I think it goes without saying that everyone here is passionate about firearms and any future action to restrict our passion is unnerving. With all the ensuing hysteria from Connecticut, this nation has become polarized overnight.

We know the media is against us, but like it or not, that's where our friends, colleagues, and family get their information from. Whining about that fact is a waste of time. We need to focus our efforts on conversation. Social media is an important tool and we should take full advantage of it. Be vigilant in talking to the anti-gunners in your life. Engage them in conversation but please remember these two things:

• You attract more flies with honey than vinegar: I get that we're all passionate, but we must try our hardest not to reinforce the stereotypes that the media and a large portion of the left have given us. Do not be bitter, angry, or raise your voice. We can not afford to turn people away who may be potential allies in the coming political battle, simply because we chose to have a poor attitude.
• Do not be loose with the facts: I repeat, DO. NOT. BE. LOOSE. WITH. THE. FACTS. Before you cite something in an argument or conversation, make sure it's supported by reputable sources. We cannot afford to look like we're making things up. We have solid evidence and solid philosophy behind our love of the second amendment. Don't invalidate the rest of our points in the mind of the opposition because you were negligent.

I also want to use this thread as an opportunity for us to share our collective knowledge and valuable information with each other. If you have a link to a reputable source please mention it. I'll be posting some of the resources I use below and will try my best to update the OP with others from you guys.
 

List of Valuable Information:

 

 

- Gun Debate Basics (List of several sources and debate fundamentals)

- How to Talk About Guns (Daily News opinion piece)

 

 

 

Opinion Pieces

 

- Why Liberals Should Love the Second Amendment (blog post from DailyKos)

- Why Not Renew the “Assault Weapons” Ban? Well, I’ll Tell You… (anti-AWB piece)

- Dear Gun Control Democrats: 6 Ways to Make a Better Argument (demonstration of anti-gun ignorance)

- A Few Thoughts On Gun Control (general overview of the issue with citations)

- Violence In Schools: How Big A Problem Is It? (NPR article regarding school homicide)

- Gun Control Tramples On The Certain Virtues Of A Heavily Armed Citizenry (Forbes, regarding intent of 2A)

- FAQ on Violence (Reactionary blog post to criticism of "gun culture" by Sam Harris)

- Government has no right to reinstate assault gun ban (Pro-2A opinion, written by one of our own!)

- Waking the dragon — How Feinstein fiddled while America burned (comprehensive perspective of the issue from our side)

 

- The Second Amendment and Yelling Fire in a Crowded Theatre (Debunking the reasonable restrictions argument)
 

- The Assault Weapon Myth (Article from the NYT)

 

 

Primary Sources

 

- JustFacts.com (Compilation of cited facts)

- Assaultweapon.info (visual explanation and background of "Assault Weapons")

- State by State Homicide Breakdown by Weapon (FBI Data)

- Crime in the United States, by Volume and Rate per 100,000 Inhabitants, 1991–2011 (FBI Data)

- An Updated Assessment of the Federal Assault Weapons Ban: Impacts on Gun Markets and Gun Violence (.pdf warning)

- First Reports Evaluating the Effectiveness of Strategies for Preventing Violence: Firearms Laws (CDC review of gun control)

- United States Child Mortality, 2007 (Child Mortality Summary, 2007)

- Testimony of David T. Hardy before the Senate Committee on the Judiciary (.pdf warning)

- Fact Check: A tired old gun stat still in service (debunking the "40% of gun sales" myth)

- [C]ontinued use of the claim that 40 percent of gun sales lack background checks (another fact check)

- Gun Homicide Rate Down 49% Since 1993 Peak; Public Unaware (Pew Research)
 

- National Vital Statistics Reports (CDC Report on deaths in 2011)

 

- Shooting Blind (discussion of media reporting and "assault weapons")

 

 

Videos

 

-

(Discussion of crime statistics and Firearm violence)(caution: this does not hold up well to criticism)

-

(Canadian Lawyer discussing Gun Control)

-

(US Statistics discussion)

-

(Differentiation between semi and fully Automatic)

-

(Demonstration of limited capacity magazine effectiveness vs. standard capacity)

-

(Interview outlining general issues)

-

(PBS interview)

 

-“Stand Your Ground” Laws: Self-Defense or License to Kill? (CATO Institute seminar feat. Masaad Ayoob)

Nice post.

