This video has been floating around for a little while, and I finally got to watch it:

So if want to go back to the City of Austin wanting to ban gun shows thinking it will reduce violent crime, well, like I said, you have to look deeper.

I’ve looked at crime data before, like the City of Austin’s crime data.

A look at the 2009 FBI crime data and how it’s going down, but 6% of the murders used no weapon at all.

In a backlog clearing, I pointed to the 2011 semi-annual FBI crime stats, showing violent crime in the US is way down. What’s interesting about this is the speculation as to why crime is down. It shows it’s a VERY complex issue, and why it’s difficult to compare countries when talking “gun policy” because the social structure, cultural norms, and so many other things are different from country to country. With so many factors in the equation, comparing countries is like comparing apples to horses.

Folks, take a cue from the maker of the above video. Stop getting your information from obviously biased sources. Yes, that even means from the NRA, because they too have a strong agenda. Look at the raw data itself. Or do like Howard Nemerov did and take your data “from the other side” to show how their own data doesn’t even hold up and in fact supports their opponent.

Alas, what makes this a difficult discussion to have is one side is based upon emotions and irrational thinking. It’s hard to have a discussion in such a context. Policy based upon emotion only leads to greater problems. We need to think clearly, understand facts and data, and make future plans and policies based upon rational thought, not emotional agenda.