Saturday, January 30, 2016

U.S. Shootings Since 1963 Have Killed More Americans Than All Wars Ever

Here's what PolitiFact discovered:
  • From the Revolutionary War through December 2014, 1.2 million Americans have died in military conflicts, according to the Congressional Research Service.
  • A 2012 report by a Binghamton University historian estimated a 20 percent higher death toll from the Civil War, which would push total deaths in military conflicts to 1.4 million.
  • By contrast, domestic gun deaths from 1968 to 2014 add up to nearly 1.5 million. 
  • Some 63 percent of those gun deaths were suicides, and 33 percent were homicides. 
  • PolitiFact could not find data for gun deaths before 1968. Add in the missing years, and the total number of firearm fatalities since JFK's death would surely be higher than 1.5 million.

9 comments:

  1. the price of freedom

    Worth it a trillion times over.

    ReplyDelete
  2. There's an acronym that comes to mind. TANSTAAFL, or There Aint No Such Thing As A Free Lunch. It even figures prominently in a novel by one of your favorite authors Mike, namely Robert Heinlien.
    All rights come with a cost Mike. For example, how about that pesky Fourth Amendment,

    "The Chicago Reporter found. More than 13,000 cases that included a gun violation have been dismissed during that period, shows the Reporter’s analysis of records maintained by the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County. In fact, more felony cases involving a gun--from illegal possession to unlawful sale to a felon--have been thrown out than cases with any other type of charge."

    "Fabio Valentini, the chief of the state’s attorney’s office’s criminal prosecutions bureau, said an “overwhelming” number of the dismissed cases were based on a judge’s decision to suppress evidence because a gun was intercepted in a way that violates the Fourth Amendment. Under that scenario, the prosecutor’s office would have no choice but to throw out the charge. “We’d have nothing to pursue the case on,” Valentini said."

    http://chicagoreporter.com/thousands-felony-gun-cases-are-being-dismissed-cook-county-criminal-courts/

    ReplyDelete
  3. According to RJ Rummel's book, "Death by Government" more than 200,000,000 people ave been killed by government in the 20th Century alone. Your number pales in comparison.
    However, you have proven Stalin correct: "The death of one man is a tragedy, a million deaths is a statistic."

    orlin sellers

    ReplyDelete
  4. I have no clue what the comments from the pro gunners above have to do with the article. Are they defending gun shot deaths as the basis of American freedom?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. "I have no clue what the comments from the pro gunners above have to do with the article."

      That's because you rarely, if ever read the source of Mike's posting. Just what he posts on this site.
      This "study" was from a Virginia gun control group. One that I imagine is having a very bad month, with many more bad months ahead of it considering the latest reversal of gun policy by the Governor who used to be their hero which is resulting in a greater expansion of gun rights in the state.

      "Are they defending gun shot deaths as the basis of American freedom?"

      Criminal use of guns has nothing to do with American freedoms. Just as someone who defends the First Amendment isn't defending what the courts determine to be illegal speech.
      What do you think of my example of how the Fourth Amendment got in the way of prosecuting those evil gun criminals? Just think of all the crimes that they went on to commit after they were released.

      Delete
    2. I have no clue . . .

      Almost certainly the most accurate statement I will ever know you to make, Anon. Well done; I'm proud of you.

      Delete
    3. Since I have never made a statement here before, your statement is as dumb as they come. But thanks for showing that my supposition is correct, you think needless gun shot deaths are the basis of freedom in America. A statement as false as I've ever heard and as dumb as they come.

      Delete
  5. You must be talking to some other anon SS, but you did prove my question. Sick.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. "You must be talking to some other anon SS"

      Well welcome new Anon, I'm sorry I didn't notice you were different since you seem to have the same accent as old Anon. Though that is one of the challenges you'll encounter commenting here as an Anon.
      Am I correct in assuming that you believe that there should be no Second Amendment at all since any type of support to the Amendment equates in your eyes to be an acceptance of even a single gun death?
      I thought I was quite clear in my previous comment regarding your assertion,

      "Criminal use of guns has nothing to do with American freedoms. Just as someone who defends the First Amendment isn't defending what the courts determine to be illegal speech.
      What do you think of my example of how the Fourth Amendment got in the way of prosecuting those evil gun criminals? Just think of all the crimes that they went on to commit after they were released."

      Delete