I grew up in a place more dangerous than most. Our house was broken into by thieves several times, also by drunks and crazy people (one guy looking for his wife in our walls). My parents, devout Christians, taught that facing evil with evil is wrong. Consequently, talked each one down – no harm came to anyone. Conversely, a friend of men, trying to protect his home with a gun, came within a hair’s breadth of shooting his own son who came home from work late.
More people shoot family members than stop intruders. It’s not wise to have a gun in your home, unless you’re in a REALLY bad neighborhood, or you’re cooking meth.
Okay, you want studies?“A study of 626 shootings in or around a residence in three US cities revealed that, for every time a gun in the home was used in a self-defense or legally justifiable shooting, there were four unintentional shootings, seven criminal assaults or homicides, and 11 attempted or completed suicides (Kellermann et al., 1998). For those who don’t want to add, that is 22 people shot for every one defended.Here’s the source of that quote:http://library.med.utah.edu/WebPath/TUTORIAL/GUNS/GUNSTAT.htmlFurthermore, there’s this from a Johns Hopkins study:“Although there is little difference in the overall crime rates between the United States and other high-income countries, the homicide rate in the U. S. is seven times higher than the combined homicide rate of 22 other high-income countries. This is because the firearm homicide rate in the U. S. is twenty times greater than in these other high-income countries. The higher prevalence of gun ownership and much less restrictive gun laws are important reasons why violent crime in the U. S. is so much more lethal than in countries of similar income levels.”That’s Webster, et al., 2009, and you can read the whole paper, including reasonable suggestions for gun laws, here:http://www.jhsph.edu/research/centers-and-institutes/johns-hopkins-center-for-gun-policy-and-research/publications/WhitePaper102512_CGPR.pdfSo here is a clear question: do you think that the NRA’s broadly defined Second Amendment (which is not historically based) is worth shooting 22 Americans for every one protected? Now: if there is a way to reduce that ratio, to reduce the 22 while NOT reducing the one protected, which should be entirely practical, is there any way in good conscience you can refuse?
Hmm, people kill people with automobiles. People kill people with hammers. People kill people with knives. Lets start taking those away until we’re all wearing straight jackets.
“……..Maybe you are unaware of this, but law abiding American citizens have a Constitutional right to own guns…….”.Yes, I was aware of that. What concerns me is that the non-law abiding American citizens, the miss-fits, and the loonies also have the same rights..Glad to hear that people don’t reach for their weapons in times of stress. But I was wondering why after a tragic event like Newtown that gun sales actually increase. I call it the People’s Constitutionally prescribed anti-anxiety treatment. .If crime goes down where gun ownership goes up, then America must be the safest, the most crime-free place on earth. What are those gun related deaths and homicides, and rates of incarceration again?
Australia had the same problem something like 20 years ago.. Changed the laws to make getting guns much more difficult. The number of deaths from guns fell 60%..there’s your statistics for you. Try arguing against THAT.
Mr. is a bitter Ex-Mormon who was bounced by the church for his hateful comments about them. He is mean spirited and super ultra liberal. He lives to spout lies, hateful lies about all things even mildly conservative.
No question that gun sales increased after Newtown and some other mass killings. The reasons are less clear, but there is no shortage of speculation. I’ll go with they’re just plain crazy..http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/dec/18/gun-sales-surge-newtown-crackdown.
I’ve read most of the comments here and haven’t seen an explanation of Steve Benson’s cartoon. It’s based on the flag of Arizona with a gun replacing the star. Steve is illustrating another crazed gunman killing.
’(CBS) PHOENIX – Mark Hummels, one of the victims of the Phoenix office building shooting Wednesday, died Thursday night, CBS affiliate KPHO reports. Hummels was one of three people shot by alleged gunman Arthur Harmon.
’Police say the office shooting was not a random attack. The 70-year-old Harmon was in the middle of a civil dispute stemming from some work he was hired to do for a Scottsdale company called Fusion Contact Centers LLC. Two of the victims in the shooting were Fusion CEO Steve Singer, 48, and his attorney Mark Hummels, 43.
’Harmon was found dead in a Mesa, Ariz. parking lot on Thursday morning. Police believe he died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
’Harmon is described as angry, a bully, and a nut job by people who knew him, KPHO reports. The station obtained angry letters Harmon had sent to Hummels last year.
‘“Hummels, you’re nothing but a sleazy lowlife attorney trying to save your stinking skin," Harmon wrote. “…I am going after you with every fiber in my being and I won’t rest until I see you behind bars for conspiracy to defraud.”’ (Source – Google)
This shows that a person with a legally owned gun lost touch with reality through anger and used his gun for the purpose it was designed for – an effective killing machine.
cdward about 11 years ago
I grew up in a place more dangerous than most. Our house was broken into by thieves several times, also by drunks and crazy people (one guy looking for his wife in our walls). My parents, devout Christians, taught that facing evil with evil is wrong. Consequently, talked each one down – no harm came to anyone. Conversely, a friend of men, trying to protect his home with a gun, came within a hair’s breadth of shooting his own son who came home from work late.
cdward about 11 years ago
Truth s, the number of people harmed by intruders is small – most guns deaths are by people the victims know.
