David Johnston

In the following viewpoint, David Johnston argues that few people with guns in the home successfully use them to ward off intruders, in part because they are unable to arm themselves quickly enough to do so. Another reason that most gun owners never use their firearms for self-protection is that few are trained to shoot the guns accurately in high stress situations. Moreover, Johnston contends that buying a gun for protection actually increases the risk that the buyer or a member of his or her family will be shot. David Johnston writes for the New York Times.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. According to Johnston, how many shooting deaths occurred in the United States in 1997?
2. What examples of high profile shootings does the author provide to illustrate why many...