Customer Reviews

Making a Killing: The Business of Guns in America

5 star:		(11)
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3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(30)

 

 

As a gun owner who has been eagerly looking for someone or some group that advocates a realistic and sensible plan to deal with gun violence, I was incredibly let down by this book. The first thing that needs to be dealt with is the fact that the gun industry is not this incrediby profitable industry. Most American gun companies have been limping along, some of the more notables being pulled from bankruptcy. But beyond this the book is just tired, feeble, and bases its appeal on inflammatory statements. It's really not a surprise, considering Diaz works for the most dishonest interest group outside of big tobacco: The Violence Policy Center. The VPC is nothing more than an organization that seeks to ban guns via radical spin, deception, and outright dishonesty. (An example is the VPC's web sites criticism of scholar John Lott... the criticism focuses purely on other views of Lott's, taken completely out of context, and in no way even attempts to argue his methodology.) Diaz follows all the trends of his employer in this book. Furthermore, Diaz's claim that he is a "reformed gun nut" seem completely implausible; he just makes too many mistakes. There are many excellent scholars on the subjects of guns in this country. David Kopel, John Lott, Gary Kleck, and Don B. Kates all have more serious, mature, scientific and responsible presentations than this dishonest screed. If anything, this book is a superb example of why the gun debate in this country is so acrimonious and non-productive. Guns are deadly, yes. But so is stupidity and the establishment of laws that have been shown to be failures. This book is lethal in its stupidity and arrogance and its appeal to emotionalism over sound science.

The book reminds me of Soviet and Nazi propaganda demonizing Jews. Statistics, cause-and-effect concepts are invented outright or distorted, contradicting info provided by US Department of Justice and the FBI. The book hopes to build public support for disarming law-abiding Americans while doing nothing about criminals. For more even-handed treatment of the topic, try searching Dejanews for commentary or visit one of the many Web site on the topic.

As a gun owner, member of the NRA, and believer in the need for new gun legislation that keeps guns in the hands of "responsible" citizens, this book was a great read. Unfortunately, the bias is something out of a Michael Moore movie (which I enjoy by the way). However, the reader must not take this book as gospel. There are fundamental viewpoints presented in the book that are logical: such as when guns are introduced to the civilian marketplace, they end up in the hands of criminals. This fundamental question, I belive, has no fundamental answer. This book does not really present the definitive answer either. Yes, the gun industry is unregulated, and yes they are in it for the profits, and yes the NRA is more of a industry catalyst rather than a spokesgroup for the individual citizen, however, none of this is new. Unfortunately, that is all gun owners have to rely on. This book presents a myriad of facts in snapshots much like soundbites in the news. Read it. It is enjoyable and an easy read. Points are loud and clear, and some are logical.

What a disappointment. Can't we provide better evidence than name calling? With books like this on our side we risk alienating the broad middle who can be swayed by facts but I fear will not accept this level of personal diatribe.

With a title like this, one would at least expect some evidence on how much gun makers earn. Diaz tells us about some memberships in nice clubs, but can't even tell us how much money Ruger makes? Would this have really taken much effort? I was able to look it up in a couple of minutes on the internet (by the way, Ruger earned $25 million last year from all of its sporting good lines including guns, gulf clubs, etc.). Ruger is a large company as Diaz claims, but couldn't he have filled in some details like the number of employs (which by the way is 1,900 employees). Diaz really comes across as lazy. With a solid anti-gun organization like the Violence Policy Center behind this book, you would have thought that they could have put together a more complete effort.

The consistently one-sided and superficial nature of anti-gun writing amazes me. Compared to the high intellectual quality of books like David Kopel's "Guns: Who Should Have Them?" or the criminological works of Gary Kleck and John Lott (both pretty much ignored by Diaz), this book doesn't compete. But in the hothouse atmosphere of antigun writing, it doesn't have to: political correctness and emotionalism substitute for intellectual rigor. There *are* some intellectually respectable antigun writers: Phil Cook, for example, or David Williams. But Diaz isn't one of them. Don't waste your money.

This book is way off the mark. Anecdotal information only serves to fan the flames over the issue of guns. 150 childern under age 5 died in 1996 from fires they started with cigarette lighters verses the 30 from gun accidents. What are the federal regulations on the sale and ownership of lighters? The poppycock continues.

This expose of the industry is, of course, simply an anti-gun mouthpiece, but Diaz omits one major issue. Only once in his indefensible asides does he refer to what should be the pride of every American, the Bill of Rights. Calling the Second Amendment a false flag of frontier mentality is only slightly more insulting than calling the gun owners of America--around 30% of the population--a minority who is being indulged by being allowed to own firearms. Diaz seems blissfully unaware that all the talk of the right to bear arms is not right-wing rhetoric but a simple fact of this country. Had the founders meant to say "the right to bear arms shall not be infringed unless irresponsible people misuse them," they would have written it as such.

Criminal use of all weapons should be punished severely, but destroying the rights most central to our nation is hardly the way. Aside from some remarks about reducing the number of Saturday Night Specials, Diaz's book is simply knee-jerk drivel. People who would like to trade their rights for security will find they get neither. For a truly intelligent, thorough study of the effects of guns in America, readers might want to pursue More Guns, Less Crime by John Lott, Jr.

The author spent a lot of time making the case that the gun industry is just "in it for the money" - this shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone who lives in a capitalist society. And it isn't a condemnation of guns. Guns are a product and manufacturers try to sell them - just like cars, books, toothpaste, etc.

The authors second "revelation" is that guns are dangerous! (no kidding - they are designed to be that way!)

The author's agenda to eliminate guns is thinly disguised as "increased regulation".

The book does not address the root cause of violence in America. It's not guns - gun violence is a symptom of a larger problem. Banning guns will do nothing. The government has banned illegal narcotics and look how effective that's been...

There have been a number of books written recently that have remarkable credibility because of the unlikely authors of the books. Who would have thought that the harshest attack on current anti-drug policy, demanding legalization, would come from a Reagan Republican? John Lott's book More Guns, Less Crime, was another highly credible book because it also came from an unlikely source. Diaz's book is disappointing and flawed because his agenda comes across on every page. The book becomes frustrating and painful. I find it interesting that reviewers on this page assume that people who pan this book only do so because they haven't read it. We've read it. But this book brings to mind the saying that a mind is like a parachute. It only works when it's open. Many of us who read Diaz's book did so with an open mind, and were disappointed by Diaz's clear bias. This book may be good, but only if you're part of the choir being preached to.

Most who purchase this book will be predisposed to believe every word of it, and they will not be disappointed. Mr. Diaz sees the world of firearms manufacturers as somehow evil, dark, secretive and scary, but the statements in this book are often so ludicrous that only the already hardcore anti-freedom fanatic will buy into them. Guns are less regulated than toasters and teddy bears? I see. And when was the last time you had to wait on an FBI background check to pick up your teddy bear? Please.