Historically, both law and facts are on the gun owners’ side of the “gun control” debate, and the Other Side had relied largely on emotion. I respectfully submit that emotion is something our side should play to, as well. I made that point recently at the 2024 Gun Rights Policy Conference in San Diego last month. If you can spare fifteen minutes, you can see it and listen to it yourself, here:
You’ve doubtless noticed that the Other Side wails, “We have a right to feel safe.” They’re right about that – they just don’t understand how safety works in a country with 330 million people and only about 800,000 cops to protect them 24/7 from predators who make a point of preying on victims when cops aren’t around.
Our Side needs to reply, “We have a right to safety, too, and you need to realize that defensive firearms are emergency life-saving rescue equipment.”
Logic and law and caselaw are by and large on our side, as is common sense, and we should keep using those winning arguments. But, I respectfully submit again, we should supplement with the emotional argument.
For every time the Other Side puts up a death and a grieving loved one, we can show – and probably outnumber – not only people saved by guns, but generations of people who wouldn’t be alive today if their ancestors hadn’t had guns with which to save their lives.
Whenever I postulate this, someone comments, “Never mind that! The Second Amendment is all we need!”
Sadly, no, it apparently isn’t. If the Second Amendment was enough in real world 2024 America, we’d have fully automatic M16s or M4s in every home, and would be able to legally carry discreetly concealed handguns to protect ourselves and our loved ones everywhere in the United States.
While school shootings are a statistical blip, they have high emotional value for obvious reasons. John Lott has done some good work on mass shootings in gun-free zones, of which schools are a prominent example. He has also done work on mass shootings prevented by armed citizens in the face of FBI attempts to cover that up. Put the two together and you get armed school staff. I always say staff instead of just teachers because administrators and custodians have exhibited heroism in these incidents and sometimes died for it.
Luckily, our county has armed staff and have had since Parkland. A neighboring, which has larger population, still refuses to allow it. They think metal detectors are the answer.
Neighboring County….
I would love to see a series of commercials made by someone with means and played during the Super Bowl like the Jesus “He gets me” commercials last year.
Think of an emotionally based commercial where someone who was preyed upon recounts their story and how a gun saved their life.
Think of a commercial dramatizing a home invasion ending with “A gun saved my life.”
Another of a young daughter or a mother who was targeted to be the next rape victim ending with “A gun saved my life”.
An attempted mall shooting where a defender used his CCW to stop the attack – “A gun saved my life”.
An attempted school shooting where the resource officer stopped it – “A gun saved my life”.
End it with a half a dozen people, all victim categories, saying one at a time, “A gun saved my life”.
This could have a huge impact on people’s perception.
We have one very powerful and mortal enemy of our right to keep and bear arms – The Mainstream Media. We could right books and post videos, but as long as the bias continues we have little voice.
Mas is absolutely right here.
The more I work on my own psychology the more convinced I am that humans make decisions by how their feelings/emotions drive them. Logic is an afterthought at best; a rationalization for the conclusion they first reached because of their feelings/emotions.
By refusing to come to the emotional playing field we are losing the battle by default. That is the worst form of mistake. A strategic mistake.
Excellent presentation Mas. Packed. Your quote “when the other side lies, do not despair. Rejoice. They have given you the tools to defeat them. All that you have to do is prove the lie”.
Rightfully so, I believe the Self Defense community is trained to minimize and overcome emotion (Amygdala) in the event of facing a Monster. What you conveyed is right on. We can use that emotion funneled through our hearts to want to live and have life for us and others. The truth that life is precious is eternal. Life is a precious gift that we must protect and then gift to others.