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LA residents line up to buy, yes, guns. (AP Photo/Ringo H.W. Chiu)
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By Lee Williams

The Los Angeles Times is in serious trouble. The once-great newspaper has lost the pulse of its own community. Its leaders can no longer read the room. They keep shoveling their anti-gun propaganda, but no one is listening. Their readers are too busy trying to buy guns.

If the Times’ editors came out of their ivory towers, which are no longer even in L.A. – the paper moved its operations to nearby El Segundo in 2018 – they would see California is changing. Murders, rapes, car-jackings and “follow-home robberies,” a term the Times itself helped coin, are skyrocketing.

Add in disaffected and defunded police, roving gangs of thieves preying upon high-end retailers and even train robbers, and it’s enough to prompt even the most woke Californian to Google gun shops. The Times, however, hasn’t even noticed. Sadly, they are still banging their guns-are-bad gong.

Their latest anti-gun column – “Thinking of buying a gun for self-defense? Don’t do it” – shows just how desperate they have become for commentary that matches their political beliefs.

The author, Dr. Steven J. Sainsbury, an ER doc from San Luis Obispo, California, makes a simple point: There is no such thing as a defensive gun use, he claims, because in his 25 years of emergency medicine, “I never treated a single patient who was shot by a law-abiding citizen in self-protection. Not one.”

First, I doubt Dr. Sainsbury’s claim is even true. He seems to be a man on a mission – the type of zealot who doesn’t let the facts get in the way of a good story. This is certainly not his first foray into anti-gun propaganda.

In 2019, he submitted a column warning the newspaper’s readers not to give firearms as Christmas presents. “Guns don’t mean anything positive to me. They signify only death and destruction. They are certainly nothing to put in a festive box with a bow under a Christmas tree,” he wrote.

Second, there are issues with the column that neither the Times nor the good doctor were willing to acknowledge. Dr. Sainsbury claims he has treated hundreds of gunshot victims, but according to his bio, he has been working in an emergency room in San Luis Obispo – a tourist destination known for its museums, art galleries, and historic Spanish mission.

The 2010 United States Census recorded a population of 45,119, of which 38,117 (84.5%) were White, 523 (1.2%) were African American, 275 (0.6%) were Native American, 2,350 (5.2%) were Asian, 65 (0.1%) were Pacific Islander and 1,973 (4.4%) were other races.

My point is this; while like any city San Luis Obispo has its share of violent crime, it’s nothing like Oakland, Los Angeles or San Francisco. I question how many shooting victims the good doctor has even seen.

Also, it wasn’t until just recently that some California sheriffs and chiefs of police began increasing the number of concealed-weapon permits they issue to help their constituents defend themselves against rising crime. Just a few years ago, an applicant had to be extremely wealthy and/or a celebrity to “qualify” for a may-issue CCW permit in the Golden State. As a result, California lagged far behind other states in the number of legally armed citizens who had the means to defend themselves.

Sainsbury cites a hodgepodge of statistics, which he claims prove that a gun in the home is more likely to be used against the homeowner or a family member.

“Be responsible and be wise. Don’t buy into the myth of owning a gun for self-defense. The life you save may be your own,” he wrote. This is somewhat novel. I’ve had the misfortune to read the gun-ban industry’s propaganda for more than a decade now, but I’ve never heard any of them refer to “the myth of owning a gun for self-defense.”

Even Gabby Giffords, Everytown, and the Demanding Moms admit that self-defense is the number-one reason why an overwhelming majority of new gun owners said they purchased a firearm. There’s certainly nothing mythical about carrying a firearm for self-defense, Doc.

Over the past few years, the Los Angeles Times has suffered massive setbacks, including revolving editors and owners, a bankruptcy, shrinking readership and the layoff of more than 200 staffers. It’s become clear that they’ve grown desperate for any content that can, as they say in newspapering, fill a hole.

Guest columns such as Dr. Sainsbury’s cost the newspaper nothing, since guest columnists aren’t normally reimbursed. Their content is free. However, as you can see in this case, you get exactly what you pay for.

 

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This story is part of the Second Amendment Foundation’s Investigative Journalism Project and is published here with their permission.

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54 COMMENTS

  1. LOL, I half read that and didn’t critically think about his claim to have treated “hundreds” of gunshot patients in SLO. Granted I haven’t lived there since the 80’s but violent crime in SLO proper is vanishingly low. Kristen Smart is still in the news because of what an outlier she was.

