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More Guns, Less Crime: A Dialogue
The Atlantic ^ | 12/26/2012

Posted on 12/27/2012 7:09:02 AM PST by Altura Ct.

My label-mate Jeffrey Goldberg was kind enough to take some time to talk with me about his most recent story in the magazine -- "The Case for More Guns (and More Gun Control)". Both Fallows and I have some disagreements with Jeff on this. Here, Jeff and I try to talk it out. We do not agree. But we also avoided challenging each other to a duel.

Ta-Nehisi Coates: Do you own a gun? Are you a gun person, at all?

Jeffrey Goldberg: It doesn't make much sense to tell people that you are unarmed. Many businesses and institutions around the country advertise themselves as "gun-free zones." This is a ridiculous policy -- not to be gun-free, but to tell people you are. It's akin to posting a sign on your front door stating, "No burglar alarm here." Our colleague Jonathan Rauch, who, as you know, inspired the "Pink Pistols" movement of gays and lesbians who arm themselves against bullying and assault, told me last week he thinks that universities should post signs on their campuses that state, "Be warned: Many of our students and faculty members are armed."

The theory, obviously, is that violent criminals, or the dangerously mentally ill, are not generally stopped by signage declaring their target to be a gun-free zone, and indeed they could be encouraged by such signs. All that said, I will remind you that I live in Washington, D.C., and Washington has very tough gun laws, and as you know, I'm a very law-abiding person.

(Excerpt) Read more at theatlantic.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Government
KEYWORDS: banglist; guncontrol; secondamendment
Farther down in the interview. The epitome of liberal thought.

JG:but let me ask you a question: If you were confronted with an "active shooter," do you think, in that moment, you might wish you had a gun?

TNC:...And the fact is that I would actually rather die by shooting than live armed.

1 posted on 12/27/2012 7:09:07 AM PST by Altura Ct.
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To: Altura Ct.
TNC:...And the fact is that I would actually rather die by shooting than live armed.

I call BS.
Put him in a threatening situation and then ask, "Here's an olive branch, and here's a shotgun. Which do you prefer?"

Everyone has a survival instinct, no matter how stupidly "intellectual" they are.

2 posted on 12/27/2012 7:13:56 AM PST by grobdriver
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To: Altura Ct.

You will never convince the gun grabbers that more guns=less crime, but you can cite facts and statistics that absolutely prove more guns don’t equal more crime.

This country has been on an unprecidented gun buying binge since late 2008 and there has been no corresponding spike in violent or firearms crime. As a matter of fact, while some locales like Chicago are increasing, the overall levels have decreased.


3 posted on 12/27/2012 7:29:20 AM PST by umgud (No Rats, No Rino's)
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To: Altura Ct.
Ronald Reagan was pro-gun control because he feared the Black Panthers. The Ku Klux Klan was founded in order to seize guns from free blacks. I don't generally buy the narrative of Second Amendment absolutists, that individually-owned guns are the best defense against the imposition of tyrannical rule in America (I think we're pretty safe from tyrannical rule.)

Ugh...Libs can't help themselves

4 posted on 12/27/2012 7:34:00 AM PST by frogjerk (Obama Claus is coming to town!)
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To: Altura Ct.

If facts matter, the following is a great article showing statistical trends of murders in the US and the negative correlation between increased gun ownership and increased murders.

http://www.americanthinker.com/2012/12/listening_to_the_latest_media.html


5 posted on 12/27/2012 7:45:41 AM PST by LOC1 (Let's pick the best, not settle for a compromise.)
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To: Altura Ct.
TNC: Forgive me, I didn't understand your question. (I actually don't know who Saint Augustine is.)

And this guy is supposed to be worldly and well educated.

6 posted on 12/27/2012 7:46:31 AM PST by frogjerk (Obama Claus is coming to town!)
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To: grobdriver

Ta-Nehisi Coates sits to pee.


7 posted on 12/27/2012 8:11:31 AM PST by Noumenon (As long as you have a rifle, you STILL have a vote.)
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To: grobdriver

These hypocritical creatures all live in gated communities, or have doormen/security in their highrise apartments...

plus their kids go to well defended private schools.


8 posted on 12/27/2012 8:18:28 AM PST by Mrs.Z
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To: umgud
Your comment is ideal to follow with this indisputable graphic:


9 posted on 12/27/2012 9:36:25 AM PST by TXnMA ("Allah": Satan's current alias... "Barack": Allah's current ally...)
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To: LOC1; Altura Ct.

The data in my #9 also support the “more guns = less crime” claim...


10 posted on 12/27/2012 9:46:40 AM PST by TXnMA ("Allah": Satan's current alias... "Barack": Allah's current ally...)
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To: Altura Ct.

Got about two thirds into the “dialogue” and had to stop. Let me summarize it as I see it: Two guys patting themselves on the back about how smart, sensitive and broad-minded they are....one slightly pro-gun, the other anti gun and both getting in their digs at true conservatives.


11 posted on 12/27/2012 10:00:59 AM PST by Drawsing (The fool shows his annoyance at once. The prudent man overlooks an insult. (Proverbs 12:16))
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To: Drawsing

That would be the CliffsNotes version, yes.


12 posted on 12/27/2012 11:00:32 AM PST by frogjerk (Obama Claus is coming to town!)
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To: Mrs.Z
These hypocritical creatures all live in gated communities, or have doormen/security in their highrise apartments...

George Zimmerman lived in a gated community, for all the good it did him.

Regards,
GtG

13 posted on 12/27/2012 11:42:27 AM PST by Gandalf_The_Gray (I live in my own little world, I like it 'cuz they know me here.)
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To: Drawsing

You nailed it. Neither one of them seems capable of understanding that there are monsters among us, and that often the worst monsters are in charge of governments.


14 posted on 12/27/2012 5:00:34 PM PST by marktwain
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To: grobdriver

Well, it’s even more simple than that. What he’s really saying is that, since he has outsourced his protection to armed guards and security buildings, he’d rather that WE die by shooting than have the means to defend ourselves and our loved ones.

That, needless to say, is not acceptable.

They are going to have a real fight on their hands once DiFi introduces her miserable legislation.

Time to take names.

And don’t forget to B.L.O.A.T.

Molon Labe


15 posted on 12/27/2012 5:13:50 PM PST by absalom01 (You should do your duty in all things. You cannot do more, and you should never wish to do less.)
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To: Altura Ct.
Here are my two favorite lines from the linked article, one from each participant:

"I also don't own a car, either. I'm not ready for the responsibility."

"I tend to think that, because these shootings are so rare, this is not the best use of money, but that's another conversation."

One of these two isn't ready for the responibility of owning a car but readily accepts the responsibility of determining how I live my life and how I protect myself and my loved ones.

The other admits that these shootings are so rare that we should spend our money elsewhere, but he is willing to deprive me of money, property, time, and protection as he sees fit.

Neither accepts that there is EVIL in the world. That there are people who will not live by the Golden Rule and who will, if sufficiently unsuccessful in their own lives, kill you, your family, and then themselves.

There will never be a day when the behavior of 300 million people will be so predictable that murder will cease because those capable of murder are institutionalized and there will never be a day when such people will be unable to harm others without making slaves to government of us all.

16 posted on 12/27/2012 11:15:45 PM PST by William Tell
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