I'm pretty sure, I'm not going to change your mind that everyone but you should have their guns taken away from them. But still, I see some flaws in your presented statistics used to support your forgone conclusion. Remember, on the gun debate, I switched sides after learning facts that were hidden beneath the quick one liners and cherry picked stats commonly presented.
Well interestingly, suicide is the biggest cause of gun related deaths in the US.
I wonder how many of those suicides would still be alive if they didn't have easy access to a gun?
You are not the first to pose that question. I reason that the question is more about the desire to link a distasteful practice to firearms than actually saving the most lives. But, since you brought up suicides, perhaps you might find this site interesting as well?
http://lostallhope.com/suicide-statistics/us-methods-suicideAccording to this, 50% of the US suicides involve firearms, and this method is the primary choice among males. Note that about 50% found another way, suggesting that firearms are NOT causal, but simply a method of choice. But, do you continue to suggest that, of those that chose the gun, that they wouldn't have found an alternative should a firearm not been available? What percentage of those would have actually be perpetually saved had they not obtained their preferred method?
The obvious question here is if a firearm were not available, would the suicide rate actually go down? Data compiled by Wikipedia would seem to refute such a claim:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_suicide_rateAccording to this, Japan's suicide rate over twice as high as that in the US (and AU), yet Japan has possibly the most restrictive gun laws in the world.
I don't see a clear
causal link between firearms and suicides, as you seem to suggest or imply. Perhaps you can explain it better?
Assuming you really wish to save as many lives as possible, perhaps the WHO can guide you to a more productive goal? According to them, 2.5 million people die from the harmful use of alcohol each year. Would you now also suggest a ban or restriction on alcohol availability worldwide? Just think of the lives that would save!
http://www.who.int/research/en/The US actually tried such a ban, btw, but found that making money from the populace's pervasive vises, more productive, as do other countries.
For that matter, I wonder how many of the murder victims would still be alive if their murderers had to resort to using a knife, or a club? Certainly the mass killings wouldn't be anywhere as massive, I'd imagine? How many mass killers would be brave enough to take on a crowd of people if they were only armed with a kitchen knife, or a baseball bat?
Provocative questions? Yes.
But, could you also wonder how many would still be alive if the victims were themselves armed and able to defend themselves?
Its easy to argue if a perp was armed, and the victim not, the perp would prevail. But, there are many incidents that were/are avoided, halted, or resolved with the perp being defeated rather than the victim. Isn't this really a preferred outcome?
Are you willing to sacrifice the righteous by preventing their means to defend themselves on a more equal basis?
Defensive use of guns (DGU) is estimated to be between 1-2.5 million incidents per year. (See Gary Kleck research to name one source)
Even if all of your presented 50,000 suicides were indeed prevented by intervention of the preferred tool, as well as total deaths attributed (fairly or unfairly) to firearms, are you willing to condemn all the innocents that could have prevailed/survived had they access to the an equalizing defensive tool?
Just because the bathwater is dirty, doesn't mean we should throw out the baby, as well.
February 12, 2014
76-year-old fells stun gun wielding robber, The Post and Courier, Charleston, S.C. 02/10/14
76-year-old Charles Petit was walking from his Lincolnville, S.C. home to his vehicle parked in the driveway when a 25-year-old criminal armed with a stun gun attacked the elderly homeowner and attempted to rob him. Petit responded by drawing a .38-caliber revolver and shooting the attacker, killing him. Following the incident, Petit was hospitalized for an injury to his face suffered during the altercation. A local business owner who knows Petit described him to a local media outlet as “a prince of a fellow,” and added, “I’m glad to know he wasn’t hurt any worse than he was.”
February 7, 2014
Mother of two defends family from criminal wielding a machete and shotgun, WOOD, Grand Rapids, Mich. January 31, 2014
A mother of two was upstairs at home with her children in Iona County, Mich. when she heard a suspicious noise coming from the first floor. The woman retrieved a gun, went to the top of the stairs, and spotted a masked criminal armed with a machete and a shotgun through a window next to the home’s front door. The armed homeowner raised the firearm at the criminal, prompting the would-be intruder to retreat from the door. Eventually police arrived on the scene and captured the suspect, following a brief chase. In an interview with a local media outlet following the incident, the armed mother stated, “I honestly think the gun saved my life.”
February 5, 2014
Chicago homeowner fends off thieves, faces charges for expired FOID, The Chicago Tribune, Chicago, Ill. February 1, 2014
A homeowner was in bed in Chicago, Ill. when he was awakened by his daughter, who alerted him to a suspicious disturbance in a nearby apartment. The homeowner, who relies on crutches, went to investigate, unlocking a door between his home and the apartment which his daughter suspected had been broken into. He then returned to his bedroom to retrieve a firearm. When the homeowner returned to the unlocked door, he encountered two intruders who charged at him. The homeowner responded by firing at the criminals, striking and killing one, and causing the other and a third accomplice to flee the scene. Unfortunately, following the shooting, police discovered that the homeowner failed to fully comply with Illinois’ onerous firearms laws, having let his Firearm Owners Identification card expire. Police charged the homeowner with a misdemeanor.
January 29, 2014
Gas station clerk scares off armed robber, WATE, Knoxville, Tenn. 01/27/13
A clerk was working his shift at the convenience store of a Sunoco gas station in Knoxville County, Tenn. when an armed robber entered and demanded cash. The clerk responded by retrieving a gun, which prompted the robber to flee.
January 23, 2014
63-year-old wounds intruder, The Olympian, Olympia, Wash. 01/21/14
A 63-year-old homeowner and his wife had just returned to their home in Olympia, Wash. when the couple heard suspicious noises coming from the second floor of the house. The homeowner retrieved a handgun, went to investigate, and happened upon an intruder, who attempted to attack him. The homeowner responded by firing at the intruder, striking him in the leg and ending the confrontation. Following the shooting, the criminal was taken to a local hospital where his wounds were described as non-life-threatening. Police have no intent to charge the homeowner, with Thurston County Sheriff’s Sgt. Ken Clark stating, “The suspect is the one who escalated the incident beyond what initially started.”
January 15, 2014
Resident halts home invasion, KHOU, Houston, Texas, 01/12/13
A man was at his home in Houston, Texas when an intruder attempted to gain access to the house by using a piece of concrete to smash a front window. When the resident became aware of the attempted intrusion he retrieved a gun and fired at the criminal, striking him in the stomach. When the wounded home invader tried to pursue the resident, the homeowner fired at the criminal a second time, striking him in the hand and ending the intrusion.
....There are lots more to report for those that are interested.
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