Firearms Refresher Course

U.S. Leads Richest Nations In Gun Deaths

BY CHELSEA J. CARTER
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
   
   
   
    ATLANTA -- The United States has by far the highest rate of gun deaths -- murders, suicides and accidents -- among the world's 36 richest nations, a government study found.
    The U.S. rate for gun deaths in 1994 was 14.24 per 100,000 people. Japan had the lowest rate, at .05 per 100,000.
    The study, done by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is the first comprehensive international look at gun-related deaths. It was published Thursday in the International Journal of Epidemiology.
    The CDC would not speculate why the death rates varied, but other researchers said easy access to guns and society's acceptance of violence are part of the problem in the United States.
    ``If you have a country saturated with guns -- available to people when they are intoxicated, angry or depressed -- it's not unusual guns will be used more often,'' said Rebecca Peters, a Johns Hopkins University fellow specializing in gun violence. ``This has to be treated as a public health emergency.''
    The National Rifle Association called the study shoddy because it failed to examine all causes of violent deaths.
    ``What this shows is the CDC is after guns. They aren't concerned with violence. It's pretending that no homicide exists unless it's related to guns,'' said Paul Blackman, a research coordinator for the NRA in Fairfax, Va.
    The 36 countries chosen were listed as the richest in the World Bank's 1994 World Development Report, with the highest GNP per capita income.
    The study used 1994 statistics supplied by the 36 countries. Of the 88,649 gun deaths reported by all the countries, the United States accounted for 45 percent, said Etienne Krug, a CDC researcher and co-author of the article.
    Japan, where very few people own guns, averages 124 gun-related attacks a year, and less than 1 percent end in death. Police often raid the homes of those suspected of having weapons.
    The study found that gun-related deaths were five to six times higher in the Americas than in Europe or Australia and New Zealand and 95 times higher than in Asia.
    Here are gun-related deaths per 100,000 people in the world's 36 richest countries in 1994: United States 14.24; Brazil 12.95; Mexico 12.69; Estonia 12.26; Argentina 8.93; Northern Ireland 6.63; Finland 6.46; Switzerland 5.31; France 5.15; Canada 4.31; Norway 3.82; Austria 3.70; Portugal 3.20; Israel 2.91; Belgium 2.90; Australia 2.65; Slovenia 2.60; Italy 2.44; New Zealand 2.38; Denmark 2.09; Sweden 1.92; Kuwait 1.84; Greece 1.29; Germany 1.24; Hungary 1.11; Republic of Ireland 0.97; Spain 0.78; Netherlands 0.70; Scotland 0.54; England and Wales 0.41; Taiwan 0.37; Singapore 0.21; Mauritius 0.19; Hong Kong 0.14; South Korea 0.12; Japan 0.05.
   
    I think America has to do a better job in assuring more of it's citizens are armed so it can get the above numbers down. LOL

 To understand perhaps some of the reasons that I own guns and that I know how to use guns, you might try looking up some of the stories on the Armed Citizen site. I won't post the link but you can google Armed Citizen. These are reports of where citizens who owned guns defended their families from criminals. I live in a rural area where only a couple of weeks ago a man entered two homes with a crowbar, striking one lady in the head at one home and injuring a man in the other. If that happens here while I am home with my young son alone, and if the man survives Hektor I will not need to fear for my safety or my sons as all I need is the time to retrieve the HK40 which will take me about 30 seconds.

 Have you ever been the victim of a violent crime or known someone personally who has? Ever knelt in your own garage and begged for you life while two punk kids debated whether to kill you or not? I have a family member that did. He is now a avid gun owner. He only survived because someone pulled up to the house and they ran, otherwise he would have been dead in his late 20s and would have left two small boys and a wife with no father and no husband.

  How long does it take the police to get to your house in order to protect you? For me the very best time would be about 15 to 20 minutes. A lot can happen in that time frame. I lived in Los Angeles during the riots and recall clearly hearing the police chief state on television that they could not protect the citizens. I also recall the handful of stores that were not looted. This was because the owners and families stood upon the roofs of those stores armed and defended their property.

  I cannot speak to the bulldogs, but I have always loved the bully breeds. My first dog as a child was a pitbull and he has a large part of my heart even to this day. 80% of why I own Hektor is because I love the breed, the look of the breed and the history of the breed (he is a Dogo not a bulldog) but the other 20% is protection for my home and my kids. My 13 year old is often here for an hour or two alone on school days and I rest easier knowing that anyone entering the home will need to go through Hektor first. After all, we only need about 30 seconds........that's Hektor's job, to buy us that needed 30 seconds. If my son is home alone that 30 seconds will be used to exit the back and run to a neighbor's house, if my husband, myself or my older son is home that 30 seconds will be used to retrieve a gun.

 Guns are tools, it is the people behind them that are to be feared. I shudder to think of the day when Americans are not allowed to bear arms, as on that day it will be only the bad people who own guns. I sleep better at night knowing that myself and many of my neighbors are armed and I would not sleep as well if only the police and the bad guys had all the guns.

denise m

The United States has by far the highest rate of gun deaths -- murders, suicides and accidents -- among the world's 36 richest nations, a government study found.