    • In 2013 ( latest year I could find an article) San Luis Obispo County had 470 outstanding concealed carry permits.
      Less than 1% of the population had a permit.
      The county sheriffs only approved those applications with good cause, such as being an elected official or transporting large sums of money.
      Self defense was not considered a good cause.

  2. Maybe the doctor hasn’t treated a person shot by an armed law-abiding citizen. Quite frankly, from what I hear, they are quite few and far between (unless you have political connections). That being the case, they would be a lot rarer event..

    • Or maybe its because armed citizens train more and shoot better than police officers, such that most of the “victims” get a free ride to the morgue instead of the ER.

      Nah, the guy is a liar who hates guns. St. Lo is a sleepy town with little crime other than drunk driving.

      • Rape is an issue with a big student population, and there’s the usual 2021 property crime bs, but for the average resident it’s Mayberry.

    • Plus, statistics indicate that the vast majority of self defense uses of firearms result in no shots being fired at all. In our community, if you actually have to shoot somebody, it’s not considered a good thing. In contrast, gang members shoot each other with boring regularity.

      In other words, it’s not surprising that the good doctor hasn’t treated that many crims who were shot by the good guys – they typically run when confronted. Or the good guy shoots them dead and a coroner is called, not an ER doc.

  3. As I stated recently, many people do not understand statistics. And it is easy to argue about the accuracy and/or validity of statistics that someone presents. In other words, when using statistics as the primary thrust of your claim, you will probably fail to persuade many/most listeners.

    Even more important: fundamental inalienable rights are not a function of statistics. Suppose that I could make a rock-solid, indisputable statistical argument which shows, without any doubt whatsoever, that we would significantly reduce injuries in society and significantly increase life expectancy if we made rape legal and compelled women to submit to rape: would that negate a woman’s fundamental and inalienable right to choose whether or not she has sex with someone? Of course not. Likewise, statistics must not negate our fundamental, inalienable right to effective self-defense, which necessarily includes the unfettered ability to acquire and carry firearms for righteous self-defense.

    • “our fundamental, inalienable right to effective self-defense, which necessarily includes the unfettered ability to acquire and carry firearms for righteous self-defense”

      what I’ve always said. seems a much better foundation than the 2nd.

    • “… statistics must not negate our fundamental, inalienable right to effective self-defense, which necessarily includes the unfettered ability to acquire and carry firearms for righteous self-defense.”

      Well, they don’t, so…. no worries on that.

      The weird thing about general rules for society that have managed to endure for millennia is that they have a tendency to line up with the reality of a functioning society.

      Being baited into getting away from that is a bad idea and, sadly, quite common.

      The similarly sad, but also hilarious, part is where we’ve gotten away from it and people don’t think about it. They then end up arguing their own “moral theory” backwards. And, of course, it doesn’t work because it can’t. But WOOOOOO boy do they get pissed if you point it out. And if you’re going to, honestly, there’s no point in dancing around it and trying to be politic about it. It’s usually just better to be a dick because they’re going to flip shit no matter what you do because they’ve integrated some dipshittery into their own persona and see your critique of an idea as a personal attack.

      • “They then end up arguing their own ‘moral theory’ backwards.”

        could you give an example of that? trying to figure out what you mean.

  4. Sure to bolster the anti-gun agenda, an off-duty police officer was killed yesterday by an on duty sheriff’s deputy. Apparently there was a car chase involving the sheriff’s office, the fleeing felon crashed his car and fled on foot, ending up in the yard of the off-duty officer. Hearing the commotion, the officer armed himself with a handgun, and confronted the miscreant in the officer’s front yard. He tried to restrain the BG, but got in a wrestling match in which he lost control of his gun. He was then stabbed a number of times, and the BG then ran towards the officer’s house. The officer regained control of his handgun and gave chase, but unfortunately a responding deputy sheriff shot him dead on his front porch. So you see, having a gun in the house (they will say) won’t protect you and will only result in you being harmed–even if you are a trained police officer.

  5. Hmmm….newspapers…people still purchase newspapers? OK, Ok, at the diner I frequent, there are a few older gents who sit there in the morning with their coffee, toast, sunny-side eggs with bacon, and the local rag.

    But really…newspapers?

