Movie review: 91% - A Documentary About Guns In America
I was invited to attend the movie “91%: A Documentary About Guns In America” at its premier at the Cleveland International Film Festival. After the showing I participated in a panel discussion and answered questions from the audience.
The movie was well received, with an estimated 200 people in attendance. Even more people came in after the movie for this discussion and Q&A. Mike McIntyre from Sound of Ideas moderated the discussion with panel members Director John Richie, Jennifer Thorne, Executive Director, Ohio Coalition Against Violence, and myself.
From the movies web site:
In 91%, a handful of U.S. gun violence victims tell their heartbreaking stories of loss,pain, and a heroic search for hope in a nation stalled in a senseless gun control debate.
Throughout these otherwise unrelated shootings, we find a common thread – the gunmen had all-too-easy access to the virtually untraceable, high-powered weaponry used in their attacks.
In the wake of the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre, a 2013 poll revealed that 91% of Americans support comprehensive background checks – a factor that could prevent thousands of similar gun violence tragedies nationwide. Yet, divisive political rhetoric and congressional gridlock continues to perpetuate a flawed system that hurts communities across the country.
Moving beyond the confusing gun control politics and avoiding any discussion about the often-unpredictable motivations of rampage killers, 91% shows that Americans almost unanimously support both 2nd amendment rights and common sense regulation. The film finds a shared language between citizens on both sides of the issue, encouraging them to move common sense policy forward by speaking up in a conversation typically dominated by firearm lobbyists and manufacturers.
By highlighting the impact of unregulated gun sales on schools, families, and communities across the country, 91% addresses the real problems and possible solutions to gun violence in America. It’s something we all agree about, we just don’t know it yet.
The above gives the reader a very accurate overview of the film. His last line about “something we all agree about, we just don’t know it yet.” Is something I’ve said for years. The problem is that when you dig through the emotional response to a question asked in the wake of the Sandy Hook massacre, it is effective policy and reduction of such tragedies, not expanding failed policy that 91% (I think a lot higher) agree upon.
I commented on stage that I agree with easily 70%, maybe 80%, and possibly 91% of the lines in the movie. Which is why it is so frustrating that Richie’s film advocates the wrong solutions; universal background checks and closing the “gun show loophole.”
The only possible way to make universal background checks meaningful is to have universal gun registration, something for which there is rightfully strong opposition to. Aside from all the reasons the NRA/gun owners cite, it’s just bad public policy. Canada spent in excess of $1,200,000,000.00 over 10 years, eventually abandoning its scheme after realizing it had solved zero crimes, and was a complete waste of tax payer money. The U.S. would be foolish to copy such a colossal failure.
The “gun show loophole” remains a consistent talking point of the anti-gun crowd, but there is no such thing. The law to buy/sell a gun is the same at gun shows as it is in gun stores, basements, and parking lots. The real issue is “private transfers.” But there is no indication that making kids spend a bunch of money to inherit their parent’s gun collection will have any effect on criminals. Nor are criminals any more likely to be effected by gun laws than drug dealers are curtailed by laws prohibiting the transfer of heroine without a license. We need better solutions.
The most telling moment for me came when I was explaining the way the background check works now.
When it stops a criminal, who is committing federal felonies, our justice department refuses to prosecute them. In 2010, there were over 48,000 felons and fugitives denied a firearm through the NICS background check system. Only 44 of them were prosecuted by our Federal Justice department. So a felon had a 0.09% chance of being prosecuted, or a 99.91% chance of walking away – too often to buy a gun illegally on the street before committing another crime.
I was actually jeered when suggesting that we prosecute the criminals we know of now, instead of expanding a system that is not working!
John Richie has so many things right in his film. He does an excellent job of telling the victim’s stories.
Ironically, it is such personal stories that have motived me as a leader and lobbyist for nearly two decades. Every bill we work on is designed to result in less loss of innocent human life. And history has proven that the pro-gun side, not the anti-gun side has been right about the effects of concealed carry and other gun laws.
The frustrating thing on both sides is with so much agreement, why is there still such strong opposition to each other’s ideas. I think the answer is quite simple. The anti-gun side is focused on the gun. For them, the goal is banning or controlling it and who has access to one. The pro-freedom side is focused on the victim, the criminal, the crime and the interaction. The goal is to make life more difficult for the criminal, and give potential victims more options/control over their own fate.
Gun control groups are frustrated that pro-self-defense groups have made so much progress over the past 20 years. They bring huge money and emotion, which is a powerful motivator for their followers.
We bring people, facts, and proven results. I believe 91% of people want our results, even those who are swayed by the opposing emotional arguments. They want to “feel safe.” We want to “be safe.”
Jim Irvine is President of the Buckeye Firearms Foundation, which funds the FASTER Saves Lives program. He is also BFA PAC Chairman and recipient of the NRA-ILA's 2011 "Jay M. Littlefield Volunteer of the Year Award," the CCRKBA's 2012 "Gun Rights Defender of the Year Award," and the SAF's 2015 "Defender of Freedom Award."
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