Archives for March, 2003
Links
Posted by Tim Lambert on March 31, 2003 Harvard’s David Hemenway has a devastating review of Lott’s new book, The Bias against Guns. Apparently Lott claims that the “impact from closing the gun show ‘loophole’” was a reduction of 102% in Indiana’s auto theft rate, which would have meant that thieves were returning previously stolen cars.
Kopel says he did it
Posted by Tim Lambert on March 31, 2003 Julian Sanchez has some thoughtful comments on the Heartland and Independence Institutes’ deletion of Lott’s attribution of the 98% to Kleck. One more piece of information I can add is on the timing of the changes. On March 5, I noticed that the Independence Institute page had vanished, so I changed the link in my…
What Surveys Can Help Us Understand About Guns?
Posted by Tim Lambert on March 30, 2003 John R. Lott, Jr. Resident Scholar American Enterprise Institute [Critical Commentary by Tim Lambert This is a copy of the original document by Lott, downloaded from Lott's web site here on March 21, 2003. My comments appear in italics like this.] Guns make it easier for bad things to happen, but they also make it…
Lott misquotes Mustard
Posted by Tim Lambert on March 29, 2003 In today’s letters page in the Washington Post, Saul Cornell catches Lott misquoting Mustard. In a response to this review of Evaluating Gun Policy, Lott claims that Mustard wrote that the data showed “sharp decreases in murder, rape and robbery.” Cornell replies: Scholars have a duty to check their sources before they go into print.…
Lott tries to alter history
Posted by Tim Lambert on March 29, 2003 One feature of Lott’s behaviour in this affair is his refusal to admit that he attributed the 98% figure to “national surveys” and to Gary Kleck. Instead, he told Slate “A lot of those discussions could have been written more clearly.” However, in on-line publications by the Independence Institute and the Heartland Institute he wrote:…
Mitch Berg attempts to defend Lott, fails
Posted by Tim Lambert on March 28, 2003 Meanwhile, CNSNews.com seems to be blissfully unaware of the Lott affair, with this story reporting: “Surveys Lott conducted in January 1997 indicated that guns are used more than two million times a year in self-defense, either by threatening to use a gun, brandishing it, firing a warning shot or actually shooting a criminal.” Mitch Berg…
Lott’s explanation for Mary Rosh doesn’t hold water
Posted by Tim Lambert on March 28, 2003 I’ve done some more investigation in Lott’s latest explanation for his Mary Rosh postings: I originally used my own name but switched after receiving threatening and obnoxious telephone calls from other Internet posters. The first group of Lott postings were made between 3 June 1998 and 14 July 1998. All the responses were polite. In…
Lott pretends Ayres and Donohue don’t exist
Posted by Tim Lambert on March 27, 2003 This story in the Zanesville Times Recorder highlights the problems that Lott’s behaviour has caused for advocates of concealed carry laws. They are now having to say things like: “Lott’s research has little bearing on the state’s need for responsible and fair concealed weapons legislation.” Meanwhile, Lott said: “But this debate shouldn’t be just about…
Mac Diva on Mary
Posted by Tim Lambert on March 26, 2003 Mac Diva comments on Lott’s claims in his Washington Post letter. Mac doesn’t believe Lott’s story about the threatening phone calls that forced Lott into the Mary Rosh deception.
Links
Posted by Tim Lambert on March 25, 2003 US Newswire has a story about Lott’s problems.