Politics and other humor

Gun control reasons, continued

How about accidental fatal shootings? My personal opinion is that, unless there is a defect with the firearm, all accidental shootings are really negligent. What I mean by this is that someone involved forgot at least two of the four rules of firearms safety, meaning it was their negligence that caused it, not an accident. However, we will look at accidental deaths from firearms as reported. In 2007 there were 613 accidental deaths from firearms, most, if not all preventable. This works out to 1.9% of the total firearms deaths, or .0002% of the population. Again, a number so small as to be lost in the noise of reporting.

This would leave us with 13,259 deaths by firearms that aren't yet accounted for. How about looking at medical malpractice causing death. According to an article in JAMA, about 225,000 people die each year in the US due to medical negligence or malpractice, over 7 times the total number killed by firearms, or .07% of the US population in 2007. If we eliminate the suicide numbers it is closer to 17 times the firearms deaths. Perhaps we should consider banning doctors and hospitals, those places can be dangerous.

How about looking at the way children are reported for firearms deaths. In 2007, 1,520 deaths in children aged 0 to 17 years, legally children for most purposes. But if you add in one more year, to age 18 (typical of gun control proponents), you get 1,547 more deaths for a total of 3,067. How many of these deaths, particularly between the ages of 15 and 19, are gang  and drug related? We may never know for sure, but I'd bet it's a substantial portion. Again the deaths are tragic, but if criminals want to kill each other, as long as they leave the innocent out of it, I say let them have at it.

Speaking of the kids, do you know where shooting sports rank for injuries as compared to other, more widely accepted sports?  Volleyball injuries are 11 times greater; snowboarding mishaps by 19 times; cheerleaders and bicycle riders suffer injuries 25 times more; soccer players and skateboarders will be hurt 34 times more; and tackle football results in injuries 105 times more. So if you want to keep your kids safe keep them off the football or soccer field and take them to a shooting range or hunting.

If any gun control advocate can come up with a legitimate reason to infringe on our Second Amendment rights (although any infringement is unconstitutional and therefore illegitimate) that can't be destroyed with just a few minutes on Google I will admit they are right and post an apology. I figure I can have one of my descendents do it for me since I won't live that long (I'm only 47 now with maybe that or more ahead of me).