The Fear-driven Market - Gun Sales

 

 CNN

Reasons for owning a gun have changed. 

A national survey published in March by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press reported that nearly half (48%) of gun owners say the main reason they own a gun is for protection, up from 26% who gave that answer in 1999. 

Less than a third (32%) cited hunting as the main reason, down from nearly half (49%) in 1999.

The findings make no sense, since violent crime in the country overall has dropped by 48% since 1993, according to Kellermann.

Perhaps even more important -- and less understood -- is the evidence that the benefits of keeping a gun for protection are far outweighed by the risks, he said.

But those studies are more than 17 years old and out of date, which is why, he said, new research is needed.

Guns, Lies, and Suicides

Huffington Post

Whereas the NRA would have us believe that the solution to our alarming homicide rate is more good-guy guns and greater accessibility, that argument has been refuted beyond dispute when it comes to suicide. A recent landmark review by the Harvard School of Public Health begins with, "Every study that has examined the issue to date has found that within the U.S., access to firearms is associated with increased suicide risk." Based on hard scientific data, the unanimous verdict is in. Period.
From a multitude of statistics, I will cite a few that seem especially revealing:

• In rural America, where guns are a far more accessible part of the culture, people ages 10-24 are twice as likely as their urban counterparts to commit suicide, overwhelmingly by gunfire.
• 1.1 million people attempted suicide in the U.S. in 2012. A suicide attempt by gunfire is nearly always fatal. Only one in sixty suicide attempts by all other means combined is fatal.
• A 2012 study found that suicide has surpassed auto accidents as the leading cause of injury-related death in the U.S. Gunfire is the fastest growing method.
• A 2007 study compared 39 million people from the 15 states with the highest gun ownership versus 40 million people from the 6 states with the lowest gun owner prevalence. There were 9,749 firearm suicides from the high-prevalence states versus 2,606 from the low-prevalence states. Both groups had approximately 5,000 or so non-firearm suicides.
• The oft-quoted study of sweeping gun control regulation in Australia, following the 1996 mass murder of 35 people by a lone gunman, resulted in a 65 percent annual drop in suicides by gunfire with no increase in suicide by other methods. A successful gun buy-back program reduced the rate still further by as much as 74 percent. These results only slightly exceed the drop in homicides by gunfire (59 percent), again with no increase in homicide by other methods.

Tennessee Rep. Joe Carr - Double-talking Flim-Flam Artist

For one thing, no one is talking about "removing the Second Amendment." But, even if they were, there's no reason to say its removal would jeopardize the others. This is an oft-repeated lie on the part of gun-rights fanatics.

Besides all that, he's got that insufferable arrogant way of referring to the Founding Fathers and instructing us about their intentions.

What's your opinion?  Please leave a comment.

Ohio 12-Year-old Commits Homicide-Suicide with Granddad's Gun

Local news reports

Jackson County autopsy results from two boys show the half-brothers were fatally shot as a result of an apparent accidental homicide-suicide on Wednesday morning in Jackson, Ohio. 

Jackson officials say 12-year-old Austin Wiseman put a .44 caliber handgun to his chin and shot himself in the head after accidentally shooting 9-year-old Blake Campbell. 

Officials say the two bodies were found just feet apart on the second floor of their grandparents’ home on E. South St., along with the gun and hollow-point bullets. 

Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigations spent more than nine-hours investigating the scene. Neighbors say this is something they would never expect in their community. 

 "Nothing like this happens here," Bartam said. "It's very sad. It's heartbreaking." The boys were left home alone while their grandparents were visiting a local hospital.

What they meant to say  is the grandparents left them alone WITH ACCESS TO A HANDGUN while they were visiting the hospital.

Like most people who have "gun accidents," this Ohio boy had probably been raised with guns and gun safety. His parents and grandparents probably de-mystified guns for him. Yet, look what happened.

The grandparents should be in jail for child endangerment and for having allowed access to firearms to minor children.

What's your opinion?  Please leave a comment.

Charges Dropped in NRA T-shirt Case

WOWK 13 Charleston, Huntington WV News, Weather, Sports

Even now they're still doing it.

He "was charged with obstructing an officer for wearing a pro-NRA t-shirt to school." "FOR WEARING" the t-shirt. 

The real story was about a fat cop who couldn't stand a young kid back-talking. This was a simple case of abuse of power in the part of the cop, but the pro-gun zealots were all about the t-shirt.

What's your opinion?  Please leave a comment.

Lawful Oregon Gun Owner Goes Nuts

Leroy Erwin Adams

Local news reports via Nikita Tinky

A man armed with an AK-47 and upset about family issues set his house on fire and prevented his wife, mother and 2 daughters from fleeing the flames while keeping firefighters at bay Tuesday afternoon, the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office said.

The fire destroyed the home, but no one was injured despite a half hour standoff, the sheriff's office said.

Leroy Erwin Adams, 48, is being held in the Lincoln County Jail on charges of Reckless Burning, Arson in the First Degree and five counts of Domestic Menacing.

Law enforcement were met on scene by Adams, who they said was armed with an AK-47, several high-capacity magazines and a handgun. Adams was preventing his family from leaving and stopping firefighters from fighting the fire as flames fully engulfed the home, the sheriff's office said.

His two daughters were able to leave the home, and several minutes later the wife and mother got out, too, the sheriff's office said.

Adams disarmed himself and surrendered to deputies after 30 minutes of negotiations with law enforcement.

California Gun Range Negligence Leaves Two Injured

 Local news reports

Mono County Sheriff’s Deputies, Mono County Paramedics, and Bridgeport Fire Department were dispatched to the scene. Upon arrival, it was determined that a father, age 57, and son, age 30, both out of county residents, were shooting at the range and had an accidental discharge of a rifle (.223). The bullet from the rifle struck victim one in his right leg. The bullet penetrated both legs and exited through the left foot. Victim two, who was standing next to victim one, sustained shrapnel injuries. Careflight was requested for both the victims. 

And here's the genius observation which, of course, downplays the gross negligence involved in ALL  negligent discharges.

With unfortunate and accidental incidents such as this, it’s very important to remember basic firearm safety tips to ensure your own safety and the safety of those around you.