Devin Hughes and Jen Pauliukonis devin@gvpedia.org and jen@mdpgv.org In a February 12, 2018 NYTimes op-ed article, “Background Checks Are Not the Answer to Gun Violence,” John Lott, a pro-gun commentator, condemned the firearm purchase background check system with the specious claim…
Debunking Myths, John Lott
John Lott, the NRA’s Favorite Gun ‘Academic’, Is A Fraud
The United States seems to be in a perpetual cycle mourning mass shootings in the country. This year alone, there have already been 233 mass shootings, where four or more victims were shot, leaving 310 dead and 930 injured….
Debunking Myths
Five Arguments Against Gun Control – And Why They’re All Wrong
The National Rifle Association and its allies have their post-shooting routine down cold. They wait a day or two and then respond with a blistering array of attacks against gun-safety advocates calling for reform. No matter what the circumstances…
Debunking Myths, Long Read
Armed Abusers, Unchecked Felons, and Negligent Owners: Why Presidential Action Alone Can’t Solve Some Big Gun Violence Problems
Two weeks ago President Obama rolled out a host of executive actions designed to curb gun violence. His proposals aimed to more clearly define who is in the business of selling guns, and to bolster the FBI and the Bureau…
Data, Debunking Myths, Short Read
Guns as a Defense Against Terrorists? The Stats Say Otherwise
Two weeks ago on CBS’s Face the Nation, GOP presidential contender Marco Rubio boasted about purchasing a handgun on Christmas Eve. When asked why he had bought the weapon, the Senator from Florida explained that personal firearm ownership is the…
Data, Debunking Myths, Long Read
John Lott and the War on Truth: A Response to Lott’s Continued Lies
(Photo credit Flickr user Fling93, image has been modified from original) Nearly seven months after we published our article detailing John Lott’s storied history of academic dishonesty, Lott decided to issue his own rebuttal to our work. He begins…
Debunking Myths, Short Read
A Thanksgiving-Edition Cliff Notes Guide to the Gun Debate
Thanksgiving is a time to eat, drink, and, inevitably, fall into heartburn-inducing arguments with family members over politically charged topics. When the topic on the table (as it were) is gun violence or gun laws, things can get heated…
Data, Debunking Myths, Long Read
Why Campus Carry is a Bad Idea: Or Why Alcohol, Hormones, and Guns Don’t Mix
In the wake of last month’s shooting at an Oregon college, gun advocates have stepped up their calls for allowing firearms on campus. So-called campus-carry bills are on the legislative docket in Florida and Michigan, and lawmakers are expected to follow…
Data, Debunking Myths, Short Read
Harvard Study Embraced by Gun Rights Advocates Is Neither a “Study,” Nor From “Harvard”
In the wake of the Oregon college shooting, the website beliefnet.com caused a stir on social media with an article titled “Harvard University Study Reveals Astonishing Link Between Firearms, Crime and Gun Control.” The post pointed to a “virtually…
Note: this column originally appeared in the Washington Post on October 15th, 2015 In the wake of yet another mass shooting, this time at Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, Ore., conservative commentators have largely resisted the familiar impulse to…