Excellent points. With all the disinformation being circulated by too many, it is wise to stick to a few facts and keep it low key.

Excellent post.

Bravo. Bookmarked, will be referenced and used.

Sgt. T., thank you for this. I had it in mind to start a similar thread for facts, articles and talking points so that we can calmly and collectedly engage the accusations that are being thrown at gun owners/RKBA/2nd Amendment advocates.

 

A couple of accusations that I'm seeing repeatedly and would like to deflect -

 

- "Why do you need a gun for self defense when there are police/SWAT teams to protect you" - answer with the supreme court decision that the police do not have an obligation to protect individuals, and that victims of crime are always the "first responders".

 

- "All these guns people keep for self defense just end up getting people killed by accident - very few people ever use a gun succesfully to defend themselves" - answer with a long list of succesfull defensive gun uses

 

- "Gun owners are really just racist old white guys who are paranoid" - respond with the history of gun control laws arising from efforts to suppress minorities from owning guns

 

- "Guns and ammunition have a high societal cost in all these deaths and accidents - ownership should be taxed, owners should have strict liability for any mis-use of their weapons and they should have to have continuous insurance policy coverage to cover that liability" - don't have an answer for this one yet.

Interesting blog post from an LEO in Texas:

 

http://maypeacebewithyou.blogspot.com/2012/12/thoughts-on-violence.html

 

...

 

-If guns are the problem, why is my life not steeped in violence? Even though I literally am dispatched to every call involving violence in my jurisdiction for half of every other day, I have seen very little in the way of gun violence in the last 12 years of service. I've never been shot at. I've never shot at anyone. I've never arrested anyone for intentionally shooting at another person (true story!). I've only a handful of times arrested people for pointing guns at others. This is in Texas, where private ownership of firearms is almost unrestricted: No limit to number of guns, no registration of guns, no waiting period, no state restriction on private sales, no state restriction on ammunition* or magazines. If you get it federally registered, you can even own an automatic weapon.

 

--Some folks will see that above comment and say, "well, he works in a small town, so that's different." Well, which is it? Either we're back-woods hicks who are armed to the teeth and seething in violence, or I'm working for Mayberry, and we all get along so great, no one would ever be so unkind as to shoot someone else. It must not be the guns, though, because EVERY home here seems to have a collection of firearms.

 

--Firearms were virtually uncontrolled before 1934, then more so in 1968, and more so in 1986. Yet school shootings have increased almost exponentially since just the late 1990s. Why? Yes, there are more guns. Yes, more people live in urban environments. But those aren't the answer. The problem of mass shootings has grown far faster than the rate of gun ownership. ...

How about a list of successful defensive gun situations to reference?

How about a list of successful defensive gun situations to reference?

 

Yes, that is sorely needed. Got any to contribute?

The first one that comes to mind is the senior citizen in the Internet cafe.

 

http://www.gunsandammo.com/2012/07/18/senior-citizen-shoots-armed-robbers-at-internet-cafe/

Here's a good site with facts about gun laws

 

http://www.justfacts.com/guncontrol.asp

Sticky this

in thanks for the links

We really need two stickys one with gun facts and another with all the addresses of our representatives to make it easier to contact them. Time to step up our game boys. No use sitting here debating. We need to take action.

Yes, that is sorely needed. Got any to contribute?

 

There's always gunssavelives.net. It would be prudent to save a couple of the more important stories for later use.

