From Slate Magazine · Mary Bernstein, John J. Donohue, Caroline E. Light · · 1m 40s
Trump Administration Promotes 'Good Guy With Gun' Lie
Trump administration spreads 'good guy with gun' myth to justify gun access amid school shooting.
In brief
Trump administration spreads 'good guy with gun' myth to justify gun access amid school shooting. Trump administration promotes 'good guy with gun' narrative while school shootings rise. Originally reported by Slate Magazine.
Silver Rail Elementary Shooting
A 16-year-old armed with a pump-action 12-gauge shotgun killed three children and a teacher at Silver Rail Elementary in Bend, Oregon.
Unarmed Teacher Heroism
An unarmed teacher threw her cellphone at the gunman before tackling him, saving lives.
Father's Heroic Action
A father of two students used his pistol to kill the shooter after hearing the commotion.
Trump and NRA Celebrate
President Trump and the National Rifle Association promoted the 'good guy with gun' narrative while ignoring the unarmed teacher.
Gun Industry Marketing
The 'good guy with gun' myth is a seductive marketing tool for the gun industry to sell firearms as solutions to insecurity.
Rare Defensive Gun Use
Empirical research shows 'good guy with gun' incidents are vanishingly rare, with most studies indicating more guns cause more deaths.
Racial Biases in Narrative
The 'good guy' narrative disproportionately harms Black people, who are often misidentified as threats by police.
Stand Your Ground Laws
29 states allow gun carry without license, and 2/3 have 'stand your ground' laws that favor white people.
CDC Data Misrepresentation
The CDC falsely claims 500,000 to 2.5 million annual defensive gun use incidents based on discredited research.
School Shooting Trends
235 K-12 school shootings occurred in 2025, with 150 in 2026, while gun regulation states saw 45.3% murder rate drops.
Trump Administration Exacerbates
The Trump administration worsens the 'good guy with gun' myth by aligning with CDC's misleading data.
At a glance
Trump administration promotes 'good guy with gun' narrative while school shootings rise.
