An Open Letter to Stephen King

GVPedia President, Devin Hughes, responds to the famed author's recent New York Times op-ed on the seemingly dismal future of gun legislation.

Stephen King,

I read your October 27th op-ed, “Stephen King on Mass Shootings: We’re Out of Things to Say,” with great interest, knowing that you’ve spoken out consistently and eloquently about the rising tide of gun violence.

You write that: “There is no solution to the gun problem and little more to write, because Americans are addicted to firearms,” lamenting that the prospects of national action on firearms is dismal. Your pessimism about this Congress and the Supreme Court are spot on, and I would share your despair but with one important caveat: we’re out of easy things to say. 

For more than the past five decades, the gun lobby has waged a coordinated disinformation campaign called a “Firehose of Falsehood” to convince Americans that guns make them safer. And that campaign has, unfortunately, succeeded, with 63% of the public believing a gun in their home will protect them despite credible research that shows that a gun in your home doubles your risk of homicide and triples your risk of suicide.

The central problem isn’t that Americans love guns and are unmovable, it is that they have been misled by decades of disinformation. Untangling this web of myths and falsehoods will take time — decades even — but it is possible. Rooting out these falsehoods will require disciplined messaging and careful, personal conversations among people across the country. 

Much like the campaign against smoking and the tobacco industry decades before, the research is clear, yet the conversation is skewed. That means we need advocates across the country who understand the research to disseminate the findings far and wide — and change the conversation. With your platform and reach, you can make a real difference, and we invite you to join our efforts.

At GVPedia, we are dedicated to countering disinformation. We also see it as our responsibility to inform the public about the risks posed by firearms and direct them to the evidence-based policies and programs that will help reduce gun violence. We’ve compiled such a list of policies and programs in the Denver Accord, already signed by dozens of organizations representing millions of people across the country. 

We understand your disdain for the lack of progress on this growing problem and the pain you and all Mainers — and all Americans — are experiencing. But please, don’t give up! Your voice will be invaluable in this essential work. You can save lives. 

Best,

Devin L Hughes, CFA; President and Founder of GVPedia

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Image of Stephen King via his official website.