If you thought American casualties were bad!

[General Nosaj]

Recently the escalation of the death toll of American soldiers in Iraq has been a major feature in the world's news. Coupled with this the call for reinforcements has also put more at risk to Americans and George W Bush's election chances. However I never realised that the fact that guns are available in America caused more death to civilians in their own country than to American soldiers in war. Quote from my modern studies textbook;

"More Americans were killed by non-military violence between 1979 and 1997 (651,697) than died in all of America's wars since 1775 (650,858)."

Can this be right? If this trend is the same today then gun crime is a bigger killer than war fo Americans. So what I'm trying to say is is that why are so many people getting onto Bush about the war when the domestic policy of being able to own a firearm is causing more harm and heartbreak fo families. Perhaps if the US looked to its own backyard before other matters there might be much less avoidable death.

[Donut]

Oh goody - a gun control debate!

Please form up in the usual lines.

[Timber Loftis]

Your modern studies textbook is part of what the government or the authors want you to think -- remember that.

Search around for about 10 seconds and you'll find varying statistics, ways to analyze them, ways to critique them, and lengthy discussions as to what they mean -- on this very topic and on this very board. Statistics regarding total death can be found contrasted with statistics regarding comparative death (to other countries). But also, you will find studies that show crime decreases in the US when the citizens have guns, and statistics that the number of accidental deaths are far outweighed by the number of crimes people have stopped with their guns. There are about a bazillion ways to look at the issue.

So, go searching on the first 2-3 pages of this CE forum and see what you can find.

[General Nosaj]

Oh don't worry Timber I've got more facts here as well as the one above. For example...

"Before a child reaches 15 in the USA he or she is 12 tomes more likely to die of gunshot wounds than a child anywhere else in the world."

I forgot to say that these stats come from the national statistics report. I just found the first stat quite astounding really so I thought I'd share it with you guys!

[ 04-19-2004, 12:12 PM: Message edited by: General Nosaj ]

[Sir Taliesin]

Ziroc, can we get Gun Control banned like the topic of Religion. Not because they are devisive (which they are) or because no one ever changes their mind (which they don't), but because we are just tired of them (which we are).

Round and around here we go! Where we stop... who cares!

[ 04-19-2004, 12:16 PM: Message edited by: Sir Taliesin ]

[General Nosaj]

Hey, Sir Taliesin I'm just sharing something which I found pretty strange with my fellow Ironworkers. Lets call this post a further enlightenment (if that's a word) on the issue. That's all.

[Timber Loftis]

How much do you want to ban, Sir T? Why not just get rid of the forum, then?

[General Nosaj]

Here! Here!

[Sir Taliesin]

TL you have a point! We could just get rid of the whole thing, but you know that's not what I meant. Gun control has been beat to death here numerous times before. There are no new statistics that are going to change anyones minds. We set back and argue it around a circle, so why bring it up again? If GN wants to read about it, I'm sure a search would bring up a whole pageful of responses! It's nausating. And it's also the last post for me on this topic.

[The Hierophant]

Originally posted by Sir Taliesin: And it's also the last post for me on this topic.

There you go! You solved your own problem! [img]graemlins/thumbsup.gif[/img]