I'm carrying a gun - Am I looking for trouble?

[LoveExile 27]

that's already the case. not everyone can own a machine gun.

Which is why there are so few machine gun killings...

[Teddy B 17,252]

that's already the case. not everyone can own a machine gun.

Based on some of the gun nutters that post here, that is a very good thing, for everyone.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Using made up statistics to support your point is sort of silly. I, too, know of people who were killed by accidental gunshots. I also know of people that were saved by guns. That's anecdotal. Cite sources if you want to claim that guns kill 100 times the people that they save.

You like the CDC reporting violence and injury are is the number one killer of people 1-44?

Violence and Injuries

Kill more people ages 1–44 in the U.S. than any other cause

Violence and injuries cost more than $406 billion in medical care and lost productivity each year

http://www.cdc.gov/injury/

http://www.cdc.gov/injury/wisqars/pdf/10LCID_All_Deaths_By_Age_Group_2010-a.pdf

Edited August 2, 2013 by The Patriot

[Neonred 3,562]

More people in the US are killed each year in auto accidents than by firearms. Let's take away the automobiles first.

[SMR 368]

You like the CDC reporting violence and injury are is the number one killer of people 1-44?

http://www.cdc.gov/injury/wisqars/pdf/10LCID_All_Deaths_By_Age_Group_2010-a.pdf

Is it 100 to 1?

[JohnR! 5,495]

More people in the US are killed each year in auto accidents than by firearms. Let's take away the automobiles first.

You should compare auto accidents with accidental homicide, if you want to compare automobiles vs. guns; or consider researching how many persons use their automobiles in order to murder others.

Facepalm.

[Penny Lane 8,159]

More people in the US are killed each year in auto accidents than by firearms. Let's take away the automobiles first.

Do people ever get tired of reading this stupid argument in every gun thread?

Only gun nuts think it makes sense.

[Karee 4,190]

I freely admit that my numbers were made up for illustrative purposes (in all likelihood the ratio is higher than 100:1), but I think any reasonably logical person would agree that civilly owned guns kill innocent people more often than they save people. Even if guns killed 2 innocent people for every 1 saved, my math would still work out.

I am aware of the argument that people can (and do) kill innocent people in other ways than using guns, however the tools they use (cars, knives, hands, pillows, spatulas, etc.) have non-killing purposes. Gun-owners will claim that their gun is not intended to "kill people," but to serve as a deterrent and/or to save the gun-owner (and his/her loved ones, friends, etc.) from physical harm. This is where the logic fall flat.

Guns kill innocent people more often than they save them (which is the argued purpose), but cars do not kill people more often than they serve their intended purpose (to get people from one place to another). Likewise knives are not used to kill people more often than they are used to cut things. Pillows provide cranial comfort more often than they are used to smother someone.

In any other instance, if a tool killed innocent people more often than it served its intended purpose, it would be severely restricted or banned entirely. Why should this principle not apply to firearms?

That's actually a very well thought out post that makes alot of sense, and should put that gun to car comparison to bed once and for all.

Please start posting elsewhere.

[Teddy B 17,252]

More people in the US are killed each year in auto accidents than by firearms. Let's take away the automobiles first.

For the most part I think your posts are usually well thought out and well written, then you go and throw a stinker like this.

[Protocol417 161]

You should compare auto accidents with accidental homicide, if you want to compare automobiles vs. guns; or consider researching how many persons use their automobiles in order to murder others.

May also be worthwhile to consider proliferation and use as a controlling factor as well.

Just looking at gun ownership versus car ownership (and the corresponding accident/homicide rate) doesn't really give us the true scope. Many guns are not carried (and ownership is concentrated into fewer hands since many people who own guns have more than one), while most cars are used on a daily basis (and it's far less common for someone to have more than one car), so this would artificially skew the numbers.

If there were as many people carrying guns in public (as often and for such durations) as there are people driving cars, we would likely see a pretty large shift in numbers.

[GandD 5,966]

More people in the US are killed each year in auto accidents than by firearms. Let's take away the automobiles first.

You just think of that?

[Penny Lane 8,159]

That's actually a very well thought out post that makes alot of sense, and should put that gun to car comparison to bed once and for all.

Please start posting elsewhere.

It won't. The "cars/knives/hands/etc actually have alternative purposes" argument has been made before, and it just doesn't get through.

Same with the "people use their cars more than they use their guns" is, of course, correct. But also ignored.

I'm just going to assume the people who make the cars vs guns argument are kidding. And they don't honestly believe it's a valid comparison.

My brain hurts less that way.

Edited August 2, 2013 by Penny Lane

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

More people in the US are killed each year in auto accidents than by firearms. Let's take away the automobiles first.

Wrong. Firearms related deaths are right up there with deaths caused by auto accidents. Both at about 30K a year.

Do people ever get tired of reading this stupid argument in every gun thread?

Only gun nuts think it makes sense.

It's a false claim to boot. Guns claim as many lives as auto accidents.

[Penny Lane 8,159]

It's a false claim to boot. Guns claim as many lives as auto accidents.

Not quite, but it's close. Gun deaths are expected to surpass motor vehicle accidents by 2015.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Just put airbags on guns. Then they will be as safe as cars. George could have pulled the trigger, and airbag would have deployed, pushing Trayvon off of him, so that he could make his escape. Why does it take a capitalist to think of things like that?