    • NY post for the inlaws not great but closest we get to objective print journalism without going with weekly world news.

  8. I wonder if San Luis Obispo, California, transports wounded criminals to a different location? or if the good doctor is using his own version of “a law-abiding citizen in self-protection”?
    There is the point that people might pick up a household in a murderous rage and kill a household member, but they could use a baseball bat, golf club, knife, a blunt instrument or a motorized vehicle to run them down.

    • I mean, a quick glance shows they average about 5.5 homicides a year COUNTY wide. I didn’t see numbers on shootings, but it’s easy enough to extrapolate from homicides, i.e. not very f-ing many.

  9. From the article:

    “According to LA County Sheriff Alejandro Villanueva, the department has received 8,105 concealed carry weapon applications and approved 2,102 of them…”

    Bullcrap, Napoleon.

    I do not believe it’s taken them an entire year to approve only a couple thousand applications. I’m still waiting for my own phone call, from my own application way back in July 2021.

    • Yep, still WAY behind where they should be. LA county has > 25% of CA’s population but has < .5% of the CCW permits in the state.

      • Easily resolved. All LA county needs to do is go from May Issue to Shall Issue. It is after all, their choice how they issue. Their requirements can be whatever they wish them to be. Simply adopt the requirements of say…Montana. Backlog will be resolved by Lunchtime.

    • What kind of left leaning, nanny state loving coward runs down to the government office to get its permission to exercise a God given, inalienable right?

      • I didn’t say I’m waiting for a slip of paper to exercise it…I only said I applied for it.

    • “I’m still waiting for my own phone call, from my own application way back in July 2021”

      maybe they haz a question about you ….

    • Rensselaer county approved more than that in 3 months and most of their neighbors (mine included) in 5-7 and I refuse to believe upstate NY is more populated than areas of CA near metropolitan zones so damn guy what is your state doing?

    • Interesting his comments. The deputy in my County in CA said the sheriff’s goal is to get everyone a permit. Kind of interesting in CA is mixture of shall issue, may issue and won’t issue.

  10. “Sainsbury cites a hodgepodge of statistics, which he claims prove that a gun in the home is more likely to be used against the homeowner or a family member.”

    This theory/statistic has been thoroughly debunked for several reasons, mostly because it’s totally fraudulent.
    https://www.gunowners.org/sk0701/

  11. The Los Angeles Times is in serious trouble. The once-great newspaper has lost the pulse of its own community. Its leaders can no longer read the room. They keep shoveling their anti-gun propaganda, but no one is listening.”

    you don’t understand. they’re not in trouble at all. they’re not a business sustained by profits from revenue, they’re a propaganda outlet sustained by subsidies.

    just like pravda in the soviet union. same game plan every time.

  12. ‘JuSt LiKe PrAvDa…’ Do you people proofread the nonsense you write before you hit ‘post comment’?

    • Hilariously the comments are often better proofread than many newspaper articles (laying off editors has consequences) as to you I would like to see a giraffe after you are done juggling.

      • WARNING : The following comments contain excessive and hazardous levels of methane compounds. Read at your own risk.

  13. 3 inOne oil used to have for one of its uses as a firegunm lubricant.
    Not anymore.
    Strange tho that it has a MARKSMAN spout .
    If you chose to boycott this company be advised it also makes WD-40.

  14. The TTag author here is either a liar or bullshitter as study after study going back decades to the present days prove that most people murdered with a gun are killed by a member of their own household either on purpose or by accident or by a person they know, not by strangers breaking in or robbing them on the street. This is old news and either the author of this trash article is still in short pants or he is being paid as a shill to pander to the unwashed for click bait.

    I myself have been in some of the roughest cities in the world and the closest I have come to being shot was by irresponsible companions that were carrying guns when with me or hunting with me or at the range with me. I eventually quit trusting anyone and often only went to the range by myself, or hunted by myself, no one is allowed on my property anymore with a loaded gun, they have to leave them in their vehicle. The only times these days I go to the range with other people is at a sanctioned rifle match where very strict safety rules are applied and if you fk up just once you are out for good, as it should be.

    I have seen many firearms accidents in the last 6 decades all of which never should have occurred.

    I was hunting with a companion who was walking behind me when he decided to test the safety so the idiot pulled the trigger, the shotgun went off and missed me by inches.

    I was target shooting with a friend when he had a jam in his pistol and turned pointing the gun at my stomach and said “this gun is jammed” while his finger was still on the trigger.

    I had another moron walk up my driveway with shotgun and he ejected the shells out of his pump shotgun leaving one in the chamber. He then pulled the trigger and the shot hit the pavement and the glanced upward ventilating the garage door. He bought me a new garage door.

    I had a guy pull a gun out of his pocket while inside my garage. I told him “Do not point that gun at me”. He laughed and said not to worry its not loaded and then pointed the gun at the door of the garage and pulled the trigger and blew a hole in the door. The round then struck the driveway after going through the door and then ricocheted down through the neighbor hood luckily not killing anyone.

    I had a work acquaintance that was showing off to his girlfriend. He was twirling a revolver on his finger like the Cowboys in the movies do when it went off and he shot the clock off the wall. I asked him “Is that the way you make time fly??

    And I will not go into the stories about the husbands that shot and killed their wives and vice versa, yes Women shoot their husbands too and sometimes its not justified.

    My wife had an uncle who was robbed at gun point so he pulled out his own gun and the criminal who already had a gun pointed at him blew him away. Another real life case of getting yourself killed when resisting a robbery. Dirty Harry only survived because it was a Hollywood movie.

    • Am I the only person who can see that this guy is just messing with all of you. Good god, his pic is Alfred E Newman from Mad Magazine. He is making up stories to get a response. You guys gotta stop falling for it!

    • ” the shotgun went off and missed me by inches. ”

      Oh well, maybe we’ll all have better luck next time.

      In the meantime, you might do well to stop hanging around with idiots, even though water always seeks it’s own level.

    • “”most people murdered with a gun are killed by a member of their own household either on purpose or by accident or by a person they know”

      This is a bald faced lie. Most people murdered are in the drug trade murdering people they know because they know they have money or drugs.

      “I have come to being shot was by irresponsible companions that were carrying guns when with me or hunting with me or at the range with me”

      No one believes such an obvious lie.

      The rest of your comment is irrelevant.

  15. Interesting looks like Dacian had a rather long screed deleted. Or he can delete his own posts, either way cut the amount of scrolling by about a third.

    • Maybe the ownership is tired of the people here helping the trolls to hijack threads so they’re going to the root of the problem (again)?

      When trolls really take over a page they generally post 5-7% of the comments but the idiotic replies calling them Nazis and the like then often generate 60% or more of the comments on the entire page. Then you’ve got 65%, or more, (or even just 40%) of comments as trolling or replies to trolls for no real reason.

      It sucks when Ing or someone says something useful and people have to wade through a troll comment and 39 completely fucking pointless replies to it to find the people who said something worth reading.

      Such replies are either replying to a narcissist who doesn’t care what you say and only wants you to reply with something or the reply is to a bot. In either case it’s a waste of time. It’s like walking around a bar and correcting every loudmouth drunk, a pastime I doubt many people here have ever indulged in but on the web… they just can’t help themselves.

  16. Have to question where the good Doctor gets his information. The so called studies claiming to prove a gun in the home is a liability to the owner, or is more likely to be used against someone in the household has been debunked so many times it’s not funny. Same with the claim people with guns don’t stop crimes or defend themselves from criminals.
    Next up is the complaint about guns being used in suicides. The suicide rate in the US is at about the same rate as is seen in other industrialized countries. Which speaks more about the mental health care system than about guns. There is still the stigma about seeking help and admitting there could be a problem.
    Having been the unarmed victim long ago, I would rather have the small chance of defending myself, rather than no chance. Catching a bullet hurts.

  17. I’m sure his hospital has security. Those security are likely unarmed people that call the cops (that would be the guys with guns) whenever something actually happens.

    This doctor should tell his administrators to stop that immediately. No police response under any circumstances.

    I’m sure that will go well.

  19. Yet in all those years of emergency medicine, I never treated a single patient who was shot by a law-abiding citizen in self-protection. Not one.

    One thought that apparently never crossed his mind is that we are better shots than the cops or bad guys and they don’t end up in hospital.

  20. Just remember kiddos that’s the only thing more dangerous than having a firearm in your home is secondhand smoke and covid-19. Also don’t forget that there are significant tactical advantages to being unarmed during a gunfight that far outweigh any advantage a firearm would provide.

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