Liberty Belles


	Language of the Gun Debate

by Jennifer Freeman, Liberty Belles
Vocabulary provided by Randall Herrst, Center for the Study of Crime

The current debate on personal firearms ownership has been skillfully orchestrated through the inappropriate use of customized jargon. By creating and perpetuating catch phrases including ballistic fingerprinting, assault weapons, safety license, and high-capacity magazines, anti-self defense advocates have created the illusion of a legitimate firearms debate. If gun-ban groups were to take an honest approach and say what they mean, the firearms debate would be a non-issue because the overwhelming majority of Americans would find the aims of gun-banners to be contrary to the U.S. Constitution and our innate right to life and self defense.

Sadly, many well meaning Americans have found themselves in a defensive position by adopting the deceitful catch phrases introduced by organizations whose intent is not to keep people safe, but to remove or greatly impair Americans' ability to defend themselves. Adopting these catch phrases creates an air of legitimacy and allows anti-self defense advocates to vocalize their rhetoric to the masses.

It is imperative, therefore, to point out the inadequacies of the catch phrases invented by gun-ban groups and to use appropriate language that conveys the actual meaning of the words used.

A few examples are:

Anti-Self Defense Catch Phrase	Accurate Terminology
Assault Weapon - Suggests that the only use for this type of weapon is to conduct an assault. Certain weapons are dubbed "assault weapons" at the discretion of those who want to ban them.	Traditional Semi-Automatic Firearm of the type that has been commercially available since 1896 - These firearms fire one round of ammunition for every single pull of the trigger.
Ballistic Fingerprint - Suggests that the barrel of a firearm is unique and cannot be changed.	Ballistic Snapshot - Accounts for the fact that the barrel of a firearm can be altered in seconds with minimal effort. Costs millions in taxpayer dollars with no tangible benefit other than to create a database of firearms owners.
Child Safety	Real child safety is the knowledge that they carry in their minds (analog: no rational parent would try to keep their children away from all bodies of water forever-they teach their children to swim as soon as they are old enough); Eddie Eagle safety training
Gun Control - Suggests that firearms are out of control.	Anti-Self Defense, Helpless victim disarmament by government mandate; Mafia approved criminal empowerment; laws to ensure a safe working environment for criminals - Accounts for the fact that there are countless thousands of firearms laws and regulations currently in force and that additional restrictions would likely inhibit a reasonable person's ability to defend oneself with a firearm.
High Capacity Magazine - Provides a mental image of a firearm with a very large magazine hanging out of the bottom.	Standard Capacity Magazine - Standard 15 round magazine routinely included with the semi-automatic firearm at the time of purchase. These magazines were not dubbed "high capacity" until gun-ban organizations decided they should be banned.
Pocket Rocket - Suggests that small handguns are routinely carried in one's pocket, usually by a gang member.	See "Saturday Night Special"
Police Protection ("You don't need guns because you can depend upon...")	The principle of Sovereign immunity prevents citizens from winning "failure to protect" lawsuits against government.
Pro-Gun	Pro-self-defense; self-defense advocate; Constitutionalist
Reasonable Gun Control	Inherently unreasonable gun control laws that attack/ punish/ burden/ handicap law-abiding citizens rather than violent criminals (note that any truly reasonable law would actually reduce crime, and none of these have that effect)
Regulate Guns	Restrict; prohibit; ban; confiscate; melt down; seize; target/ punish/ handicap/ burden/delay/harass firearms owners
Safety License - Suggests that firearms owners do not voluntarily accept responsibility for safe firearms handling and therefore safety training is mandated.	Firearm-Owner Registration - Mandates personal registration with the local Sheriff or Police Department. Sets up additional costs and barriers to firearms ownership.
Saturday Night Special	Small Handgun, Pocket Policeman, Safe and affordable self-defense firearm; affordable life insurance; working class defensive firearm; (in some jurisdictions only) Glock or Beretta or other Police issue sidearm; defensive firearm for the elderly and others on fixed incomes - Generally preferred by women with small hands, handicapped persons, the elderly, and those with a concealed weapons permit.
Saving the Children	Gun control endangers children because gun control increases violent crime by shifting the balance of power to favor the criminals and disarming helpless victims.
Second Amendment gives us the right...	Second Amendment recognizes a pre-existing natural right (of self-defense against individuals, gangs, and tyrannical governments) and protects it from government infringement
Trigger Locks	Mafia approved Anti-self-defense blocks; self-defense prevention devices; artificial handicaps; crime facilitation devices; inefficient locks that still allow most firearms to be loaded and fired or stolen

Gun-ban groups have succeeded in confusing a number of Americans by conjuring up misleading and deceitful terminology. Confusion is a form of victory as it renders many Americans to inaction thereby increasing the power of the anti-self defense minority. Clearly, any individual or organization that uses such dishonest tactics to further its agenda cannot be trusted to exercise influence over the American people.

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