Right now in America, over 70 percent of people think assault-style guns should be banned. As of December 2018, the Trump administration has banned bump stocks, a gun accessory that half a million Americans have already purchased over the past decade. The current opinions of many Americans come on the heels of various gun-related incidents, such as the recent Benton, Kentucky and Parkland, Florida school shootings.

To be clear, everyone agrees murder at the hands of gun violence is horrific and wrong. No one champions unjust aggression. What’s more, Americans seem to be more willing than before to sit down with those “across the aisle”, with dozens of high-profile media pieces surfacing on the topic. But when cultural issues perpetuate gun violence and no one seems to bat an eye, that’s a true red flag.

What if assault rifles, gun shows, and even rising gun sales aren’t the issues? What if the issues originate from bad policy, and even more specifically, culture? This article will tackle some of the common myths on gun control, and present solution recommendations at the end.

Why Assault Rifles Aren’t The Problem

Across recent years, the cry of the left has been to ban “unnecessary” weapons such as shotguns, assault rifles, and usually anything that looks like it’s used in the military. Famed conservative podcast host Steven Crowder set up a fake gun ban petition tent, and the responses were remarkable and varied. Many individuals felt that “scarier-looking” guns should be banned, without any further consideration on any factor. This is problematic for multiple reasons.

Individuals who haven’t previously thought about or researched their opinion on a topic will usually say what they think other people want to hear. This is because people have an inherent desire to be socially approved, and this is even more heightened when it comes to political issues. Unfortunately, saying that all assault rifles should be banned misses the mark completely (no pun intended), because gun and murder statistics tell a completely different story.

As it turns out, handguns are used more often than rifles of any kind in murders – up to 19 times more often. Handguns are easier and cheaper to obtain, supply, and store. They don’t require the extra disposable income and upkeep that larger guns do. Long guns also often have accessories and additional parts, all of which warrant higher prices.

Why are handguns so easy to get illegally? The answer may surprise you: criminals don’t usually get their guns from “dirty dealers” or even by stealing them. Most of the time, offenders obtain guns through their social network, sometimes simply asking a gang member or friend for one.

Why are people in gangs so concerned with being armed? And furthermore, why are non-gang members who live in areas of high gang activity equally concerned? It’s because gang violence, gun violence, and drug use are inextricably connected. Drug use, broken homes, poverty, poor education, and a lack of jobs – all of which are connected, too – create in criminals and civilians a desire to defend oneself. Who can blame them? In the words of gun rights activist Colion Noir, “it’s better to be caught with a gun by the cops, than to be caught without one by someone shooting at you.”

Now that we know all this, why are people still concerned with getting rid of guns?

Why Do We Need Guns?

Opponents of the second amendment say we only need weapons like muskets with bayonets because the Constitution was written at a time when these were the apex of gun technology. These opponents conveniently ignore everything else in our modern world that we take for granted, such as the Internet, computers, life-saving healthcare, and much more. Should we stick with rotary dial phones and fax machines because they were the greatest technologies of their time, too?

The Founding Fathers were fastidiously intentional about the manner in which the Constitution and amendments of the time were composed. They had just escaped many of the very forms of tyranny they sought to protect the United States from. They understood that any government left unchecked by the people could swiftly become tyranny, and one of the only sure ways to prevent tyranny is by defending the freedoms of an armed populace.

Guns Aren’t The Issue… Here’s What Is

Why do people of all kinds in sketchy situations feel the need to be armed? First of all, it’s because it’s often the only line between life and death. Second of all, dozens of shootings have been prevented and lives saved by good people armed with guns. However, the mainstream media won’t report on this fact, because it doesn’t fit their gun control narrative.

One of the most unfortunate aspects about the gun control conversation is injury-related deaths are about six times the size of firearm deaths in the United States. Obviously, injuries are hard to predict and prevent. But even motor vehicle traffic deaths are nearly the same annual number as firearm deaths, but we don’t hear nearly the uproar over cars, trucks, and motorcycles that we do with guns.

Why is this? Why don’t we focus on automobile- or diet-related deaths? Nine of the top 10 leading causes of death in the United States are preventable, but we don’t hear people clamoring in the streets about diet-related issues as with guns. This is because monitoring your diet requires personal and daily responsibility; monitoring gun policy “encourages” you to give the responsibility to someone else.

So, What Can We Do Instead?

Raising issues without proposing answers is a fool’s errand, so let’s examine a few ways you can help solve gun-related problems, rather than feel hopeless in the face of them.

• When something horrible involving guns happens, gather your facts, from a variety of sources

One of the most common mistakes made – by individuals on all points across the political spectrum – is not taking time to gather facts from multiple sources. Regardless of your perspective on guns, we’re all susceptible to confirmation bias; the psychological phenomenon that drives your mind to believe things you want to be true.

It’s easy to be ignorant, and it’s easy to think the “other side” is ignorant, too. Instead of thinking in the same way you always have about the same issues, be willing to consider there may be other solutions and aspects of reality. Also, continue to routinely collect facts. This is a great way to prevent intellectual echo chambers.

• Consider alternative points of view

It never hurts to take a few minutes listening to the other side. Worst case scenario is you’ve invested a few minutes into media consumption that didn’t strengthen your view. Best case scenario is you come across new information that you allow to challenge your current worldview.

You’ll never learn anything new by continually consuming the same pieces of media over and over again (i.e. a favorite article, book, movie, YouTube channel). Instead, reach out and at least consider a different viewpoint from your current viewpoint. This different viewpoint doesn’t have to be completely polarized; it should simply be one that differs in strategy or recommendation.

What usually benefits no one is a viewpoint based purely on sentiment. If someone can’t back up their opinion with at least one properly sourced article or case study, that’s a red flag.

But there can absolutely be separate perspectives on the same facts. This, after all, is how constructive conversations happen. It’s rare to see this in the real world, but when it does happen, it’s a beautiful thing.

• Remember that it’s okay to take a break from media consumption

Immediately following an event like a mass shooting, especially one that the media covers to a disproportionate degree, it’s easy to get wrapped up in gun control hysteria. Even if the media are reporting on facts, they typically twist and distort their use of language to be as sensational as possible. Sensationalism helps no one; not only because it’s grandiose, but because it makes rational thinking seem far-fetched – even unreasonable.

Gun policy is a hot-button issue; it’s unlikely that will change any time soon. To make matters more complicated, information is easier to share than ever before, and – what’s worse – outside of context.

The only way to fight against misinformation, and to know where you truly stand on vital issues, is to gather facts consciously and routinely. Then, read on your own time, consider the story in full context, and go from there.