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13 misconceptions about gun owners 13 misconceptions about gun owners
(4 months later)
After Alex Hannaford published What I learned when I got a gun, we opened up the issues he explores in his commentary piece to other gun owners. We asked them to tell us what non-gun owners and the media gets wrong about gun culture. What should non gun-owners know that they don't? What are some of the most frequent misconceptions they encounter?After Alex Hannaford published What I learned when I got a gun, we opened up the issues he explores in his commentary piece to other gun owners. We asked them to tell us what non-gun owners and the media gets wrong about gun culture. What should non gun-owners know that they don't? What are some of the most frequent misconceptions they encounter?
Dozens of people responded. Here's what they told us:Dozens of people responded. Here's what they told us:
1.1.
The gun culture has been taken over by the most extreme elements in this country. The NRA no more represents people like me than the Taliban represents Muslims.
– Sam Davis, Texas		The gun culture has been taken over by the most extreme elements in this country. The NRA no more represents people like me than the Taliban represents Muslims.
– Sam Davis, Texas
2.2.
That since we do not agree with high-profile gun control measures, we must therefore support the murder of children.
– Michael, Colorado		That since we do not agree with high-profile gun control measures, we must therefore support the murder of children.
– Michael, Colorado
3.3.
"One of the most offensive stereotypes I hear all the time is that all gun owners are bible-thumping conservatives, which is far from true. I'm personally an atheist who is socially liberal and I identify more with moderate politicians. So are many of my friends who own guns."
– Lambo, Wisconsin		"One of the most offensive stereotypes I hear all the time is that all gun owners are bible-thumping conservatives, which is far from true. I'm personally an atheist who is socially liberal and I identify more with moderate politicians. So are many of my friends who own guns."
– Lambo, Wisconsin
4.4.
Whenever I hear that people who disagree with some gun control measures don't care about their communities I am offended. I care about my community, my country, and the constitution, I just disagree with some policies.
– Joe, USA		Whenever I hear that people who disagree with some gun control measures don't care about their communities I am offended. I care about my community, my country, and the constitution, I just disagree with some policies.
– Joe, USA
5.5.
There is also a major urban-rural fight going on here. Many Urban centers have a problem with gun crime. Most rural areas don't. Many urban problems go into causing gun crime, but guns get the blame. Should laws from urban areas with a problem apply to rural areas?
– Joe, USA		There is also a major urban-rural fight going on here. Many Urban centers have a problem with gun crime. Most rural areas don't. Many urban problems go into causing gun crime, but guns get the blame. Should laws from urban areas with a problem apply to rural areas?
– Joe, USA
6.6.
Most of these folks often don't know much about guns at all (they don't understand the distinction between automatic and semi-automatic for example), and they seem unaware of how much public land in the US is available for hunting or how many people take advantage of that.
– Lambo, Wisconsin		Most of these folks often don't know much about guns at all (they don't understand the distinction between automatic and semi-automatic for example), and they seem unaware of how much public land in the US is available for hunting or how many people take advantage of that.
– Lambo, Wisconsin
7.7.
That we're chomping at the bit to overthrow the government.
– Michael, USA		That we're chomping at the bit to overthrow the government.
– Michael, USA
8.8.
That gun owners are blood thirsty, uneducated, reactionary. I've been called an ideologue, etc, which I don't believe I am. I am open to looking into why school shootings are occurring, but most people tend to blame the tool rather than the reasons behind why a person would commit such heinous acts.
– David Chandler, New Mexico		That gun owners are blood thirsty, uneducated, reactionary. I've been called an ideologue, etc, which I don't believe I am. I am open to looking into why school shootings are occurring, but most people tend to blame the tool rather than the reasons behind why a person would commit such heinous acts.
– David Chandler, New Mexico
9.9.
They expect me to be an uneducated bible belter. In reality I'm an engineer that largely considers both ends of the American political spectrum to be farcical and/or repugnant, depending on the day. I find the association with the right wing in general to be regrettable. I am a big believer in a secular state, a supporter of education and health care, and am pro-choice as part of a strong belief in personal liberty.
– Devin MacCray, Colorado		They expect me to be an uneducated bible belter. In reality I'm an engineer that largely considers both ends of the American political spectrum to be farcical and/or repugnant, depending on the day. I find the association with the right wing in general to be regrettable. I am a big believer in a secular state, a supporter of education and health care, and am pro-choice as part of a strong belief in personal liberty.
– Devin MacCray, Colorado
10.10.
That we all own fully-automatic weapons, which are very rare and cost several thousand dollars at a minimum.
– Michael, USA		That we all own fully-automatic weapons, which are very rare and cost several thousand dollars at a minimum.
– Michael, USA
11.11.
The idea that I should justify owning a gun, as if it's a luxury item like a sports car or a Swiss watch - when it's literally part of the constitution - something that the general population and the US Military has fought to protect for centuries."
– Scott, Colorado		The idea that I should justify owning a gun, as if it's a luxury item like a sports car or a Swiss watch - when it's literally part of the constitution - something that the general population and the US Military has fought to protect for centuries."
– Scott, Colorado
12.12.
We're crazy, we hate the government, or we're jerks.
– Kevin, USA		We're crazy, we hate the government, or we're jerks.
– Kevin, USA
13.13.
That merely possessing a gun makes people act in a non-rational way.
– David, Colorado		That merely possessing a gun makes people act in a non-rational way.
– David, Colorado
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