[Video] Jordan Klepper Debunks The "Good Guy with a Gun" Argument

It’s so tiring to see the consecutive mass shootings here in burgerland while the same tired old debunked arguments are repeated on national television. I found a comedic video showcasing why more good guys with guns aren’t the solution to America’s gun violence.

When gun advocates say we need more guns, I think they’re not thinking about how much of a logistical challenge it is to arm, train, and pay thousands of people to guard every mall, supermarket, school, and large gathering.

Even if we did that, the video demonstrates why protecting people from mass shooters is a lot less straightforward than most people imagine. You have to be at the right place at the right time. You have to recognize the mass shooter and not confuse them for law enforcement or another good guy with a gun. And hopefully others identify you correctly too or else the consequences could be fatal. Then you have to take out the shooter before they take you out and keep in mind they might be better prepared, more protected, and have a more powerful firearm.

Even before all that, you have to determine that it’s a mass shooting. If you mistake a mass shooting for a hostage situation, you may end up getting other people killed by your actions instead of letting experienced hostage negotiators deal with it. As is stated in the video, you have to train for years and dedicate yourself to be prepared to handle split-second decisions in real world active shooter scenarios.

Not only that, but arming more people could itself cause harm. The more guns there are in circulation, the more gun accidents there will be and the easier it will be for violent criminals to acquire them. A tense social interaction without a gun at play isn’t nearly as dangerous as one with a gun.

Some people have suggested arming teachers in schools, which is one of the most idiotic and dangerous non-solutions I’ve ever heard. We have overworked, stressed out, and underpaid teachers in classrooms full of students who are forced to memorize information they’ll more than likely never use, for hours on end. There are students who are already intimidated and in some cases bullied by teachers and the idea is to give the teachers guns.

And what about the teachers? In order to become a teacher, not only would you have to get a teaching degree, but you’d have to get enough firearm training to defend yourself and your students in an active shooter situation. We’re talking about teachers here, not people who have years of experience with guns and tense situations, nor do they want to. And how do we make sure only the teachers have access to the gun and not any of the students? While it might be well-intended, arming teachers is one of the dumbest ideas I’ve ever heard.

Whatever your position is on gun control, everybody should at least understand that simply arming more people doesn’t solve the problem and may actually cause more harm than good.