Armed With Reason

French President Francois Hollande (L) poses with Americans Alek Skarlatos (2nd L), Spencer Stone (2nd R) and Anthony Sandler (L), and US ambassador to France Jane D. Hartley (C) after a ceremony in their honor at the Elysee Palace, in Paris, France on August 24, 2015. The three American friends and British man Chris Norman have been awarded the Legion of Honor medal for bravery. They prevented a massacre aboard a Thalys high-speed train en route to Paris from Amsterdam on Friday when a heavily armed Moroccan gunman known as Ayoub El Khazzani opened fire. Photo by Christian Liewig/Sipa USA

Debunking Myths, Short Read

Good Guys Without Guns Thwart French Train Shooter, Validate Data

Sep 17, 2015, 6:29 PM 21

Note – This article originally appeared in The Trace on August 25th Late last Friday afternoon on a train bound for Paris, a man armed with an AK-47, Luger pistol, and a box-cutter opened fire after being confronted by a passenger on…

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Data, Debunking Myths, Long Read

The Myth of The Mentally Ill Shooter: Why the NRA Blames Mental Illness And Ignores Alcohol Abuse

Aug 8, 2015, 5:24 PM 11

In the wake of the mass shooting in Chattanooga, Tennessee, investigators and the media have pored over the gunman’s personal life, trying to find an explanation for what might have caused the tragedy. As the FBI continues to look…

Data, Debunking Myths, Long Read

More Holes in the Defensive Gun Use Myth: New Study Finds DGU is Ineffective and Rare

Jul 17, 2015, 3:26 AM 18

A recent study published in The Journal of Preventive Medicine offers new support for the argument that owning a gun does not make you safer. The study, led by David Hemenway, Ph.D., of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public…

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Data, Debunking Myths

People Who Own Guns Least Likely To Use Them – New Illinois Data Debunks “More Guns, Less Crime”

Jul 14, 2015, 5:13 PM 20

Note – This article originally appeared in The Trace This week the Chicago Sun-Times issued a report on the rise of concealed carry in Chicago. The report, based on an analysis of statewide concealed-carry permit data, showed that residents of…

Data, Policy Solutions

The Simple Solution To Gun Violence? Permits.

Jul 8, 2015, 5:29 PM 17

Note – This article originally appeared in The Trace Permit-to-purchase systems are backed by strong data. Is congressional legislation that would take the idea national the proposal more people should be debating? Earlier this month, Rep. Chris Van Hollen,…

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Data, Debunking Myths, Long Read

How America’s Lax Gun Laws Aid Mass Murderers and Cripple Communities of Color

Jul 8, 2015, 5:21 PM 2

Note – This article originally appeared in VICE Gun Free Zones Don’t Attract Mass Shootings In the wake of the massacre at Charleston’s African Methodist Episcopal Church last month, gun rights advocates have been quick to seize the opportunity…

Data, Debunking Myths, Long Read

More Guns, More Crime: Yet Another Study Debunking the Myth

Jun 26, 2015, 1:45 PM 19

Note- This column originally appeared in The Trace A Gallup poll taken last October found that around 63 percent of Americans believe that having a gun in the house makes their home safer. It’s a perception in keeping with…

Data, Debunking Myths, Long Read

Debunking the Gun Free Zone Myth: “Mass Murder Magnets”

Jun 19, 2015, 3:11 PM 47

Note: This column originally appeared in The Trace In the wake of the Wednesday shooting at a Charleston, S.C., church that left nine people dead, John R. Lott Jr., the prominent researcher whose work is embraced in gun-rights circles, offered a…

Debunking Myths

Defensive Gun Use: Gary Kleck Misfires Again

Mar 9, 2015, 5:40 PM 23

This is a response to Gary Kleck’s article in Politico. This response is attached as an addendum there: When Gary Kleck can’t defend, he attacks. Instead of offering new insight, Kleck instead baselessly speculates on our motives, suggesting we “hope…

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Debunking Myths

Better Than Somalia: How to Feel Good About Gun Violence

Feb 24, 2015, 8:55 PM 24

A YouTube video entitled, “Number One With A Bullet”, recently made rounds on the Internet. It defended American gun policy on the basis that, despite having high levels of per capita gun ownership, the United States has relatively low…

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Older Entries

Debunking Myths, Short Read

Good Guys Without Guns Thwart French Train Shooter, Validate Data

Data, Debunking Myths, Long Read

The Myth of The Mentally Ill Shooter: Why the NRA Blames Mental Illness And Ignores Alcohol Abuse

Data, Debunking Myths, Long Read

More Holes in the Defensive Gun Use Myth: New Study Finds DGU is Ineffective and Rare

Data, Debunking Myths

People Who Own Guns Least Likely To Use Them – New Illinois Data Debunks “More Guns, Less Crime”

Data, Policy Solutions

The Simple Solution To Gun Violence? Permits.

Data, Debunking Myths, Long Read

How America’s Lax Gun Laws Aid Mass Murderers and Cripple Communities of Color

Data, Debunking Myths, Long Read

More Guns, More Crime: Yet Another Study Debunking the Myth

Data, Debunking Myths, Long Read

Debunking the Gun Free Zone Myth: “Mass Murder Magnets”

Debunking Myths

Defensive Gun Use: Gary Kleck Misfires Again

Debunking Myths

Better Than Somalia: How to Feel Good About Gun Violence

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Top Posts

Rebutting the ‘Criminals don’t follow laws’ and ‘Gun Control only hurts law-abiding citizens’ argument against gun control

Debunking the “Guns Don’t Kill People, People Kill People” Myth

Less Guns, Less Crime- Debunking the Self-Defense Myth

Shooting Down the Gun Lobby’s Favorite “Academic”: A Lott of Lies

Militia Myths: Why Armed Populations Don’t Prevent Tyranny, But Often Lead To It

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