Since the recent Virginia Tech shootings, I've seen or read of 30,000 firearms related deaths per year in the U.S., trotted out by the anti-gun, pro gun-control talking heads.
Where do they come up with this number?
I did a quick google search and can't seem to match that number:
These list accidental firearms deaths,
http://www.soyouwanna.com/site/toptens/accidents/accidentsfull.html
http://www.nsc.org/lrs/statinfo/odds.htm
http://www.anesi.com/accdeath.htm
This one: http://gunsafe.org/position%20statements/Guns%20and%20crime.htm
states:
Accidental, suicide, and homicide deaths by firearm
Total accidental deaths per year (all causes), U.S....96,000
Motor vehicle accidental deaths per year...43,000
Fatal firearms accidents per year...1,100
(The firearms accidents figure is an all-time low, even though the U.S. population is at an all-time high, and gun ownership is at an all-time high.)
Fatal firearms accidents age 0-5...17
Fatal firearms accidents age 5-14...121
Fatal firearms accidents age 15-24...401
Fraction of all Emergency Room visits that involve firearms accidents...0.2%
[Centers for Disease Control, all figures]
Accidents of all kinds (not just firearms) constitute the fifth leading cause of death in the United States, but the other four leading causes combined account for 16 times as many deaths as accidents. Accidents constitute a relatively small but easily prevented cause of death.
Suicides by firearm, per year...18.000
Murders by firearm, per year...14,000
[Centers for Disease Control, both figures]
Researchers have studied the figures on firearms ownership, firearms accidents, suicides, and murders, during the period from 1959 to the present. Purpose: To find out whether accidents, suicides, or murders by firearm increase or decrease as the supply of firearms increases or decreases. Result: The rates of accidents and murders by firearms do not show any relationship to the number of guns owned by civilians. The gun supply has increased and decreased without affecting the accident or murder rates. Suicides by firearms have increased when more guns have been available, but the total suicide rate hasn’t changed; when guns are less available, people find other ways to commit suicide.
This one: http://www.newmediaexplorer.org/sepp/2003/10/29/medical_system_is_leading_cause_of_death_and_injury_in_us.htm
states, among other things that: "the total number of iatrogenic deaths shown in the following table is 783,936. It is evident that the American medical system is the leading cause of death and injury in the United States."
In other words, you have a lot higher chance of death from being personally involved with the U.S. healthcare system than you do from guns. ( I note that I have nothing against the healthcare system, my father was a surgeon...)
I guess my question is, after reading/seeing that number bandied about this last week, where did they come up with that number, and, how best to refute it when it is thrown out there for the masses to read and take as the gospel, according to Sarah Brady, and her ilk?
Where do they come up with this number?
I did a quick google search and can't seem to match that number:
These list accidental firearms deaths,
http://www.soyouwanna.com/site/toptens/accidents/accidentsfull.html
http://www.nsc.org/lrs/statinfo/odds.htm
http://www.anesi.com/accdeath.htm
This one: http://gunsafe.org/position%20statements/Guns%20and%20crime.htm
states:
Accidental, suicide, and homicide deaths by firearm
Total accidental deaths per year (all causes), U.S....96,000
Motor vehicle accidental deaths per year...43,000
Fatal firearms accidents per year...1,100
(The firearms accidents figure is an all-time low, even though the U.S. population is at an all-time high, and gun ownership is at an all-time high.)
Fatal firearms accidents age 0-5...17
Fatal firearms accidents age 5-14...121
Fatal firearms accidents age 15-24...401
Fraction of all Emergency Room visits that involve firearms accidents...0.2%
[Centers for Disease Control, all figures]
Accidents of all kinds (not just firearms) constitute the fifth leading cause of death in the United States, but the other four leading causes combined account for 16 times as many deaths as accidents. Accidents constitute a relatively small but easily prevented cause of death.
Suicides by firearm, per year...18.000
Murders by firearm, per year...14,000
[Centers for Disease Control, both figures]
Researchers have studied the figures on firearms ownership, firearms accidents, suicides, and murders, during the period from 1959 to the present. Purpose: To find out whether accidents, suicides, or murders by firearm increase or decrease as the supply of firearms increases or decreases. Result: The rates of accidents and murders by firearms do not show any relationship to the number of guns owned by civilians. The gun supply has increased and decreased without affecting the accident or murder rates. Suicides by firearms have increased when more guns have been available, but the total suicide rate hasn’t changed; when guns are less available, people find other ways to commit suicide.
This one: http://www.newmediaexplorer.org/sepp/2003/10/29/medical_system_is_leading_cause_of_death_and_injury_in_us.htm
states, among other things that: "the total number of iatrogenic deaths shown in the following table is 783,936. It is evident that the American medical system is the leading cause of death and injury in the United States."
In other words, you have a lot higher chance of death from being personally involved with the U.S. healthcare system than you do from guns. ( I note that I have nothing against the healthcare system, my father was a surgeon...)
I guess my question is, after reading/seeing that number bandied about this last week, where did they come up with that number, and, how best to refute it when it is thrown out there for the masses to read and take as the gospel, according to Sarah Brady, and her ilk?
