Of all the arguments the gun control agenda makes, “it’s for the children” is the one that infuriates me most. Rather than actually teaching gun safety, they dance around the issue, masking their true agenda by repeating talking points and failing to acknowledge that nobody does more to promote gun safety than the firearms industry.

Which is exactly why the following Tweet from the gun control group GunsDown America caught my attention:

Uhbuhscuse me?! So the only way to ensure my kids won’t be shot is to take away my guns? What if my kids visit an aunt or uncle with guns, should their guns be removed, too?

Not quite, buddy.

.@gunsdownamerica thinks every American parent should have their guns taken away. How very socialistic of them. #2A #GunRights https://t.co/AQH6cUzUhH

— It’s Just Jenn (@JennJacques) June 19, 2017

So what do they point to as the biggest problem: Lack of safe storage options? Failure to teach all children gun safety? Nope.

If we want to prevent the needless deaths of American children, we must start with accepting a simple fact: guns are the problem. https://t.co/9lZQ05QCRT

— Guns Down America (@GunsDownAmerica) June 19, 2017

…aaaaaaand there it is.

Referencing the new study from researchers at the Centers for Disease Control titled “Childhood Firearm Injuries in the United States” published in the journal Pediatrics on Monday; Everytown, GunsDown, and other groups are once again making the push for gun control – starting with gun-owning parents.

However, the study is (as you might expect) misleading. Within the “older children” (13–to 17-year-old) demographic, gun deaths are overwhelmingly concentrated between 16- and 17-year-olds, old enough to have learned the rules of gun safety and not considered ‘children’ by many.

Specifically looking at deaths and injuries among children up to age 17, the researchers analyzed the data for trends that may have occurred from 2002 to 2014.

They found that, among the deaths, 53% were homicides and 6% were unintentional.
Among the injuries, 71% were assault and 21% were unintentional.

While homicide is already illegal, nobody does more than the firearms industry to prevent unintentional shootings through programs like NSSF’s Project ChildSafe and the NRA’s Eddie Eagle Gun Safety Program.

Researchers also report older children (13 to 17) had a rate of fatal firearm injury more than 12 times higher than that of children 12 and younger – which is exactly why gun owners push to allow gun safety to be taught in elementary schools.

“These are preventable injuries,” said Katherine Fowler, a behavioral scientist for the CDC and lead author of the study. Fowler also noted firearm homicides significantly declined between 2007 and 2014, noting, “This is a very encouraging trend.”

But rather than championing programs that prevent such injuries and would increase this positive trend, groups like GunsDown America continue to regurgitate the same nonsense.

They are facts, Jenn. You don't have to like them, & you don't have to think lives matter enough, but your opinion doesn't change the facts.

— Guns Down America (@GunsDownAmerica) June 19, 2017

Research shows Eddie Eagle to be ineffective, and that cable locks like those used by Project Child Safe are easy for kids to disengage.

— Guns Down America (@GunsDownAmerica) June 19, 2017

Jenn, guns are the problem. That's not a feeling. It's a fact supported by data, data which we have sent you.

— Guns Down America (@GunsDownAmerica) June 19, 2017

There you have it: guns are the problem. Period. End of story.

Look at the terrible cost of having a gun in my home! My son touched it… and now he's made the All State Team in skeet! The horror! pic.twitter.com/ESY42FDTUd

— Deus Galt (@colovion) June 20, 2017