Louisiana had the highest
gun-related deaths per capita in the nation in 2011, a new study shows.
gun-related deaths per capita in the nation in 2011, a new study shows.
The study was conducted by the Violence Policy Center, a nonprofit group working to deter gun violence.
was conducted by the Violence Policy Center, a nonprofit group working to deter gun violence.
It analyzes data released last week by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that say guns killed 865 Louisiana residents in 2011. That translates into 18.91 gun-related deaths for every 100,000 people in the state.
released last week by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that say guns killed 865 Louisiana residents in 2011. That translates into 18.91 gun-related deaths for every 100,000 people in the state.
Mississippi, Alaska, Wyoming and Montana round out the top five states with the highest gun-related death rates.
According to the group, Louisiana's ranking is because of weak gun-ownership laws and a high rate of per-capita gun ownership. An estimated 45.6 percent of the state's residents own guns.
rate of per-capita gun ownership. An estimated 45.6 percent of the state's residents own guns.
“Gun violence is preventable, and states can pass effective laws that will dramatically reduce gun death and injury,” Violence Policy Center Executive Director Josh Sugarmann said. “Our analysis shows that states with weak gun violence prevention laws and easy access to guns pay a severe price with gun death rates far above the national average.”
Executive Director Josh Sugarmann said. “Our analysis shows that states with weak gun violence prevention laws and easy access to guns pay a severe price with gun death rates far above the national average.”
As often happens when making claims like this, there are exceptions to be had that contradict these claims. For example, the gun control lobby's fair haired child, California with a grade of A- has a higher gun death rate than three states that score either a C or C-, those being Minnesota, Iowa, and Wisconsin.
ReplyDeleteOr we could mention the close race between the state of Maryland scoring an A- and Texas that rates an F.
I do applaud the VPC for actually making an entire list available, even though it doesn't seem to be as easy to find as its sound bite size facts.
http://vpc.org/fadeathchart14.htm
There's a "new study" from a gun control group? And look, there doing the exact same thing as the old studies- comparing "gun deaths" by state (not murder rates). What cutting edge.
ReplyDeleteI told you before why it's valid to do so. 70% of all murders are done with guns.
DeleteOne does not equal the other. I thought you admitted that. And what's with calling it a "new" a study?
DeleteWhat I admitted several times is that gun deaths is not the best metric, overall deaths is better. But since 70% of the overall deaths are done with guns the only way you can disparage the gun death stats is to believe that every single one of those murders would have been committed with another weapon if no guns were available.
DeleteI don't think even you think that.
Or... We could just look at the murder rates to see that...
DeleteWrong. Murder rates don't tell us what I asked. Only an honest judgment on your part can do that. But, rather than answering honestly or committing yourself to an obvious lie, you fall back on the stats, which as I said don't answer the question.
DeleteI repeat: do you "believe that every single one of those murders would have been committed with another weapon if no guns were available?"
Exceptions for death?
ReplyDeleteCounting the bodies the wrong way?
You gun loons sure try hard to make death disappear, or get lost in the numbers. By the way, they are still dead. I've never understood why a person shooting himself with a gun, is not a gun shot death. It takes a sick mind to make that argument.
And someone who is stabbed to death is still dead, but you're not counting that. Yes someone shot to death is a "gun death", and yes, there is a connection between guns and gunshot deaths (duh, the same word is in both sides of the equation). But that doesn't answer the question of whether or not there is more violence, and if more people die from that violence.
DeleteA tiny bit of common sense and honesty is all it takes to answer your question. If all guns magically disappeared today, do you think the overall murders would go up, go down or stay the same?
DeleteStay the same.
DeleteWe can see a wide range of gun ownership across the states, but it doesn't correlate to murder rates. You make excuses for this by talking about how dedicated people go to neighboring states with lax gun laws, which is not the case of- there happened to be a gun around, so he killed him.
This one deserves a post of its own.
Delete"Stay the same."
DeleteYou truly are deluding yourself.