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Has 'Little Red Riding Hood' been banned, but not assault weapons?

Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America offered this comparison -- "Little Red Riding Hood" has been banned in the U.S., but not assault weapons. We look at whether it's a solid comparison. Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America offered this comparison -- "Little Red Riding Hood" has been banned in the U.S., but not assault weapons. We look at whether it's a solid comparison.

Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America offered this comparison -- "Little Red Riding Hood" has been banned in the U.S., but not assault weapons. We look at whether it's a solid comparison.

Louis Jacobson
By Louis Jacobson August 27, 2013

In an image created by a pro-gun control group, two youngsters sit in a children’s section of a library, one holding a fairy tale book and the other holding an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle. The caption reads, "One child is holding something that's been banned in America to protect them. Guess which one."

The image was shared widely on social media, but is the comparison accurate? We took a look at both parts of the claim.

We found that the edition of Little Red Riding Hood shown in the ad was banned, but only in two school districts, and nearly a quarter century ago. Meanwhile, there’s no national assault-weapons ban, but more than a quarter of Americans live in states that have banned assault weapons.

The claim contains an element of truth, but the contrast it offers is not as clear-cut as the ad suggests. So we rated it Mostly False. Read the complete report for more details.

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Has 'Little Red Riding Hood' been banned, but not assault weapons?