Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Gun Control and Magical Thinking

Original here Gun laws: Keep the safety on

There is an incredible dearth of logic in the author's argument. On one hand he admits that, in your home or in a "public place" you can be a responsible gun owning citizen.
In this country, law-abiding adults should have the right and the means to protect themselves in their own homes and in public places, such as streets and sidewalks.
On the other hand, if you cross an invisible boundary onto a school
However, carrying a weapon onto school campuses increases the potential public safety risk. What happens if a student finds a handgun in a briefcase or a desk drawer and accidentally or purposefully uses it on himself or another student?
or airport property
We live in an era when America must confront terrorism in the skies. Allowing guns within an airport shaves too closely to the conflict between self protection and broader public safety.

Air travel has proven a specific target of terrorists, in part because of the number of potential victims and the fear of death in the sky, but also for the potential to halt a vital transportation sector.
you are suddenly transformed and are no longer a responsible gun owner but something else. What is the remarkable magic that can cause this? How is it a person who is a responsible citizen in one place moves a few inches and is suddenly transformed into a crazed psychopath who cannot be trusted with the means of self defense?

Of course there is no such magic. The author's arguments are are just red herrings to distract from the issue of responsibility and self reliance so it is no surprise that he veers off into gross logical inconsistency.  If a person is responsible enough to carry gun in his home or on a public street he is responsible enough to carry it into a school or airport.

H/T to David Codrea: Link

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