Gun violence in America has reached epic proportions, with a new mass shooting reported almost every couple of months. The cost of America’s obsession with the ‘2nd amendment’ is measured in the blood of thousands of innocent men, women and children, and the rest of the world looks upon America’s primitive gun-loving culture with horror and disgust, as the bodies pile up in graves and hospital beds. At some point you have to ask the question, how many people have to die or be irreparably injured, before we start caring? Below are some of the shocking and saddening gun violence statistics in modern America.
- Every day, 297 people (including 48 children) in America are shot in murders, assaults, suicides & suicide attempts, unintentional shootings, and police intervention
- Every day, 89 people (including 7 children) die from gun violence:
- 31 are murdered
- 55 kill themselves
- 2 are killed unintentionally
- 1 is killed by police intervention
- 1 intent unknown.
- Every day, 208 people are shot and survive with severe debilitating wounds:
- 151 shot in an assault
- 10 survive a suicide attempt
- 45 are shot unintentionally
- 2 are shot in a police intervention
The following chart shows the proportion of deaths caused by firearms, as opposed to other weapons:
If we care at all about these tragic statistics, and want to make an impact, we simply have to give up the idea that owning a dangerous firearm is a ‘human right’. You have a right to life, a right to equality and a right to have an abortion, but you simply do not have a right to own a lethal weapon specifically designed to kill another human being. If America wants to be respected by the rest of the world, we need to bring our firearm legislation into the 21st century, and constantly stonewalling any effort to do so with references to an ancient constitutional amendment, simply keeps us stuck in the past. As Americans, we need to open our hearts and minds, and do what is right for our children, and not simply that which conforms to our prejudices. We have to make a decision in this country – is it more important to uphold the bigoted views of our slave-owning forefathers, or is it more important to protect our children from the waves of gun violence that sweep over our country day after day? The choice is yours America.
you did not make mention that majority of the so call statistics you use are from gangs killing each other, While death is tragic in itself lets not kid ourselves with the propaganda that guns are bad and need to be banned.
This country is great because it was founded on the the greatest document ever created and you call it outdated. it is you who fail to recognize, or most likely have an agenda, that we as people have not followed the path that was laid for us by our forefathers. Government is supposed to represent us the people and not the other way around, and simply me paying for your “right to have an abortion” does not make it right. I was not there participating in your fun, why do I have to participate on paying for your “right to have an abortion” ? Pay for it yourself !
We are not respected in the world because our “elected officials” democrats or republicans do not do what is right for the people and only do what is right for themselves. If you want to change something start by changing them and replace them with people that represent true values that our forefathers intended, then we will be respected and loved by the world. Right now we are not because we stopped being the guiding light that everyone looked up to and aspired to be. By the way, I have the right to own anything I want as long as I pay for it with my own money that I earned and that includes a car, a gun a house or anything else. You can chose not to have those things but don’t tell me what I can and not have.
Who cares which demographics are committing the crimes – the fact is, guns are used to kill more people than any other weapon. If this doesn’t concern you, then you obviously have no compassion whatsoever.
you did not make mention that majority of the so call statistics you use are from gangs killing each other, While death is tragic in itself lets not kid ourselves with the propaganda that guns are bad and need to be banned.
This country is great because it was founded on the the greatest document ever created and you call it outdated. it is you who fail to recognize, or most likely have an agenda, that we as people have not followed the path that was laid for us by our forefathers. Government is supposed to represent us the people and not the other way around, and simply me paying for your “right to have an abortion” does not make it right. I was not there participating in your fun, why do I have to participate on paying for your “right to have an abortion” ? Pay for it yourself !
We are not respected in the world because our “elected officials” democrats or republicans do not do what is right for the people and only do what is right for themselves. If you want to change something start by changing them and replace them with people that represent true values that our forefathers intended, then we will be respected and loved by the world. Right now we are not because we stopped being the guiding light that everyone looked up to and aspired to be. By the way, I have the right to own anything I want as long as I pay for it with my own money that I earned and that includes a car, a gun a house or anything else. You can chose not to have those things but don’t tell me what I can and not have.
