With the election just days away, there’s not a whole lot of time to try and change people’s minds. Most folks have at least some idea of who they’re going to vote for by now, with many having already cast their ballots in early voting.

However, the media is still covering it. I’ve written an alarming number of pieces that, in part, respond to the claim that gun control is a massive issue that will somehow determine our fates when we’re not seeing a whole lot that suggests that to be true.

But the media keeps reporting it.

Take this piece out of Indianapolis, for example.

With the presidential elections around the corner, gun control remains a pressing issue for Indiana voters.

Indiana, like much of the U.S., grapples with rising gun violence, and the state’s laws regarding firearms have come under increasing scrutiny. The debate over how best to balance gun rights with public safety is intensifying, with advocates on both sides citing statistics and recent trends to support their views.

Gun violence has been steadily increasing in Indiana in recent years. According to the latest data from the Gun Violence Archive, Indiana experienced over 600 firearm-related deaths in 2023, a significant increase compared to previous years.

Indianapolis has been particularly hard-hit, recording more than 200 homicides involving firearms in the past year alone. These numbers mirror the national trend, where gun violence has surged in both urban and rural areas.

Gun-related injuries, including non-fatal shootings, have also risen sharply. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that firearm-related deaths have seen a marked increase in patients treated for gunshot wounds, citing 1,211 firearm-related deaths in 2022 (or 17.4 per 100,000.)

While some argue that this spike in gun violence highlights the need for stricter gun laws, others point out that many of these incidents involve illegal firearms, suggesting that more comprehensive enforcement of existing laws may be the solution.

But my question, in response to that first sentence is, is it a pressing issue for Indiana voters?

I’m sure it is for some, of course, and that’s true on both sides of the issue, but it seems like many in the media are awfully interested in making it a pressing issue for voters, not just in Indiana but throughout the nation.

I don’t want to beat up on this writer too badly, mind you. He wrote a fairly balanced piece, all things considered, and I want to see more of that when guns are being covered. However, the decision to write about this one at all is incredibly problematic, in my mind when all the polling says people are more concerned with the economy.

And even if they do decide guns are a “pressing issue” for them, they may well decide to vote against gun control in general, which is more than fine by me, but I’m sure his bosses wouldn’t be too thrilled.

The media, however, thinks this is an issue that Kamala Harris will win on, in part because she supports gun control but, as they keep repeating, she’s a “gun owner”–I don’t think I’m buying that, but you’re free to do so–and so people will vote for her if it’s a key issue.

I’m just not of the opinion that they’re going to be thrilled with how that turns out for them.