The Truth About Armed Citizens

Recently, a series of one-sided opinion pieces parading as journalism on the front pages of The Wall Street Journal have attempted to characterize armed citizens as reckless, murderous Americans—yes murderous, one even used the headline: "Six Words Every Killer Should Know: 'I Feared for My Life, Officer'."

The latest piece is titled "The Innocent Bystanders Caught in Deadly Crossfire of Self-Defense Shootings." This article highlights four self-defense shootings in an attempt to draw the narrative that armed citizens are a big problem in America, but, as you'll see, on analysis even these four handpicked examples don't sell the author's anti-gun narrative.

First, of course, there is, perhaps, no part on the American stage more cherished (by so many millions) and more purposely mischaracterized (by many mainstream media outlets and the gun-control groups they front for) than the armed citizen. There is opportunity for so much mischaracterization because the true story about what armed citizens in America do for society is difficult to see firsthand—concealed carry, after all, is cloaked behind the jackets, pants and purses of more than 21 million permit holders (and by who knows how many in the 29 constitutional-carry states).

So, to understand what armed citizens do for society, we have to rely on statistics and surveys. Statistics, however, can sound like cold responses to emotional appeals, however wrongheaded the emotional "solutions" might be. …