The Weekend WSJ carried an article by Dan Baum titled, “Why Our Gun Debate is Off Target”. Mr. Baum has written a book based on his travels around the country meeting with average gun owners. The book titled, “Gun Guys: A Road Trip” is due out in March. He makes the point of being a liberal democrat, a gun owner, permit holder and makes no secret of his disdain for the NRA and accuses them of extremism. However, I find it sort of ironic that the statements that were considered “extreme” a few months ago are now coming true, but I digress.
In the article he states that the voice missing from the current debate on guns is that of the 100 million gun owners. He makes the point that the NRA only represents four million of them and does not speak for the majority. He also points out the anti-gun crowd often engages in insults and mischaracterizations of gun owners.
The author then points out some very positive things about gun owners and shooting sports. He also calls for gun owners to enter the debate and call for more gun safety involving gun owners themselves. He states that gun owners need to take more responsibility as a group for guns used in accidental shootings, teen suicides and the use of stolen guns in crimes. He suggests that the NRA opposes calling for an increase in gun owner safety because it would then reveal that not just criminals are responsible for gun violence.
Anyway, while I think he engages in some hyperbole the article is an interesting read.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000...LEFTTopStories