Everytown for Gun Safety just released a set of “Debunking Gun Myths at the Dinner Table” — a script designed to help people push gun control at the table while passing the turkey. Their guide claims to “debunk gun myths,” offering canned responses for anyone looking to lecture a pro–Second Amendment relative. Jews Can Shoot is here to return the favor — and debunk Everytown’s debunking.
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Jews Can Shoot Debunks Gun Myths
Everytown Myth 1: Criminals will always find a way to get their hands on a gun.
Everytown’s “Fact”: Laws like background checks stop gun sales to criminals every day.
JCS Response: “Oh, the paperwork stopped the criminal! The same criminal who ignored the law against murder, assault, and robbery was suddenly stopped by a government form. Genius! We, the law-abiding, are the ones inconvenienced, delayed, and put on a secret government registry. Meanwhile, the actual criminal is just laughing, because we’re the only ones disarmed. If background checks ‘worked,’ Chicago would be Mayberry. Pass the brisket, not the bureaucracy.”
Everytown Myth 2: Guns don’t kill people, people kill people.
Everytown’s “Fact”: People with guns kill people, and more efficiently than people without guns.
JCS Response: “Ah, the grand philosophical insight: a tool makes an action more ‘efficient.’ So does a car for fleeing, a knife for cutting, or a baseball bat for… well, you get the idea. The problem is the ‘people’ part, not the tool! We want ‘efficiency’ for the victim being able to stop the attacker. Telling me my defensive tool is ‘efficient’ is not a criticism—it’s a compliment to my right to effective self-defense. Shall I use harsh language instead? Maybe a sternly worded letter to the perp?”
Everytown Myth 3: Strong gun laws don’t work. Look at Chicago.
Everytown’s “Fact”: Chicago proves why we must push for strong federal gun laws… crime guns are trafficked from states with weaker gun laws.
JCS Response: “Chicago has some of the toughest gun laws on the planet. Their ‘Fact’ is that their laws failed, so the answer is to make everyone else as miserable and defenseless as they are. That’s not a solution; that’s just weaponizing political envy! The problem isn’t the guy in Indiana exercising his rights; the problem is the criminals in Chicago ignoring 100 years of ‘strong laws.’ It’s always someone else’s fault with these folks. Take responsibility for your failed policies, and leave our Second Amendment alone!”
Everytown Myth 4: The only way to stop a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun.
Everytown’s “Fact”: If more guns everywhere made us safer, America would be the safest country on earth.
JCS Response: “Wait, is this a study on population density or a discussion about saving your life? We’re not arguing about ‘safest country,’ we’re talking about the fundamental human right to self-preservation when evil comes knocking. When seconds count, the police are minutes away. We, as a people, know what happens when you are left defenseless. The ‘good guy with a gun’ is the only thing standing between you and being a statistic. We call them the ‘First Responder,’ and they live in your mirror.”
Everytown Myth 5: Gun makers don’t sell weapons of war to civilians.
Everytown’s “Fact”: Many gun makers sell AR-15s and other assault weapons that are nearly identical to the firearms used by soldiers in battle to the general public.
JCS Response: “Nearly identical? That’s the point! The founders of this country made it crystal clear that the populace should have access to the same type of arms as the military—that’s how a free people stay free. You call the AR-15 a ‘weapon of war’; we call it ‘the standard rifle of the American citizen.’ It’s the most popular rifle in America because it’s effective, modular, and perfect for self-defense. What’s next, banning SUVs because the military uses Humvees? Get serious.”
Everytown Myth 6: Having a gun for self-defense makes individuals and their families safer.
Everytown’s “Fact”: Guns in the home increase the risk that anyone in the house, including children, will die by firearm suicide, homicide, or unintentional injuries.
JCS Response: “Risk assessment is apparently only allowed if it serves the anti-self-defense narrative. We understand the risk of a firearm, and we mitigate that risk with training and safe storage. That’s called being responsible. But what about the risk of being completely helpless when a violent intruder breaks down your door? Which ‘risk’ is worse: the tiny, manageable risk of a stored firearm, or the guaranteed, fatal risk of having no way to defend yourself and your children? History shows us what happens to defenseless people. We choose preparedness over panic. Your ‘fact’ is just fear-mongering.”
Everytown Myth 7: Red Flag laws take guns from people without due process.
Everytown’s “Fact”: Red Flag laws… protect due process. Final orders can only be issued after the person is given notice and an opportunity to be heard.
JCS Response: “This is gaslighting on a legal level! ‘Due process’ means the government can’t seize your property without giving you a chance to speak first. Under these ‘Red Flag’ schemes, your constitutional rights are suspended first, and maybe—maybe—you get a hearing later. They take your firearm (your means of defense) based on an anonymous complaint or a quick, one-sided hearing where you weren’t even present! That’s not due process; that’s due persecution. You don’t get your car seized before a traffic hearing, and you shouldn’t lose your guaranteed rights before a judge hears your side. The Second Amendment should demand the highest standard of due process, not the lowest.”
Everytown Myth 8: Arming teachers will keep our kids safer in schools.
Everytown’s “Fact”: Arming teachers ignores research that shows the presence of a gun increases the risks posed to children and teachers. School safety experts and law enforcement oppose arming teachers.
JCS Response: “Ah, the ‘experts’ who are always minutes away from a crisis are opposing the one person who is seconds away from the danger. We don’t care about the opinion of the ‘experts’ who arrive after the fact. We care about the teacher, the immediate responder, who needs the ability to protect a classroom full of children from a monster. The presence of a trained, discreet firearm decreases the risk of being a victim in an active attack. The only thing unarmed zones guarantee is that the victim will remain unarmed. We trust teachers to educate our children; we should certainly trust them to defend them! Disarm the bad guys; arm the protectors!”