 As far as suicides go it is interesting to note that the US is number 45 on the suicide rate chart. Japan is 9, Australlia is 34 so it seems they are finding other methods of killing themselves instead of guns.  So we do not have more suicides because of guns, we just have people who use the gun as a tool in order to commit suicide. Chances are they would choose another method should a gun not be avialable to them.

probe1957

FIREARMS REFRESHER COURSE

1. An armed man is a citizen. An unarmed man is a subject.
2. A gun in the hand is better than a cop on the phone.
3. Colt: The original point and click interface.
4. Gun control is not about guns; it's about control.
5. If guns are outlawed, can we use swords?
6. If guns cause crime, then pencils cause-misspelled words.
7. Free men do not ask permission to bear arms.
8. If you don't know your rights, you don't have any.
9. Those who trade liberty for security have neither.
10. The United States Constitution (c) 1791. All Rights Reserved.
11. What part of "shall not be infringed" do you not understand?
12. The Second Amendment is in place in case the politicians ignore the others.
13. 64,999,987 firearms owners killed no one yesterday.
14. Guns only have two enemies; rust and politicians.
15. Know guns, know peace, know safety. No guns, no peace, no safety.
16. You don't shoot to kill; you shoot to stay alive.
17. Assault is a behavior, not a device.
18. Criminals love gun control; it makes their jobs safer.
19. If guns cause crime, then matches cause arson.
20. Only a government that is afraid of its citizens tries to control them.
21. You have only the rights you are willing to fight for.
22. Enforce the gun control laws we ALREADY have; don't make more.
23. When you remove the people's right to bear arms, you create slaves.
24. The American Revolution would never have happened with gun control.

Excellent Post Billy! 

denise m

 

U.S. Leads Richest Nations In Gun Deaths

 

BY CHELSEA J. CARTER
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
   
   
   
    ATLANTA -- The United States has by far the highest rate of gun deaths -- murders, suicides and accidents -- among the world's 36 richest nations, a government study found.
    The U.S. rate for gun deaths in 1994 was 14.24 per 100,000 people. Japan had the lowest rate, at .05 per 100,000.
    The study, done by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is the first comprehensive international look at gun-related deaths. It was published Thursday in the International Journal of Epidemiology.
    The CDC would not speculate why the death rates varied, but other researchers said easy access to guns and society's acceptance of violence are part of the problem in the United States.
    ``If you have a country saturated with guns -- available to people when they are intoxicated, angry or depressed -- it's not unusual guns will be used more often,'' said Rebecca Peters, a Johns Hopkins University fellow specializing in gun violence. ``This has to be treated as a public health emergency.''
    The National Rifle Association called the study shoddy because it failed to examine all causes of violent deaths.
    ``What this shows is the CDC is after guns. They aren't concerned with violence. It's pretending that no homicide exists unless it's related to guns,'' said Paul Blackman, a research coordinator for the NRA in Fairfax, Va.
    The 36 countries chosen were listed as the richest in the World Bank's 1994 World Development Report, with the highest GNP per capita income.
    The study used 1994 statistics supplied by the 36 countries. Of the 88,649 gun deaths reported by all the countries, the United States accounted for 45 percent, said Etienne Krug, a CDC researcher and co-author of the article.
    Japan, where very few people own guns, averages 124 gun-related attacks a year, and less than 1 percent end in death. Police often raid the homes of those suspected of having weapons.
    The study found that gun-related deaths were five to six times higher in the Americas than in Europe or Australia and New Zealand and 95 times higher than in Asia.
    Here are gun-related deaths per 100,000 people in the world's 36 richest countries in 1994: United States 14.24; Brazil 12.95; Mexico 12.69; Estonia 12.26; Argentina 8.93; Northern Ireland 6.63; Finland 6.46; Switzerland 5.31; France 5.15; Canada 4.31; Norway 3.82; Austria 3.70; Portugal 3.20; Israel 2.91; Belgium 2.90; Australia 2.65; Slovenia 2.60; Italy 2.44; New Zealand 2.38; Denmark 2.09; Sweden 1.92; Kuwait 1.84; Greece 1.29; Germany 1.24; Hungary 1.11; Republic of Ireland 0.97; Spain 0.78; Netherlands 0.70; Scotland 0.54; England and Wales 0.41; Taiwan 0.37; Singapore 0.21; Mauritius 0.19; Hong Kong 0.14; South Korea 0.12; Japan 0.05.
   
    I think America has to do a better job in assuring more of it's citizens are armed so it can get the above numbers down. LOL

Applying the same logic in the above article to swimming pools would suggest that swimming pools should be made illegal as well.  (Go ahead and google swimming pools and child death.) 

 I see nothing wrong with gun ownership.  I think we all should have the right to protect ourselves our families and our property

...the bad guys will always find a way, whether guns are legal or not.

Xerxes

Applying the same logic in the above article to swimming pools would suggest that swimming pools should be made illegal as well.  (Go ahead and google swimming pools and child death.) 

