If being armed made you safe, no law enforcement officer would ever get killed. President Reagan would not have been shot and Chris Kyle, arguably the best shot in America, would have not been killed.
Rather than a High Noon, duel like scenario in which the armed opponent approaches from two blocks away, the violence that befalls law enforcement officers and befell Kyle and President Reagan is unexpected and cannot be defended against.
Of course gun extremists always have an answer for why armed good guys did not come to the rescue and prevent bloodshed. There was an armed guard at Columbine but he was out to lunch. Virginia Tech had an armed SWAT team but they didn’t get there in time. Ditto for the trained and armed personnel at Fort Hood who did not get to the room when Army Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan was shooting in time.
To find out why armed good guys always seem to have the sun in their eyes when it comes to protecting themselves and others, ABC News set up some test scenarios in 2009 in an expose called, “If I Only Had A Gun.” To determine once and for all whether an armed person in the room can prevent bloodshed, ABC News planted gun carriers, some with 100 hours of training, in a lecture hall and told them an armed intruder would soon burst in. It was an embarrassment. The gun carriers failed to stop the gunman and he also would likely have used their weapons against them. Even being armed, ready and forewarned wasn’t enough for the carriers to defend themselves and others. Oops.
Clearly the element of surprise trumps the proximity of skilled and trained marksmen when it comes to gun violence. Why else would President Reagan have been shot when surrounded by guards trained for that exact event? Why would Chris Kyle have been shot while he was himself shooting at a range?
The myth of armed good guys preventing violence is as tenacious as the myth of a firearm providing safety at home when it is more likely to cause homicide, suicide and accidents within the family.
Worse, all those armed good guys put society in general at risk. In a real incident, the self proclaimed Rambos will likely hit themselves and innocent bystanders if they even get a shot out.
And there is another danger of the good guys with guns myth. The myth that they can defeat bad guys keeps the focus off straw buyers and crooked gun dealers who arm the bad guys and who the gun lobby supports with friendly and toothless laws. (Hey, sales are sales.) 1,300 firearms seized on Chicago streets were traced to one dealer, Chuck’s Gun Shop, since 2008. Clearly we need good laws not good “guys.”
Help us Prepare for Trump’s Day One
Trump is busy getting ready for Day One of his presidency – but so is Truthout.
Trump has made it no secret that he is planning a demolition-style attack on both specific communities and democracy as a whole, beginning on his first day in office. With over 25 executive orders and directives queued up for January 20, he’s promised to “launch the largest deportation program in American history,” roll back anti-discrimination protections for transgender students, and implement a “drill, drill, drill” approach to ramp up oil and gas extraction.
Organizations like Truthout are also being threatened by legislation like HR 9495, the “nonprofit killer bill” that would allow the Treasury Secretary to declare any nonprofit a “terrorist-supporting organization” and strip its tax-exempt status without due process. Progressive media like Truthout that has courageously focused on reporting on Israel’s genocide in Gaza are in the bill’s crosshairs.
As journalists, we have a responsibility to look at hard realities and communicate them to you. We hope that you, like us, can use this information to prepare for what’s to come.
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In addition to covering the widespread onslaught of draconian policy, we’re shoring up our resources for what might come next for progressive media: bad-faith lawsuits from far-right ghouls, legislation that seeks to strip us of our ability to receive tax-deductible donations, and further throttling of our reach on social media platforms owned by Trump’s sycophants.
We’re preparing right now for Trump’s Day One: building a brave coalition of movement media; reaching out to the activists, academics, and thinkers we trust to shine a light on the inner workings of authoritarianism; and planning to use journalism as a tool to equip movements to protect the people, lands, and principles most vulnerable to Trump’s destruction.
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Today, we’re asking all of our readers to start a monthly donation or make a one-time donation – as a commitment to stand with us on day one of Trump’s presidency, and every day after that, as we produce journalism that combats authoritarianism, censorship, injustice, and misinformation. You’re an essential part of our future – please join the movement by making a tax-deductible donation today.
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