]

Gun control types are often emotionally driven. Reason and logic are not second nature to them. Watching horrifying news report and hearing, not about re-offending felons, or criminal violence, but about GUN VIOLENCE. They have been lied to and their thoughts and emotions programmed. Tough to undo a lifetime of propaganda.

Maybe John Stossel can help? Then a range trip?