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applegrove

(122,946 posts)
Fri Aug 12, 2016, 04:03 PM Aug 2016

The NRA’s Favorite Gun “Academic” Is A Fraud

The NRA’s Favorite Gun “Academic” Is A Fraud

By Devin Hughes and Evan DeFilippis at Think Progress

https://thinkprogress.org/debunking-john-lott-5456e83cf326#.9hc64zrh2

"SNIP.............



John Lott is, if not the most influential, certainly the most prolific “academic” in the gun debate. He has authored weekly columns in local newspapers on the horrors of gun free zones, published widely-distributed books on the ostensible benefits of right-to-carry laws, and his newest book The War on Guns has received rave reviews by prominent conservatives, like Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL), and Newt Gingrich.

Before Lott’s flurry of activity, it was difficult to find anybody arguing that widespread gun ownership made societies safer — even the NRA was reticent to make such a bold claim, defending gun ownership with reference to the constitution, not criminology.

But Lott’s recent successes belie a far more shadowy past. A little over a decade ago, he was disgraced and his career was in tatters. Not only was Lott’s assertion that more guns leads to more safety formally repudiated by a National Research Council panel, but he had also been caught pushing studies with severe statistical errors on numerous occasions. An investigation uncovered that he had almost certainly fabricated an entire survey on defensive gun use. And a blogger revealed that Mary Rosh, an online commentator claiming to be a former student of Lott’s who would frequently post about how amazing he was, was in fact John Lott himself. He was all but excommunicated from academia.

Despite his ethical failings, Lott rose from the ashes in the wake of the 2012 mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School to once more become a prominent voice in the gun debate.


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The NRA’s Favorite Gun “Academic” Is A Fraud (Original Post) applegrove Aug 2016 OP
Recommended. And is it not actually illegal for the government guillaumeb Aug 2016 #1
According to NRA apologists billh58 Aug 2016 #2
Nice reply. eom guillaumeb Aug 2016 #3
George Orwell is jealous. Jerry442 Aug 2016 #5
Gun fanciers defend Lott because they have no other "experts" more qualified than Hoyt Aug 2016 #4
The NRA trots out Eugene Volokh every once in a while. Paladin Aug 2016 #6

guillaumeb

(42,649 posts)
1. Recommended. And is it not actually illegal for the government
Fri Aug 12, 2016, 04:11 PM
Aug 2016

to study gun safety issues?

Oh well, the gun apologists need to find their experts somewhere.

billh58

(6,641 posts)
2. According to NRA apologists
Fri Aug 12, 2016, 04:30 PM
Aug 2016

and Second Amendment absolutists, the study of gun safety issues is only illegal if the results determine that guns are a major cause of gun violence. Results of this nature are not allowed by the Second Amendment.

If the study concludes that guns are completely safe and lead to a more polite society, then it's legal.

 

Hoyt

(54,770 posts)
4. Gun fanciers defend Lott because they have no other "experts" more qualified than
Fri Aug 12, 2016, 05:13 PM
Aug 2016

George Zimmerman (expert on what to tell police if one stalks, intimidates and murders an unarmed kid), and Ted Nugent their duly elected representative on the NRA Board or Directors.

Paladin

(28,724 posts)
6. The NRA trots out Eugene Volokh every once in a while.
Sat Aug 13, 2016, 09:38 AM
Aug 2016

But he too lost his credibility and long ago joined the gun pimps like Lott.

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