ARodney about 11 years ago
More people shoot family members than stop intruders. It’s not wise to have a gun in your home, unless you’re in a REALLY bad neighborhood, or you’re cooking meth.
Mbezdek about 11 years ago
For those that might be puzzled, that’s the Arizona state flag
nanellen about 11 years ago
Yes, I heard! Very proud of him. I live in the suburbs of Atlanta and I am licensed to carry!
Motivemagus about 11 years ago
Okay, you want studies?“A study of 626 shootings in or around a residence in three US cities revealed that, for every time a gun in the home was used in a self-defense or legally justifiable shooting, there were four unintentional shootings, seven criminal assaults or homicides, and 11 attempted or completed suicides (Kellermann et al., 1998). For those who don’t want to add, that is 22 people shot for every one defended.Here’s the source of that quote:http://library.med.utah.edu/WebPath/TUTORIAL/GUNS/GUNSTAT.htmlFurthermore, there’s this from a Johns Hopkins study:“Although there is little difference in the overall crime rates between the United States and other high-income countries, the homicide rate in the U. S. is seven times higher than the combined homicide rate of 22 other high-income countries. This is because the firearm homicide rate in the U. S. is twenty times greater than in these other high-income countries. The higher prevalence of gun ownership and much less restrictive gun laws are important reasons why violent crime in the U. S. is so much more lethal than in countries of similar income levels.”That’s Webster, et al., 2009, and you can read the whole paper, including reasonable suggestions for gun laws, here:http://www.jhsph.edu/research/centers-and-institutes/johns-hopkins-center-for-gun-policy-and-research/publications/WhitePaper102512_CGPR.pdfSo here is a clear question: do you think that the NRA’s broadly defined Second Amendment (which is not historically based) is worth shooting 22 Americans for every one protected? Now: if there is a way to reduce that ratio, to reduce the 22 while NOT reducing the one protected, which should be entirely practical, is there any way in good conscience you can refuse?
rabidhunter about 11 years ago
Hmm, people kill people with automobiles. People kill people with hammers. People kill people with knives. Lets start taking those away until we’re all wearing straight jackets.
Gypsy8 about 11 years ago
“……..Maybe you are unaware of this, but law abiding American citizens have a Constitutional right to own guns…….”.Yes, I was aware of that. What concerns me is that the non-law abiding American citizens, the miss-fits, and the loonies also have the same rights..Glad to hear that people don’t reach for their weapons in times of stress. But I was wondering why after a tragic event like Newtown that gun sales actually increase. I call it the People’s Constitutionally prescribed anti-anxiety treatment. .If crime goes down where gun ownership goes up, then America must be the safest, the most crime-free place on earth. What are those gun related deaths and homicides, and rates of incarceration again?
alex Coke Premium Member about 11 years ago
Your aim will help!
Pogostiks Premium Member about 11 years ago
Australia had the same problem something like 20 years ago.. Changed the laws to make getting guns much more difficult. The number of deaths from guns fell 60%..there’s your statistics for you. Try arguing against THAT.
hamguy about 11 years ago
Mr. is a bitter Ex-Mormon who was bounced by the church for his hateful comments about them. He is mean spirited and super ultra liberal. He lives to spout lies, hateful lies about all things even mildly conservative.
Gypsy8 about 11 years ago
No question that gun sales increased after Newtown and some other mass killings. The reasons are less clear, but there is no shortage of speculation. I’ll go with they’re just plain crazy..http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/dec/18/gun-sales-surge-newtown-crackdown.
Bandusia15 about 11 years ago
I’ve read most of the comments here and haven’t seen an explanation of Steve Benson’s cartoon. It’s based on the flag of Arizona with a gun replacing the star. Steve is illustrating another crazed gunman killing.
’(CBS) PHOENIX – Mark Hummels, one of the victims of the Phoenix office building shooting Wednesday, died Thursday night, CBS affiliate KPHO reports. Hummels was one of three people shot by alleged gunman Arthur Harmon.
’Police say the office shooting was not a random attack. The 70-year-old Harmon was in the middle of a civil dispute stemming from some work he was hired to do for a Scottsdale company called Fusion Contact Centers LLC. Two of the victims in the shooting were Fusion CEO Steve Singer, 48, and his attorney Mark Hummels, 43.
’Harmon was found dead in a Mesa, Ariz. parking lot on Thursday morning. Police believe he died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
’Harmon is described as angry, a bully, and a nut job by people who knew him, KPHO reports. The station obtained angry letters Harmon had sent to Hummels last year.
‘“Hummels, you’re nothing but a sleazy lowlife attorney trying to save your stinking skin," Harmon wrote. “…I am going after you with every fiber in my being and I won’t rest until I see you behind bars for conspiracy to defraud.”’ (Source – Google)
This shows that a person with a legally owned gun lost touch with reality through anger and used his gun for the purpose it was designed for – an effective killing machine.
Bandusia15 about 11 years ago
No, it isn’t. Steve Benson’s cartoon had nothing to do with illegal immigrants or the 2nd Amendment.