Gun accidents? Guns are dangrous?

[bkholdem]

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I don't see how anyone can say that guns are not dangerous. As a matter of fact, IMO, anyone who would say that guns are not dangerous, automatically increases a guns inherent danger.

I think the numbers I listed and the other statistics that can be found on the website I linked in my other post, clearly demonstrate that guns are dangerous.

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Of course guns are dangerous. Much in the same way knives or cars are dangerous.

In the hands of responsible people, any potential damage is minimal.

In the hands of someone who wants to do damage, well, they're going to do damage anyway they want or can.

Nobody has ever said guns are not dangerous, and I have no idea where you got that idea.

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If I walk into a room and there is a rattlesnake in one corner and a gun in the other corner, which poses a greater danger to me?

[[Phill]]

bk,

Other than the 900 accidental deaths, how many people are killed by guns each year?

Also, i look forward to seeing just how sound the statistics on pro gun use are when reported by gunowners.org.

Link me to an independant organisation of some kind (or at least independant study), and ill give ground.

Right, genuinely off to bed as its past 3am.

[superleeds]

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If I walk into a room and there is a rattlesnake in one corner and a gun in the other corner, which poses a greater danger to me?

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You'ld probably fall and kill yourself anyway

[bkholdem]

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bk,


Link me to an independant organisation of some kind (or at least independant study), and ill give ground.



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What does an 'independent organization' look like? (I don't think they exist). Any organization that would take the trouble to compile statistics would have a bias one way or another wouldn't they?

Anyway I'm not a researcher I just wanted to start a new thread about guns as it's getting a lot of attention in the VT threads.

Anyone have research handY??

[BCPVP]

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Still...mass killings like the one yesterday are impossible without access to guns or weapons even more lethal than guns (bombs, missiles, grenades, etc.).

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Unfortunately, it doesn't take much to acquire the materials to make bombs.

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just that that element of danger guns pose cannot be forgotten about by quoting 900 as a "gun death" number.

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I don't think the OP was implying that there's nothing dangerous about guns. Guns can be dangerous, no question.

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The OP's (source's) numbers are disingenuous as they leave out other ways in which guns pose a far greater societal danger (as compared to if they were not around) than they do in the accidental sense.

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Do mention the positive impact that guns have? He's making a specific point about the relative danger of killing yourself with a gun vs several other methods.

[bkholdem]

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If I walk into a room and there is a rattlesnake in one corner and a gun in the other corner, which poses a greater danger to me?

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You'ld probably fall and kill yourself anyway

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It's more likely for that to kill me than a gun accident, isn't it.

[bkholdem]

* Washington D.C. enacted a virtual ban on handguns in 1976. Between 1976 and 1991, Washington D.C.'s homicide rate rose 200%, while the U.S. rate rose 12%. (1

* Florida adopted a right-to-carry law in 1987. At the time the law was passed, critics predicted increases in violence. The founder of the National Organization of Women, Betty Friedan stated:

"lethal violence, even in self defense, only engenders more violence." (13)

* When the law went into effect, the Dade County Police began a program to record all arrest and non arrest incidents involving concealed carry licensees. Between September of 1987 and August of 1992, Dade County recorded 4 crimes committed by licensees with firearms. None of these crimes resulted in an injury. The record keeping program was abandoned in 1992 because there were not enough incidents to justify tracking them. (13)(15)

* Florida adopted a right-to-carry law in 1987. Between 1987 and 1996, these changes occurred:

Florida United States
homicide rate -36% -0.4%
firearm homicide rate -37% +15%
handgun homicide rate -41% +24%

* 221,443 concealed carry licenses were issued in Florida between October of 1987 and April of 1994. During that time, Florida recorded 18 crimes committed by licensees with firearms. (15)

* As of 1998, nationwide, there has been 1 recorded incident in which a permit holder shot someone following a traffic accident. The permit holder was not charged, as the grand jury ruled the shooting was in self defense. (7)

* As of 1998, no permit holder has ever shot a police officer. There have been several cases in which a permit holder has protected an officer's life. (7)

http://www.justfacts.com/gun_control.htm

[bkholdem]

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If guns are so dangerous, why is it like 18 or so times more likely to die from a fall?

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yeah because whenever I've been in a situation where a fall may be possible there is always a gun around.

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Do you have anything witty to say in comparing gun accident fatalities to poison accident fatalities?

Like when there is a gun stored next to a bottle of lye?

[superleeds]

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If I walk into a room and there is a rattlesnake in one corner and a gun in the other corner, which poses a greater danger to me?

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You'ld probably fall and kill yourself anyway

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It's more likely for that to kill me than a gun accident, isn't it.


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In that situation, I'd doubt it. But I don't have any statistics to misinterpret.

[superleeds]

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Do you have anything witty to say in comparing gun accident fatalities to poison accident fatalities?

Like when there is a gun stored next to a bottle of lye?

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No. But it would probably help if I knew what lye was.