Locked And Loaded: Fox and Friends Promotes Drinking With Guns

[jpak]

http://mediamatters.org/blog/201108160010

"Grab your gun and get a drink and go drink in Virginia" does not sound like wise advice but that's how Fox & Friends host Brian Kilmeade is interpreting the latest news about Virginia's law allowing concealed guns to be brought into bars.

<snip>

The simplistic view that Kilmeade is apparently endorsing is a highly flawed approach to understanding the dangers of guns in bars. Reached for comment David Hemenway, director of the Harvard Injury Control Research Center and the Youth Violence Prevention Center, explained that simply counting crimes doesn't get at the issue: Guns don't cause violence, but they make it much more likely for violence--for fights, assaults, or robberies--to turn lethal. Few crimes are committed with guns, but guns can quickly escalate the problem

<snip>

There are many other factors that could, and likely do, influence the level of crime in restaurants and bars. Mirroring national trends,overall violent crime in Virginia has been in decline during the last decade, falling 19% from 2000-2009. Overall aggravated assaults in Virginia also fell 5.8% from 2008-2009 and continued to fall from 2009-2010. Small yearly decreases in violent crime have been the norm.

<snip>

Not included in the major crimes data was a Lynchburg concealed carry permit holder who shot himself in the leg as he went to pay for a beer.

<more>

[MineralMan]

1. Here, Lester. Hold my beer and watch this...

Hilarity ensues.

[TheWraith]

2. So Fox News is too stupid to understand the law.

They're apparently also too stupid to understand that in the first year the law was in place, violent crimes at Virginia bars went DOWN, not up.

Is anyone surprised?

[Kennah]

3. Surprised that Fox is stupid or surprised that violent crime at VA bars went down?

I'm no on both counts.

[TheWraith]

4. Either one, really. :) nt

[iverglas]

5. is anybody ready to tell us yet --

what was the trend in volume of sales / numbers of visits at bars in Virginia in the same period?

Don't we all really know that rates, and not numbers, are the things that mean something?

If we aren't agreed on that, it's time for me to start saying: Canada had 610 homicides in 2009 and the US had 15,241 -- yikes, run for the hills! The Gatineau Hills, that is.

Of course, even if we look at rates there, you're still outnumbering us nearly 3 to 1, but that's better than 25 to 1.

So if business declined at Virginia bars during the period, as one might reasonably think it did, given the, you know, circumstances, what does this minute single-digit shift in reported firearms crimes tell us?

Unless we do have that info, what it tells us is: nothing.

[AndyTiedye]

6. Maybe the Faux Viewers Will All Shoot Each Other/Themselves

Not included in the major crimes data was a Lynchburg concealed carry permit holder who shot himself in the leg as he went to pay for a beer.

:evilgrin:

[saras]

7. Sounds great to me.

I say give them both guns and liquor, as much as they want.

Just keep them the hell away from my town until they finish themselves off.

[X_Digger]

13. You should stay out of bars and restaurants in your home town, then.. :)

[friendly_iconoclast]

14. Ha! Nice catch... n/t

[SteveM]

8. I was drinking with my gun the other night...

And I was a half hour into the conversation when I realized the Ruger's dramatic pause had gone on too long. Damned thing had fallen asleep.

[ileus]

10. You know guns kill people after a few drinks...I read it around here somewhere.

[Remmah2]

16. Friends don't let their guns drink and drive. nt

nt

[ileus]

9. It hasn't happened in any state yet...much less Virginia.

[spin]

11. Never trust the news media to get a story right ...

and especially do not trust Fox News.

A Fox commentator, Judge Andrew Napolitano, completely misrepresented the facts of Florida "Stand Your Ground" law. He said that you can stand your ground but you have to be on your own property. That's totally false. You do not have to be on your property. The only requirement is that you are in a place where you have a "right to be."

I commented on his inability to understand the law in a reply to a post in the Gungeon.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=118&topic_id=294694&mesg_id=294844

As far as drinking while you are carrying a firearm in a Virginia bar, that is prohibited.

Guns-in-bars law begins July 1st in Virginia
Posted: Jun 25, 2010 9:36 PM EDT Updated: Jun 26, 2010 11:37 PM EDT
By Tara Morgan - bio

RICHMOND, VA (WWBT) - You could soon be sitting next to someone at a bar or restaurant and not know they are packing heat. It's part of a new Virginia law that starts July first, but there's a catch.

Next Thursday, concealed handgun permit holders can walk into a bar or restaurant with their gun, but they can't drink alcohol. Gun rights advocates say it's their right. One customer we spoke with says the new law makes her uncomfortable.
http://www.nbc12.com/story/12713174/guns-in-bars-law-begins-july-1st-in-virginia?redirected=true

Brian Kilmeade is just another one of the many idiot talking heads that appear on Fox news.

[Atypical Liberal]

12. It's called "tongue in cheek"

There is a link to the video in the OP's article link.

The guy is obviously speaking "tounge in cheek".

Reached for comment David Hemenway, director of the Harvard Injury Control Research Center and the Youth Violence Prevention Center, explained that simply counting crimes doesn't get at the issue: Guns don't cause violence, but they make it much more likely for violence--for fights, assaults, or robberies--to turn lethal. Few crimes are committed with guns, but guns can quickly escalate the problem

In other words, when the data doesn't support your theory, just claim that the data just isn't good enough!

There are many other factors that could, and likely do, influence the level of crime in restaurants and bars. Mirroring national trends,overall violent crime in Virginia has been in decline during the last decade, falling 19% from 2000-2009. Overall aggravated assaults in Virginia also fell 5.8% from 2008-2009 and continued to fall from 2009-2010. Small yearly decreases in violent crime have been the norm.

That's right. Crime continues to decline, in spite of more liberal firearm laws, and more firearms in circulation than ever before.

We can't say that more guns = less crime, but we can certainly say that they aren't causing more crime.

The simple fact of the matter is, CCW permit holders aren't likely to be involved in firearm crimes anywhere. Bars, street corners, hotels, college campuses - anywhere.

So making it legal for them to carry in a bar isn't going to change their behavior at all.

[ManiacJoe]

15. MediaMatters missed that one!

:rofl: