Texas Republican Suggests Falling TVs Are More Dangerous Than Guns

Following the tragic shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut, President Obama has named a White House task force to find “concrete solutions” to address gun violence in the U.S. “If there is even one thing we can do to prevent any of these events, we have a deep obligation — all of us — to try,” Obama said.

But a few Texas Republicans would not support adding to existing gun regulations. “I do not feel that additional gun control legislation will have an effect at all,” said state Rep. John Raney (R). And state Rep. Kyle Kacal said he would not even support a proposed measure that would instruct Texas on how to secure their assault weapons. Ping-Pong and falling TVs are bigger problems than guns, he told a local newspaper:

“People know what they need to do to be safe. We don’t need to legislate that — it’s common sense,” he said. “Once everyone’s gun is locked up, then the bad guys know everyone’s gun is locked up.”

Kacal echoed a common nationwide argument that guns don’t kill people, people kill people.

“I’ve heard of people being killed playing ping-pong — ping-pongs are more dangerous than guns,” he said. “Flat-screen TVs are injuring more kids today than anything.”

In 2011, falling TVs killed 29 people. Meanwhile, more than 19,000 Americans are killed annually in crimes involving guns. Even as the nation’s violent crime rate has declined, the number of crimes involving a firearm remains the same.