Logical Fallacies in the Gun Control Debates

Hello everyone!  A while back, I had been wondering about the possibility that our politicians hadn’t addressed every single aspect of the gun debate.  Maybe there might be some logical fallacies in their reasoning during the debate on gun control.  After looking through some of these misconceptions about the gun debate, I have found out that there actually are some used in today’s debates.

In an article written by Becket Adams, he unintentionally points out some examples of logical fallacies that are demonstrated in the gun debate today.  The first one I found is false cause, where presuming that a real or perceived relationship between things means that one is the cause of the other (“thou shall not commit logical fallacies”).  While our politicians say that applying stricter gun controls will curb school violence, it doesn’t mean that it will stop.  For example, an 18 year old used a simple knife to stab 4 people in Alaska on March of 2008.  Also, a bomb was set off at the Bath Consolidated School 38 kids and 5 others in 1927 (Adams).  This fallacy shows that while tighter security on guns may reduce violence, people will try to find other ways to hurt others. 

Another logical fallacy I found that Adams brings up is a composition/division.  The composition/division is when “assuming that what's true about one part of something has to be applied to all, or other parts, of it.” (“thou shall not commit logical fallacies”).  Even though we know that the proposed ban was just for assault rifles, it would still be possible for some school shooter to substitute a pistol for a rifle and could still have a devastating effect (Adams).  It applies to the gun debate because many Americans believed that when the ban on assault riffles was proposed, they automatically assumed that Obama planned on taking away their right to purchase any firearm.  If that were the case, the American Civil Liberties Union would make a huge deal regarding our second amendment rights being violated.  Even when I was enrolled in a class about pistols and marksmanship, the instructor pointed out how all the people at the gun range and shop were in a frenzy over nothing because the assault rifle ban would not pass. 

With these examples of logical fallacies shown, it’s quite clear that the problem is not firearms itself.  The answer to how we can lower the rates of school shootings is much more complex. 

Adams, Becket.  "Let’s Set The Record Straight: 5 Common Misconceptions About Guns & Mass Shootings."  The Blaze.  The Blaze Inc., 14 Jan. 2013.  Web.  26 Feb. 2014.

Meaden, Som, Jesse Richardson, Andy Smith.  "Thou shalt not commit logical fallacies."  Yourlogicalfallacyis.  N.p., 2014.  Web.  26 Feb. 2014.