LEO's, do I have this about right (expanding on a theme I saw elsewhere)?:

 

The Sandy Hook shooter broke 43 laws. Surely if we add a few more laws this will never happen again:

 

1 - Murder

2 - Theft of firearm (rifle)

3 - Theft of firearm (handgun)

4 - Theft of firearm (handgun)

5 - Theft of firearm (shotgun)

6 - Possession of a handgun by a person under 21

7 - Possession of a handgun by a person under 21

8 - Theft of automobile

9 - Illegal transport of firearm (rifle)

10 - Illegal transport of firearm (handgun)

10 - Illegal transport of firearm (handgun)

11 - Illegal transport of firearm (shotgun)

12 - Possession of firearm on school property (rifle)

13 - Possession of firearm on school property (handgun)

14 - Possession of firearm on school property (handgun)

15 - Possession of firearm on school property (shotgun)

16 - Unauthorized entry into school

17 - Destruction of school property

18 through 43 - 26 additional counts of murder

Just came across this: http://factcheck.org/2012/12/gun-rhetoric-vs-gun-facts/

 

STICKY THIS THREAD MODS!!!

Nice post Sgt Toadette. Something worth reading for a change.

Nice work Sarge.

...

- "Gun owners are really just racist old white guys who are paranoid" - respond with the history of gun control laws arising from efforts to suppress minorities from owning guns

...

 

Here's an article from The Atlantic discussing how gun control laws arose from efforts to disarm the black panther party and also confirming the Supreme Court analysis that the 2nd amendment confers a right for individuals to keep and bear arms:

 

http://www.theatlant...-guns/308608/1/

Drug Laws also have deep roots in racial hatred and mis-beliefs. The actual testimony during the initial drug law legislation were literally based and focused on 'Crazy Negros' taking and raping white women when they were high. I've read this in books on Drug Laws and seen this a couple of times in documentaries. Another instance where a bad idea and a bad situation does not make good law.

This is an excellent post

 

At work when these discussions come up I am always "out gunned" by the anti gun people (pun intended) because I don't have facts or links readily available.

Located this article regarding school violence from NPR:

 

http://www.npr.org/2...a-problem-is-it

 

 

Source: National School Safety Center

 

"From 1993 to 2010, the number of homicides committed at primary and secondary schools by students has steadily shrunk."

Drug Laws also have deep roots in racial hatred and mis-beliefs. The actual testimony during the initial drug law legislation were literally based and focused on 'Crazy Negros' taking and raping white women when they were high. I've read this in books on Drug Laws and seen this a couple of times in documentaries. Another instance where a bad idea and a bad situation does not make good law.

 

Correct. Virtually the only reason for Marijuana prohibition in the USA is racism, fear mongering, miseducation, and pharmaceutical/alcohol industry profits.

 

“Makes darkies think they’re as good as white men.” —H.J. Anslinger, Bureau of Narcotics

 

“Marihuana influenced negroes to look at white people in the eye, step on white men’s shadows, and look at a white woman twice.” —Hearst Newspapers

 

“Marihuana is more dangerous than heroin or cocaine.” —Anslinger, Scientific American, May, 1938

 

“Negro entertainers with their jazz and swing music are declared an outgrowth of marihuana use which possesses white women to tap their feet.” —statements to Congress by Anslinger, FBN

Logic and facts are on our side, but that is not the language the other side is communicating in. Unless we can talk in their language, emotion and feelings, they will take every tragedy to defeat us. We can create a mountain of facts and logic but we mind as well be speaking a foreign language.

Organized original post and updated with sources from this thread: http://njgunforums.com/forum/index.php?/topic/43714-gun-control-article-i-havent-seen/

double posted but I don't want anyone to miss it. An Op-ed Piece in the NY Times about the failures of Mental Heatlh care in the U.S.

 

http://www.nytimes.c...od=myyahoo&_r=0

 

 

BTW, I feel the failures of Mental Health care should be every gun owner's focus. We have much support on this.

Updated with a video section and child mortality data.