The phony center on gun control

One thing that irks me about the American press is that it invariably likes to present all political news under one narrative: two opposing views that can never be reconciled. If anybody has a strong opinion, they are drowned out of the national debate, save only for those heroic journalists who opine about the "center."

Gun owner Gary Nutt of Kentucky proudly displays the only bullet he needs.

There are several problems with this news motif, but the most striking is that the "centrist viewpoint" put on a pedestal by the news punditocracy is either left or right, and right or wrong. Paul Krugman, for example, has all but devoted his bi-weekly New York Times column to debunking the "centrist" leanings of advocates for deficit reduction.

But that's another story. This weekend, I couldn't help but notice this New York Times story about a Waco, Texas couple who owns guns but doesn't much care for them.

"I'd love to see all guns destroyed," said Michael Kundu. "But I'm not giving mine up first."

The article goes on to explain the Kundu's ambivalence about guns, living in Waco (who wouldn't be afraid their neighbors?) and, here is the kicker: a call to moderation!

"It is these voices of ambivalence," writes Times reporter Susan Saulny, "that policy makers are say are likely to be drowned out."

Guns still poll better than Marco Rubio

To be fair, on the surface, "gun control" appears to be a contentious issue. Ask somebody if he or she believes in gun control, and there is a 50 percent chance that the response will be yes, and a 50 percent chance that the response will be no.

Ah, but one follow up question yields that most Americans do support specific measures to keep guns out of the hands of criminals and limit the deadly power that guns can inflict on innocent people, to "control" guns, if you will. 90 percent of Americans support universal background checks on gun purchases, 65 percent support a ban on high capacity magazines, and 55 percent support a comprehensive assault weapons ban.

90. 65. 55. These are all clear majorities. A presidential candidate hasn't received a popular vote total of 55 percent since Ronald Reagan in 1984. I wonder what he had to say about gun control?

"I do not believe in taking away the right of the citizen for sporting, for hunting and so forth, or for home defense," said Reagan. "But I do believe that an AK-47, a machine gun, is not a sporting weapon or needed for defense of a home."

I'm sure if Ronnie were still alive today, he would have much more to say on the subject, since he was, you know, shot. Things like that tend to put someone not to the "center" of some abstract debate, but in the column of those who believe in statistically proven measures to reduce gun violence. How could anybody fancy themselves a news "reporter" on the subject gun control and overlook Gabby Giffords?

And that's the bottom line. The voices of gun owners who call for restrictions on who can own a gun, and what guns should be available to the general public, are not "extremists." These are generally sensible people. Perhaps one reason why Ms. Saulny thought it would be hard to find gun owners who support these restrictions is because none other than the New York Times reported that gun ownership is in the throes of a steep, steady decline for the last four decades.

Sounds like a new rule from Bill Maher: In order to report the news, one must read it first.