We fear the gun.

By Zee

Guns are scary. They are loud and dangerous. They are tools that can kill. Who wouldn't be afraid of a stranger approaching you with a loaded gun? We fear the gun.



In typical human fashion, we objectify our feelings. We Fear the gun instead of the stranger. Why? Because the stranger represents the unknown, and the gun the known. We dont know what the strangers intentions are, but we know what the gun is capable of. We fear the unknown, but the known is easier to blame. We fear the gun.

Fear is one of the strongest emotions. It is one of our basic instinctual survival mechanisms. Fear almost always relates to future events, such as the worsening of a situation. And as an emotion, Fear makes us act.

Emotions move people to do things that are completely illogical. In fact, emotions drive more than 80 percent of our decision-making, while logic makes up the rest. Our emotions are designed to protect us, leading us toward sources of need or away from areas of danger. Emotions are the basic mechanism for making decisions.[1]

But should we let fear control us? Should we let any emotion control us? Especially when considering something as sensitive as gun-control.

Logic vs Emotion

When we use logic to make decisions, we seek to exclude emotions, using only rational methods, and perhaps even mathematical tools. Whereas a totally emotional decision is the reactive (and largely subconscious) decision-making that you encounter when faced with immediate danger. [2]

So which do we use when deciding to overcome our fears? Or to prevent crime? Or defend ourselves? Or create legislation? Often in these situations, emotional approaches are more destructive than helpful. Emotion tells us to ban the gun. Remove that which scares us. It is easy to say "get it away from me" but much harder to achieve, because laws only prevent lawful citicens from acting (in the future) and only punish criminal citizens for acting (in the past).

Logic must be used to defeat both fears and crime. And logic must be used in drafting legislation; especially when it threatens to curtail the rights and liberties of law abiding citizens. And logic tells us that fewer guns lead to more crime, and more guns, in the hands of the right people, prevent crime.

"To date, there are sixteen refereed publications, which demonstrate that CCWs decrease violent crime. There are ten refereed publications that say they make no difference in violent crime rates. There are zero refereed publications demonstrating that CCWs increase violent crime."
- Mike Adams 'Liberal Ideology Will Not Make Your Campus Safer'

Note the difference between a comprehensive study (refereed publications), and simple data (numbers). As the old addage goes, "statistics don't lie, but liars use statisitcs". That's because statistics used over an inomplete and incomplrehensive data show relative percentages over often illogical subsets of data. I'll say it again - "illogical subsets", ie: emotionally driven. The difference is emotional manipulation.

The Ani-Gun coalition has numbers too, but they use emotionally driven methods to derrive illogical and incorrect statistics. They are just praying that you react emotionally instead of logically. Just Google "debunk Brady Campaign" to see for yourself.

They prey on your fears. If you want someone else to make a decision [in your favor] use their emotions, guiding them to a point where, at the moment of decision they will be more favorably disposed towards your ideas. Make emotionally tinged appeals in closing with them. [2]

The truth is that human beings, no matter how "civilized" advanced over thier club-wielding cavemen ancestors, have always used weapons and have always had to deal with individuals who are adverse to social rules (laws). We have never been, and never will, be free of either weapons or criminals. In a perfect utopian society, there would be no crime. But we are not perfect, and we never will be. It is just a fact of life - Fundamentally today is no different than yestreday. It is the nature of the human. Therefore, it is better to be safe (logical) than dreamers (emotional).

When we stop to look at the details, the truth is revealed.

How long does it take a psycho to kill 30 people? Not long as VA tech proved. Something you may not know about it the shootings at the Appalachian School of Law in 2002. MSM reported that students "tackled" the shooter. What they didn't say was two students ran to their cars when they heard the shots and got their guns. They held the shooter at gunpoint so he could be tackled and held for police. 3 dead. Which would you rather have? 3 dead or 30 dead? The only difference? Some students [at Appalachian] were armed.
- Minnesota Grandma

So what will you choose? To live in Fear? Or face it with logic?


References:

[1] http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2004/11/01/smallb2.html

[2] http://changingminds.org/explanations/emotions/emotion_decision.htm