....and this is why it is impossible to have a intelligent debate on gun control. Just because people can die or be killed by practically anything, does that mean there is no argument to be made for gun control? I fail to see a connect between controlling guns and making swimming pools illegal. Seems like a stretch, but maybe that's just me.   

denise m

Xerxes

Applying the same logic in the above article to swimming pools would suggest that swimming pools should be made illegal as well.  (Go ahead and google swimming pools and child death.) 

 

....and this is why it is impossible to have a intelligent debate on gun control. Just because people can die or be killed by practically anything, does that mean there is no argument to be made for gun control? I fail to see a connect between controlling guns and making swimming pools illegal. Seems like a stretch, but maybe that's just me.   

I understand your point.  Guns are made to do harm.  That is the intent and function of a gun.  The intent and function of a swimming pool is not to "do harm"

However, regardless of intent, both can do harm if used incorrectly or by individuals who are not properly trained.   

The gun control debate is a tricky one, I do see both sides... however when it comes down to it, I think law abiding citizens should be able to own  a gun, at least for home protection... I'm not sure how I feel about concealed carry, being a city girl...concealed carry seems kind of scary. 

I shudder to think about everyone "packing" on a crowded EL train in morning rush hour....  

Living in Texas "ie the Wild West" is interesting. To be honest I'd never thought much about guns until I moved here and saw my first "no firearms may be carried into this premises" sign on a Grocery store. You mean places without a sign...THEY CAN be brought in? LOL. Talk about culture shock.

They allow guns at the state fair with proper permitting.

Now...people get shot a whole lot here...but who knows if that's connected. Two men got into an arguement in a clothing store...both pulled out guns and it was a shootout IN A STORE...an innocent bystander was killed as he hid in a closerack. I suppose if he had a gun too...he'd have been safer? Maybe if neither had guns they'd have stabbed each other with the metal clothesrack things or beaten each other to death? I dunno...

I also am firmly on the fence. I don't think disarming folks is wise because they'd simply make bombs or such....people are violent by nature IMO...regulating the weapons I have no problem with...and anyone who allows a CHILD to access their permitted weapon and do harm with it, should be banned from ever having one again, IMO.

So for now I'd say I am a definite "dunno" on the issue.

I fall in the group of scared of guns, but that fear scares me more than the gun itself. I've started learning gun safety and how to shoot from my husband and his Dad. My FIL is an avid hunter and DH was raised knowing how to handle a gun properly. He hunted when he was younger, but it's not for him. My hope is that in a year or so, I will be able to hold, load, discharge, and put away a gun safely. I don't plan to ever have a gun in my house, but I do rest a bit easier knowing that I am learning to be safe and to be in charge of my fears.

For those that do want to protect themselves, I think it's their right.

I own 2 handguns.  I use them for something I enjoy VERY much.....target shooting.  It's a ton of fun.  I don't ever plan to use my guns for anything BUT target shooting but if I need to, I WILL use them to protect myself.  I also got a permit to carry.  Not because I plan to carry a concealed weapon but because I CAN get one.  My husband also has guns & hunts. 

rwbeagles

and anyone who allows a CHILD to access their permitted weapon and do harm with it, should be banned from ever having one again, IMO.

  I was raised in a home where guns were everywhere. A loaded shotgun and a loaded rifle hung above the fireplace and a loaded pistol was in my father's nightstand drawer. I was also raised to have a healthy respect for guns and what they could do to another living person or animal. We were forbidden to touch them and we never had any sort of gun accidents nor did my brother or I ever try and get or play with any of the guns. Most folks in the area also had loaded guns.

 Personally I think that the reason most accidents happen with guns is not because they are available and accessable, but instead is because members of the household are not aware of them (hidden in drawers for kids to find) and because they are not taught how to handle a gun.

 Now with that being said I do keep our guns locked up. Only one is loaded and it is kept in a quick access safe on our bed headboard. The kids do not know the combination and I have even tested it and allowed them to try and figure out how to open it. But I think the primary cause of gun accidents is lack of education. Both my sons have used firearms, they have hunted and they go out target shooting regualry with us. Both are aware of what a gun can do. Both know that they need to leave and get an adult if they should ever be in anyone;s home where another kid finds a gun. Both know that you only point guns at things you intend to kill.

kaf

I'm not sure how I feel about concealed carry, being a city girl...concealed carry seems kind of scary. 

Kaf, I was carrying a gun when I met you the other day.  Were you afraid of me?

probe1957

3. Colt: The original point and click interface.

probe1957

kaf

I'm not sure how I feel about concealed carry, being a city girl...concealed carry seems kind of scary. 

Kaf, I was carrying a gun when I met you the other day.  Were you afraid of me?

Nope, I'm not afraid of guns, I have a FOID card, and I've gone target shooting with my dad many times

Half of my friends work for law enforcement/homeland security they all carry... that doesn't bother me.  It's the idea of all the crazed, late for work, groggy, people of the train that would scare me LOL.

In all seriousness, I also think part of my aversion to concealed carry is that I grew up in Chicago, where even handguns are illegal (silly mayer in the past)... I just think in an Urban environment concealed carry could be a little tricky... but maybe not, like I said I am officially undecided on concealed carry.