Six Years of GVPedia - Part 3: The Importance of Myth-busting

And how to access our massive database of myth-busting research.

Oct 31, 2023

This month marks the sixth anniversary of GVPedia. To celebrate the occasion, we want to highlight some of our successes in the cause of gun violence prevention. This is the third installment of a six-part series.

At GVPedia, we believe that myth-busting is critical to the gun violence prevention movement.

In our ongoing effort to combat gun lobby myths, GVPedia created an interactive database — the Facts About Firearm Policy Initiative — where visitors can easily click to any of more than 40 basic pro-gun myths to access well-researched information.

This database exposes the truths behind the myths and misconceptions that warp the conversation around gun violence. The user-friendly collection of data, studies, and research provides individuals with the talking points and the detailed understanding needed to change hearts and minds.

The goal of this database is to debunk the most prevalent myths, provide access to resources that help spread awareness of the truth, and shed light on unethical behavior by the purveyors of these myths. It is vital that we change the narrative because these myths have appeared in sworn testimony and prominent publications that have swayed the minds of judges, lawmakers, and the general public.

While this database is packed with information, it is not exhaustive. We will address more myths and other substantive cases as needed going forward — because as we all know, sadly, gun-related statistics in our country change daily. The Facts About Firearms Policy Initiative is ongoing and will be updated over the coming months and years.

You can also access a full PDF of the initiative entries here.

Over the past six years, we have also used our newsletter and social media to ensure that we set the record straight on some of the most prevalent myths related to gun violence.

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay.