Re: GUNS: Accidental Deaths

Eric Ruud (ejruud@ucdavis.edu)
Tue, 2 Mar 1999 17:03:50 -0800

Might it be more statistically sound to compare the ratios deaths/guns, deaths/cars, deaths/bathrooms, deaths/pools?

It seems to me that there are certainly a LOT more cars and bathrooms than there are guns. Also, consider the amount of time people spend in these places with the time they spend handling firearms. I refuse to believe that a bathroom is more dangerous than a gun, which is what you seem to be suggesting.

-Eric

>Harvey Newstrom wrote:
>
>> Did you see the sources for the stats I posted? They were from pro-gun
>> sources and showed >200 children aged 14 and below being accidentally
>> shot to death every year in the U.S. This figure is much lower than
>> other accidents from pools, cribs, skateboards, shaking, and the like.
>>
>> I mentioned your statement that some stats count under age 25 as
>> "children", and a friend reminded me that under age 21 is defined as a
>> "minor" for alcoholic purposes. It blew my mind that someone would
>> defend calling a 20-year-old a "minor"!
>
>Yet they are putting 10 year olds on trial as adults for capital murder,
the
>'age of consent' varies from state to state between 16 and 20, 16 year olds
are
>the most likely age to die driving a car (many times more likely than via
guns,
>even with airbags and seatbelts). The 200 plus figure I do doubt is the
>'accident' rate for kids. I would beleive its the death rate, including
violent
>crimes. Keep in mind that less than a few thousand people a year are killed
by
>firearms here in the US annually, which includes military, police, and
>suicides. Suicides are the other 'big lie' that anti-gunners use to inflate
>their numbers. I would guess that the large number of teen 'accident'
deaths
>might actually be suicides.
>
>Mike Lorrey
>
>