Debunking the Debunking of the Debunking

The Bloomberg anti-gun group published an infograph alleging 74 school shooting that have taken place since the horrific events of Newtown, Connecticut, in December, 2012.

A journalist, Charles Johnson, examined these cases and said that, in context, 7 of these events -- far too many -- are similar to the Sandy Hook School shooting.  

Next, along comes Brandy Zadrozny to explain that Johnson is misleading us because the Everytown people did not claim that each and every event was exactly analogous to Newtown.

Except, that's exactly what the Everytown people wanted low-information clickers to believe.  The table at the site does have a footnote that explains these incidents include suicides and accidents, but look at the picture at the top of the page.  They are tying every single one of these occurrences to the murder of babies at Newtown. 

There are multiple ways to lie.  You can just make crap up like the Clintons, Joe Biden, and Nancy Pelosi do.  You can also present true facts in such a way as to obscure the reality and create a false narrative, as Obama does so well, and as the Everytown site has done.  It gives you an out when you get caught.  Bill Clinton did it, too, haggling over the definition of "is". 

The truth is that Everytown presented their evidence, especially the map infograph, so as to make people think that 74 times since 12/2012, crazed gunmen have gone into a school and murdered little children with guns. 

To me, the seven legitimate cases would have been sufficient.  That's way too many, and we need to find a way to deal with this problem. 

I don't know what is required to prevent these incidents.  What I do know is that disarming and restricting law-abiding citizens such as myself will not keep them from happening. 

Let's have discussion about why these things happen, but it has to be a legitimate discussion based on the truth.  Let's stop trying to silence our opposition with emotional barrages and speak rationally about what might work and what we know doesn't work.  Stop equating self-defense with assault and justifiable homicide with murder.  The vast majority of the time, whether wielded in front of a badge or by a private citizen, a firearm doesn't even have to be discharged to do its job.  Most people have sense enough to cease and desist when the business end of a shotgun or handgun gives them that unblinking metallic stare. 

The murderer at Newtown would not have been stopped by limits on magazine capacity.  He would not have been stopped by more restrictive carry laws.  He would not have been stopped by more extensive background checks or background checks at gun shows.  He was not stopped by a "no weapons allowed" sign.  He was stopped by a bullet.  Too bad it wasn't fired by someone else before he shed so much innocent blood.