John Stossel Links Gun Control to Higher Crime Rates

On Friday's 20/20, ABC anchor John Stossel discussed the self-defensive benefits of gun ownership, debunking the myth that "gun control reduces crime." The segment aired during 20/20's recurring series, "Myths, Lies & Downright Stupidity," based on Stossel's book of the same title. Citing the recent Federal Appeals Court for DC ruling overturning Washington, D.C.'s ban on gun ownership, Stossel talked to the pro-gun plaintiff in the case, Tom Palmer, and pointed out that the murder rate in D.C. increased after the city's gun ban: "Since Washington's gun law passed, the murder rate actually increased, even while America's murder rate dropped. It's because guns can also save lives, says Palmer, as one saved his years ago in California."

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