The 90% Myth by my friend Davis Woudwyk

The 90% Myth


Not that the current administration would ever burden themselves with facts, but still, getting the truth should be necessary before attempting to restrict a fundamental freedom declared by the constitution. We face an incredible danger of having many fundamental rights and liberties curtailed through "creative accounting" such as this. In this case, the contention that 90% of the guns used in Mexico come from the US is absurd on it's face. Most of the guns used in Mexico for crimes are fully automatic assault rifles, which are not available from the local American gun shop. Of course, once again, reality is no preventative when there is a political point to be made. The 90% myth makes for excellent propaganda for those who would see the fundamental right to bear arms curtailed, such as the Brady Campaign and other groups that would see law abiding citizens stripped of the right to bear arms. (the Brady campaign is notorious for using creative accounting in its statistics). In truth, in an article on foxnews.com, it is reported that 90% of the guns which can be tracked originate in the United States. But the percentage of guns which can actually be tracked make up a tiny percentage of the actual guns found. In fact, only 17% of the guns recovered can be traced to the United States. Most come from Mexico's southern border, many others are stolen from the Mexican government itself.

These types of false statistics, taken with other current events, are part of a deeper phenomenon that goes beyond gun control. Dr. Saxe characterized it as a loss of will to survive. I call it American guilt. The current fad is to assume that no one is wrong except America. Guns in Mexico? Cartels waging war? Must be our fault. Global warming? Our bad. That Europe feels animosity towards us? Must be something we did. 9/11? Perhaps it was our lack of understanding and compassion that caused it. Recently there was a story on Slate.com about how some people with jobs feel shame that they are employed, while others aren't. A certain level of compassion is a wonderful thing, but to feel shame at doing exactly what you should be doing, shame at having a job, is indicative of compassion run amok. So too is the expectation that fairness should dictate all. No more bonuses to those that exceed expectations. Bonuses are not fair. Merit based appointments to jobs and colleges? Why that's not fair either. This country was founded on a very basic principle of risk and reward. Our greatness was built on the backs of those willing to risk it all in the pursuit of a reward. By removing that, we consign ourselves to mediocrity. Why risk anything when there is no reward? Without risk, there is no advancement. And that is bad for everybody, worldwide, not just us here. We are to blame for that.

I can not explain why I think this is happening, why we insist on blaming ourselves for all the worlds troubles. Maybe it goes back to how we raise kids anymore, instilling in them that everyone is valuable to the team, that right and wrong are nothing more than judgments made by individuals, valid no further than to the individual. We are so caught up in assuring everyone in our own micro-social world that they are valuable and important, that their decisions are not wrong, that we make the same jump in the macro-social world. The sad truth is that we are not all valuable to the team. Some people are faster, others smarter, some are beautiful, others aren't. And right and wrong are concrete principles, not flexible propositions to be applied as we see fit. I for one refuse to feel guilt for things that I believe to be right. I am proud of my country, I wouldn't live anywhere else. I know that America is not perfect, but I refuse to make apology to countries that have been bailed out by American lives and generosity. I guess if that makes me an arrogant American, I'm guilty as charged. But I won't apologize for it.