This Gun-Loving Trans-Hater Fell Right Into Jon Stewart’s Rhetorical Trap
Stewart’s discussion with Oklahoma State Sen. Dahm began with Dahm’s defense of pro-gun laws. “I believe the right to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed,” Dahm said. He also said he thinks more guns make us safer.
Stewart shot back by asking when we get to be safer. “We’ve got 400 million guns in the country, we had an increase and gun deaths went up,” he said. “So, when, exactly, does this curve hit that takes it down? Would a billion guns do it?”
Dahm gave the old “guns don’t kill people, people kill people” rhetoric. “I'm saying that because people are the problem, we need to look at the problems that those few people are facing,” he said.
Stewart made another great point: Since Dahm and his party oppose registration and permitting of guns, “How do you know who has a problem in terms of the people you’re giving a gun to?” Stewart asked.
Dahm suggested that the answer is to address “the fatherless crisis” in the U.S. He claimed that 80% of school shooters come from either a broken or fatherless home.”
But that doesn’t mean fatherless homes or kids shouldn’t have guns, only that “fathers need to be more engaged,” Dahm said.
So why don’t police “breathe a sigh of relief” when they are called to a house filled with guns?” Stewart asked.
Predictably, Dahm replied that it’s because the person, not the firearm, is the threat.