Guns: Where's the discussion?

The gun control debate has become a source of great frustration. This is an issue that we should be actively discussing, but there is no legitimate discussion going on right now. Instead, we are being bombarded with propaganda from the left and propaganda from the right. There has been nothing in between.


Although I have some opinions regarding gun control, I'm going to try to be neutral in explaining our current situation. I'm writing to address issues I have with the process, and my personal opinions are irrelevant to this part of the discussion. Of course, I can't rule out a slip up on my part.

Let me start by providing a quick description of the two sides. Some people feel that gun accessibility is important for protecting lives. Others feel that easy access to guns has fueled gun violence in America.

When it comes to gun control versus gun rights, most Americans pick a side before thinking anything through. Then, they embrace all of the evidence that backs them up, and dismiss all evidence against them. I have discussed this kind of mentality before. It's a form of selective logic.

What we should be doing is taking a step back. We need to forget all of our preconceived notions and search for legitimate facts. We need to look at and acknowledge the pros and cons of both sides. Obviously, we can't start immediately after a major incident, because emotions can cloud judgement. The point is, we need to look for answers to the best approach we can take with guns rather than pick a side, stick our fingers in our ears, and chant to the other side, "Blah, blah, blah. I'm not listening."

I would like to point out two facts that I fully believe:

1. Easy access to guns has helped criminals gain the tools to end lives. Some people who would be alive if we embraced strict gun control are now dead because of our lenient gun laws.
2. Easy access to guns has saved lives. Good people have successfully used guns to prevent lethal actions.

Not many people are willing to accept both of these statements as facts. Let me ask a question that I feel is perhaps the most important part (but not the only part) of the gun debate. Do lenient gun laws end more or save more lives? Most people embrace one of the two points and refuse to accept the other. This has made it very difficult to find sources that show an objective comparison.