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A report from “60 Minutes” touting Mexico’s gun policies left out some key details that social media filled in on what “must be the safest, least-violent country in the world.”
“Oh wait ….”
Like clockwork, high-profile tragedies involving firearms set gun grabbers to work looking to amend the rights of law-abiding citizens. On the latest edition of CBS News’ “60 Minutes,” a story on the limited access to legal firearms for Mexicans with only one gun store in the country proved a helpful tool in highlighting the threats posed by an unarmed citizenry.
“Like the U.S., Mexico’s constitution grants citizens the right to bear arms. But unlike the U.S., that right comes with a long list of restrictions,” said reporter Sharyn Alfonsi. “There’s only one gun store in Mexico, in the middle of a heavily guarded military base in Mexico City.”
The message on the need to prove passage of “psychological tests, drug screens, and extensive background checks” simply to enter was immediately negated by detailing how, of the roughly 1,000 guns sold per month that included “shotguns, small caliber rifles, and handguns, what civilians can’t buy here are the weapons the cartel favors.”
“Those are not legally sold anywhere in Mexico,” noted the correspondent.
Sharing a clip from the report, Utah Sen. Mike Lee (R) commented, “Mexico must be the safest, least-violent country in the world. Oh wait ….”
Mexico must be the safest, least-violent country in the world
Oh wait …. https://t.co/AJeA31Vitx
— Mike Lee (@BasedMikeLee) December 23, 2024
To his point, a proposed Community Note noted that the “per-capita homicide rate is approximately 4 times higher in Mexico than the United States” at 5.763 per 100,000 compared to 24.859 per 100,000.
Further, a social media user pointed out, “This gun control policy is so successful only 9 of the top 10 most murderous cities are in Mexico,” while another shared headlines detailing “grisly” incidents with the sarcastic comment, “So little gun violence in Mexico. Whatever they’re doing, it’s working!!”
Note incominghttps://t.co/EuoYdl1mug
— BartonBella (@BartonBella1) December 23, 2024
So little gun violence in Mexico. Whatever they’re doing, it’s working!! pic.twitter.com/qIjh47aLWC
— Fusilli Spock (@awstar11) December 23, 2024
Yet, as documented by the UNODC, the murder rate in Mexico is almost FIVE TIMES that of the U.S.
Hard to make a better case for firearms ownership.
— Mike Moss (@_MikeMoss) December 23, 2024
Mexico: 1 gun store, 18.4 gun deaths per 100k
USA: ~50,000 gun stores, 13.8 gun deaths per 100k
— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) December 23, 2024
Of course, “60 Minutes” didn’t stop at just talking about the limited access to lawful gun ownership. An attempt to fault the United States gun laws for facilitating the cartels followed as former Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador was cited, “From the United States, we have confiscated in the same time that I’ve been in government, 50,000 guns of high power, or high caliber. 50,000 guns. And 75% of them, from the United States.”
While incumbent President Claudia Sheinbaum had similarly faulted the U.S. where conservatives were the strongest advocates for the Second Amendment, a look back only had to go so far as to reference the “Operation Fast and Furious” gun-running operation that had taken place under then-President Barack Obama and Attorney General Eric Holder.
“Someone call Eric Holder and Obama’s DOJ. We can fix this in no time,” said one user as another called out, “No wonder the cartels run the country then. The people aren’t able to protect themselves.”
Someone call Eric Holder and Obama’s DOJ.
We can fix this in no time.
— Hard Pass (@HardPass4) December 23, 2024
No wonder the cartels run the country then. The people aren’t able to protect themselves.
— Stolen Valor (@StolenValor1) December 23, 2024
Oh, so gun laws don’t work on criminals and just hinder law abiding citizens from obtaining them? Got it.
— G G (@GG98909) December 23, 2024
Wait until you realize, you just disproved the entire basis for Gun Control.
— Unplugged (@DeclansWallace) December 23, 2024
You guys are such a joke
— Mollie (@MZHemingway) December 23, 2024
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