Opposing Views: Should Gun Laws Be Changed? | Dan Gross & Dr. John R. Lott #122

This is another Opposing Views episode where I speak with two people who have opposing views on contentious subjects. This is my favourite format of episode and one I’ll be focusing on. In this episode, I spoke with Dan Gross and Dr. John R. Lott about gun control in America.

We discussed their stances on gun control, assault weapons, the gun show loophole, and background check laws. I asked them whether states with stricter gun control have less gun violence. We also touched on straw purchasers, misconceptions regarding gun violence, and how politics has pervaded an already complicated debate—which is one of the reasons we need conversations like this one.

In the first half, I sat down with Dan Gross. After his brother was wounded in the 1997 Empire State shooting, Gross left a bright career in marketing to become a gun control activist. He has since worked to raise awareness on gun safety, spearheading campaigns that teach gun owners to mitigate risk. Gross is the former president of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence and co-founded the Center for Gun Rights and Responsibility.

In the second half, I spoke with economist and political commentator John R. Lott. He has worked for Yale, the University of Chicago, and the U.S. Department of Justice under Trump. He is the founder and former president of the Crime Prevention Research Center (CPRC). John Lott has published op-eds in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, and more.

Remember please keep the comments civil - organizing these episodes is tricky and I really love doing them I think they’re so interesting so let’s keep things civil so that more people will agree to come on. Next week's episode is opposing views on Bitcoin. I hope you enjoy this episode - if you do please hit subscribe. Enjoy your week!

Find more Dan Gross on the website

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Find more John Lott on

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Show Notes

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[0:00] Intro

[02:45] Dan Gross’s background.

[05:53] Dan's stance on gun control.

[09:24] Dan’s suggestion on gun control.

[09:59] Finding the balance with gun usage.

[10:09] Why Dan was vilified in certain communities.

[11:42] Dan’s thoughts on who should own guns.

[14:55] The gun show loophole.

[19:19] The reason behind a gun show loophole.

[21:13] The politicized gun debate.

[25:03] Do states with stricter gun control have less gun violence?

[26:53] Comparing gun access between the states and other countries.

[29:44] The REAL problem with guns according to Dan.

[31:09] The assault weapon debate.

[35:41] Straw purchasers.

[38:38] Gun dealers and crime guns.

[39:13] Dan's thoughts on how to crack down on straw purchasers.

[4353] Find Dan Gross on Twitter @DanGrossPAX and at The Center for Gun Rights and Responsibility website

[45:05] John R. Lott Jr.'s background.

[45:53] John's view on gun control.

[46:07] The sad reality of gun control according to John.

[46:42] Inequality in gun control.

[53:37] John’s perspective on legal gun access.

[55:39] Where felons purchase their guns.

[56:18] Statistics on gun purchase.

[1:02:23] A surprising fact of crime in the US.

[1:03:27] Straw purchasers.

[01:04:00] John's suggestion to change background checks.

[01:07:12] Red flag laws.

[01:15:09] John's perspective on gun education.

[01:18:52] John’s thoughts on children dying from domestic gunshots.

[01:19:33] The relationship between gun control and gun crime.

[01:20:13] John’s advice on governmental gun control.

[01:24:55] Find more John Lott on CrimeResearch.org.

#GunShow #GunRights #GunViolence #GunPermit #GunControl