Friday's CBS Evening News actually gave a platform to a pro-gun rights conservative, just four days after it aired a segment from gun control advocate Andy Parker, who attacked the National Rifle Association as a bunch of "cowards" who were "blocking...sensible gun legislation." The segment featured the executive director of the Gun Owners of America, Larry Pratt, who contended that "the problem of mass murder in this country is the gun-free zone." Pratt later underlined that "an armed citizen — a good guy with a gun — is the way you stop a crime." [video below]
Anchor Scott Pelley led into the segment from the pro-Second Amendment activist by noting that "one of Vice President Biden's assignments was to come up with recommendations for reducing gun violence. Well, we've been asking for suggestions as well, in our series, 'Voices Against Violence.'"
Pratt first gave his take on gun-free zones, and emphasized that "even while our violent crime rate has been going down, more Americans are owning guns — but not in gun-free zones." He also pointed out his organization's support for proposed federal legislation that "would treat your concealed carry permit the same way as your driver's licenses. If you have it in one jurisdiction, then it's going to be good anywhere in the country."
The transcript of the segment from the October 23, 2015 edition of CBS Evening News:
SCOTT PELLEY: One of Vice President Biden's assignments was to come up with recommendations for reducing gun violence. Well, we've been asking for suggestions as well, in our series, 'Voices Against Violence.'
Earlier this week, we heard from Andy Parker, calling for more gun control laws. His daughter, Alison, and fellow journalist Adam Ward, were shot to death in the summer. Tonight, another view from a gun rights organization.
LARRY PRATT, EXEC. DIRECTOR, GUN OWNERS OF AMERICA (from pre-recorded segment): I'm Larry Pratt, executive director of Gun Owners of America, where we have advocated — really, ever since Columbine, that the problem of mass murder in this country is the gun-free zone. We have a federal law that says that schools must be gun-free zones unless a state goes through an enormous amount of trouble. All but two of the mass murders in our country have occurred in gun-free zones. Even while our violent crime rate has been going down, more Americans are owning guns — but not in gun-free zones.
An armed citizen — a good guy with a gun — is the way you stop a crime. When there's a bad guy with a gun, he stops when a good guy with a gun is around. And until we, kind of, deal with that basic fact, and we insist on disarming good guys, we're going to give the advantage to bad guys.
Gun Owners of America has supported a measure that's been in the Congress for several terms now that would treat your concealed carry permit the same way as your driver's licenses. If you have it in one jurisdiction, then it's going to be good anywhere in the country.
PELLEY (live): The view of Larry Pratt of Gun Owners of America.
