John Velleco of Gun Owners of America recently wrote that the phrase “gun violence” is less a description than a political slogan.
He’s exactly right — and the more closely you examine the numbers and the way politicians and the media use that term, the clearer it becomes that it’s about manipulating public perception, not solving real problems.
Framing the Tool Instead of the Behavior
We don’t talk about “knife violence” or “car violence.”
Even though the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reports show that knives are used in more murders every year than rifles of all types combined, you’ll rarely hear anyone demand a ban on “assault knives.”
The reason is obvious: focusing on the tool is easier than acknowledging the criminal behavior or the social breakdowns driving that behavior.
The rhetorical sleight-of-hand shifts the focus away from the murderer and onto the firearm.
By branding crime as “gun violence,” politicians avoid responsibility for failed policies on crime, drugs, and mental health.
It’s far easier to trot out another gun-control bill than to take on entrenched failures in those areas.
Media Conditioning and Public Perception
The media has become the primary amplifier of the “gun violence” narrative.
The phrase is repeated in headlines, evening broadcasts, and public-service campaigns until it takes on the sheen of objectivity. But repetition doesn’t make it true.
By contrast, defensive gun uses — which studies suggest happen anywhere from 400,000 to over 2 million times a year in the U.S. — are almost completely absent from the coverage.
That’s not because they don’t exist, but because they don’t fit the narrative that guns equal violence.
Millions of Americans experience firearms as tools of protection and peace of mind, yet that story is buried.
Ignoring the Real Drivers of Crime
The obsession with “gun violence” also keeps us from tackling the root causes. The reality is stark:
Drug epidemics (including the fentanyl crisis) are fueling violence in major cities.
Gang activity accounts for a disproportionate share of homicides.
Repeat offenders cycle through the justice system, with little consequence.
Untreated mental illness continues to go unaddressed despite decades of promises.
These are hard, systemic challenges — but they are the ones that actually drive crime. Saying “gun violence” lets policymakers and activists substitute symbolic action for real solutions.
The Role of the Second Amendment
Firearms are not only associated with crime — they are also the most effective equalizer for law-abiding citizens.
Women resisting violent attackers, store clerks facing armed robbers, families confronted by home invaders — these stories repeat daily across the country. Yet, they almost never appear in national headlines.
That’s why the Second Amendment matters.
It is not about hunting, though hunting is a noble tradition. It is about the basic human right of self-defense and is explicitly recognized in the Constitution because it predates the Constitution. And that basic human right of self-defense includes the ability to resist a tyrannical government.
Taking guns from law-abiding citizens has never disarmed criminals; it has only left good people more vulnerable.
Words Have Consequences
John Velleco is right: words matter. “Gun violence” is not just a lazy phrase — it is a deliberate misdirection. For nearly a century, layer after layer of gun control has been sold under this slogan.
The result?
America is no safer, while politicians congratulate themselves for “doing something.”
If we want safer communities, we must stop treating firearms as scapegoats and start confronting the real human and policy failures that drive crime.
That means fixing our broken mental health system, ending the revolving door for violent offenders, supporting families, and dismantling gangs.
It means getting serious about crime instead of demonizing tools.
And it means fixing our hearts and being more like Jesus.
Anything less is political theater — and it comes at the expense of both public safety and constitutional freedom.
John Velleco of Gun Owners of America recently wrote that the phrase “gun violence” is less a description than a political slogan.
He’s exactly right — and the more closely you examine the numbers and the way politicians and the media use that term, the clearer it becomes that it’s about manipulating public perception, not solving real problems.
Framing the Tool Instead of the Behavior
We don’t talk about “knife violence” or “car violence.”
Even though the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reports show that knives are used in more murders every year than rifles of all types combined, you’ll rarely hear anyone demand a ban on “assault knives.”
The reason is obvious: focusing on the tool is easier than acknowledging the criminal behavior or the social breakdowns driving that behavior.
The rhetorical sleight-of-hand shifts the focus away from the murderer and onto the firearm.
By branding crime as “gun violence,” politicians avoid responsibility for failed policies on crime, drugs, and mental health.
It’s far easier to trot out another gun-control bill than to take on entrenched failures in those areas.
Media Conditioning and Public Perception
The media has become the primary amplifier of the “gun violence” narrative.
The phrase is repeated in headlines, evening broadcasts, and public-service campaigns until it takes on the sheen of objectivity. But repetition doesn’t make it true.
By contrast, defensive gun uses — which studies suggest happen anywhere from 400,000 to over 2 million times a year in the U.S. — are almost completely absent from the coverage.
That’s not because they don’t exist, but because they don’t fit the narrative that guns equal violence.
Millions of Americans experience firearms as tools of protection and peace of mind, yet that story is buried.
Ignoring the Real Drivers of Crime
The obsession with “gun violence” also keeps us from tackling the root causes. The reality is stark:
Drug epidemics (including the fentanyl crisis) are fueling violence in major cities.
Gang activity accounts for a disproportionate share of homicides.
Repeat offenders cycle through the justice system, with little consequence.
Untreated mental illness continues to go unaddressed despite decades of promises.
These are hard, systemic challenges — but they are the ones that actually drive crime. Saying “gun violence” lets policymakers and activists substitute symbolic action for real solutions.
The Role of the Second Amendment
Firearms are not only associated with crime — they are also the most effective equalizer for law-abiding citizens.
Women resisting violent attackers, store clerks facing armed robbers, families confronted by home invaders — these stories repeat daily across the country. Yet, they almost never appear in national headlines.
That’s why the Second Amendment matters.
It is not about hunting, though hunting is a noble tradition. It is about the basic human right of self-defense and is explicitly recognized in the Constitution because it predates the Constitution. And that basic human right of self-defense includes the ability to resist a tyrannical government.
Taking guns from law-abiding citizens has never disarmed criminals; it has only left good people more vulnerable.
Words Have Consequences
John Velleco is right: words matter. “Gun violence” is not just a lazy phrase — it is a deliberate misdirection. For nearly a century, layer after layer of gun control has been sold under this slogan.
The result?
America is no safer, while politicians congratulate themselves for “doing something.”
If we want safer communities, we must stop treating firearms as scapegoats and start confronting the real human and policy failures that drive crime.
That means fixing our broken mental health system, ending the revolving door for violent offenders, supporting families, and dismantling gangs.
It means getting serious about crime instead of demonizing tools.
And it means fixing our hearts and being more like Jesus.
Anything less is political theater — and it comes at the expense of both public safety and constitutional freedom.