Everytown Myth 9: Federal law prohibits ALL domestic abusers from having guns.
Everytown’s “Fact”: Federal law does not prohibit current or recent former dating partners subject to a domestic violence restraining order from purchasing or possessing guns.
JCS Response: “So, Everytown is admitting that their laws don’t work and that they wrote bad legislation? Shocker! If a person is a violent criminal, charge them with a crime, convict them, and send them to prison! The problem isn’t the definition of a ‘dating partner,’ it’s the violent thug who has already decided to ignore all laws. Don’t blame the Second Amendment because the government can’t apply existing criminal statutes effectively. We believe in swift, real justice for criminals, not pointless new regulations for law-abiding citizens.”
Everytown Myth 10: A small child cannot pull a trigger.
Everytown’s “Fact”: Every year, hundreds of children… gain access to a gun and unintentionally shoot themselves or someone else… One in three of these shooters is age five or younger.
JCS Response: “This is a failure of parenting and personal responsibility, not the Second Amendment. A child in a swimming pool unsupervised is tragic; do we ban pools? A child with access to household chemicals is tragic; do we ban cleaning supplies? We teach children about danger. We use safe, modern storage. The answer isn’t to disarm responsible adults; it’s to enforce gun safety education (like the NRA’s Eddie Eagle program) and teach children that firearms are tools, not toys. Blaming the object for a parent’s negligence is intellectually lazy.”
Everytown Myth 11: We don’t own guns, so I don’t need to worry about my kids getting hold of one.
Everytown’s “Fact”: 4.6 million U.S. children live in a household with at least one loaded, unsecured gun. Children and teens can access guns in homes other than their own.
JCS Response: “Wow, they actually made a point for us! If your kid is exposed to guns in other homes, it proves why you need to teach them gun safety! You can’t control what your neighbor does, but you can control what your child knows. We support teaching every child in America the four basic safety rules. Ignoring the danger and choosing willful ignorance is the height of irresponsibility. Education is the ultimate safety lock!”
Everytown Myth 12: Everyone already has to get a background check when buying a gun.
Everytown’s “Fact”: Federal law only requires licensed dealers to perform background checks. That means that millions of guns are sold by unlicensed sellers each year without one…
JCS Response: “Ah, the push for the universal gun registry! This is nothing more than an attack on the fundamental right to buy and sell private property, which is protected by the Constitution. A private transfer between two lawful citizens is none of the government’s business. Furthermore, criminals don’t go to gun shows or private sellers; they steal them or buy them on the black market. The goal here is registration, not safety. We will not surrender our privacy or our private property rights to satisfy your anti-freedom agenda.”
Everytown Myth 13: Shoot First laws provide everyone an equal right to self-defense.
Everytown’s “Fact”: Shoot First laws… disproportionately impact Black Americans. In Shoot First states, homicides in which white shooters kill Black victims are deemed justifiable 4 times more often than when the situation is reversed.
JCS Response: “The right to Stand Your Ground is simply the right to effective self-defense when you are attacked. You have NO duty to retreat from a deadly threat in your home, on the street, or anywhere you have a right to be. The moment you introduce an argument about race and statistics, you distract from the fundamental human right to protect your life. Self-defense is a right, not a privilege, and it doesn’t come with a ‘duty to run away’ clause. If there is a disparity in how justice is applied, fix the justice system, but don’t attack the right to self-defense!”
Everytown Myth 14: Gun violence affects Black and white people in the U.S. equally.
Everytown’s “Fact”: Black people in the U.S. are disproportionately impacted by various forms of gun violence.
JCS Response: “We agree that violence is tragically concentrated in certain areas. This is a failure of local government, policing, and criminal justice—often in areas run by anti-gun politicians! This fact proves exactly why those most at risk, including minorities in high-crime areas, need the Second Amendment the most! Blaming the gun instead of the violent criminal or the failed government policies that create those unsafe communities is the height of hypocrisy. Empower the victims, don’t disarm them!”
Everytown Myth 15: Active shooter drills make students and school staff safer in the case of an active shooter.
Everytown’s “Fact”: There is no evidence to show student participation in active shooter drills prevents school shootings… Some data show these drills may also cause trauma and anxiety.
JCS Response: “Oh, the horror! Practice causes ‘anxiety!’ The same people who want to ban guns because they might hurt someone are now worried that practicing to survive might cause a bad feeling. The only thing that causes real trauma is being an unarmed target in a slaughter. We believe in deterrence, not drills. The best way to reduce anxiety is to ensure there is a trained, armed good guy ready to stop the attack the moment it starts. Get serious, and stop prioritizing feelings over survival.”
Everytown Myth 16: Like cigarette ads, it’s illegal to market guns to children.
Everytown’s “Fact”: Gun makers directly target children with their ads and social media posts…
JCS Response: “Firearms are not cigarettes, and teaching children to be safe, responsible shooters is an American family tradition and a lifelong skill! We teach our children that a firearm is a tool to be respected and used safely. They want to turn safe, family target practice and hunting into some kind of dark, illicit activity. We encourage the safe and responsible introduction of firearms into a child’s life. The Second Amendment is for the next generation, too!”
Everytown Myth 17: Storing a gun in my car as a means to protect myself and my family won’t hurt anyone.
Everytown’s “Fact”: On average, at least one gun is stolen from a car every nine minutes in the US…
JCS Response: “This is a simple case of bad security habits by some gun owners, not a strike against the right to carry for self-defense! We need to carry to protect ourselves, especially when traveling. The fault lies 100% with the thief who committed the felony, and the owner who didn’t properly secure their property. The answer is not ‘Don’t carry for protection’; it’s ‘Secure your property properly.’ We will not give up our right to personal security because some criminal decided to be a criminal. Go after the thieves, not the Second Amendment!”