Actually I have more compassion than you since you absolutely do not have an issue with the fact that abortion kills more children in a year than guns can ever do, since guns are objects and do not work by themselves. But hey, you think you are entitled to free stuff at my expense and thank you for showing your true face. No matter how much you try to hide it, you know exactly what you are and now everyone else knows it too.
it is racist to talk about demographics.
BLACK lives matter! White lives do not! It is racist to suggest otherwise. Blacks are plagued and besieged ad beset upon by crime and “the violence.” Whites aren’t, because of privilege.
Guns are simply instruments of white privilege to keep black people down.
Besides, it is NOT gangs that are doing the primary killings, not in the least. They have done studies of the causes of these murders in cities like Baltimore and found that the vast majority were over DISRESPECT. This is because black people are suffering under the legacy of slavery and oppression and are angry. So when they feel like someone looked at them funny and didn’t pay them enough respect, rather than “get caught slippin” they use violence. If the white man would simply check his privilege and acknowledge that BLACK lives matter, this violence would certainly dissipate almost immediately. Also, to pay reparations would help greatly, a debt owed by ALL white people to ALL black people.
Our history of prohibition with alcohol or today’s war on drugs should show you that you will not get rid of guns, and to the extent you do, the crimes will be committed with other weapons. The killing concerns me greatly, and it is our government policies, including the war on drugs, creating the environment for these people to want to kill each other.
In Mexico, citizens have no rights to own firearms to defend themselves. From 2008 to 2013, there anywhere from 10 to 25 people shot and killed daily in the Juarez Mexico alone. One hundred feet across the Rio Grande from downtown Juarez is El Paso, one of the top 10 safest cities in the country. Ask yourself why has the violence not bled over to Texas? Simple answer, bad guys will typically not engage if they expect to be shot back.
In your analysis 55 out of 89 are attributed to suicides. That is over 60%. You think removing guns will stop the suicides? I say if you ban guns, you have to ban cars because many more people are maimed and killed in automobile accidents than guns.
All discredited arguments. Mexico is an unfair example because they have a known crime problem. If the Mexican government enforced its gun ban more effectively, there would be a lot less crime. Cars and guns are not the same thing! Guns are inherently dangerous! Why does this even have to be said!?
I couldn’t agree more, MDB. We are starting to see a pattern of unacceptable behavior and views pertaining to gun control discourse and freedom of speech.
This sort of unregulated and individual opinion will prove to be burden, rather than a boon, for our progressive, collective Republic.
I believe that full oversight and censorship of the Internet will do the trick. Furthermore, all materials that support this rubbish should be retracted and destroyed. Fines and jail time should be strictly enforced so that we can stay on the right side of history, keep this country moving forward as well as paying our fair share.
The Internet allows people to think for themselves and this sort of introspection results in a gradual move away from the respected and sensible opinions that come from our wise bureaucrats and lobbyists. These individuals truly do have our best interests at heart and I sleep soundly knowing that Obama, Yellen and Clinton are working so hard for this country. We must work to mitigate the harmful effects that derive from these discredited arguments so that we don’t have to see the concerned President Obama cry on national television again.
And Chicago, or Philly, or Detroit, or any other place in the U.S. does not have a known “crime” problem?
BTW, cars weigh 2 tons and travel a 60 MPH at the operation of a 16 year old, they are as inherently dangerous as guns. In fact, all of the car deaths each day prove statistically they are much more dangerous.
Also, I guess Chicago, with the strictest gun laws and the most gun violence, is simply “not enforcing” its gun laws “effectively.”
You actually believe an inanimate object is to blame. Hhahaha. Why not check out the homicide, home invasion, assault and rape rates of countries that have gun bans. They are all about double ours. Thanks for playing.
HEY MDB!
A legitimate, accredited news outlet should really CITE ITS SOURCES!
😉
A reasonable concern, ZI. This news outlet has been deemed, by the proper authorities in our transparent government, to be both legitimate and accredited.
Sources are not necessary, due to the nature of this acknowledgment, by the passionate administrators of Public Opinion. Sources are only for the discredited and illegitimate news outlets that the government has not had a chance to review or monitor for accuracy, credibility and fairness.
MDB, you are exactly correct. Only vetted and properly trained representatives of the State should be armed. To allow lay-people to own and carry dangerous weapons is just irresponsible. In this case the State truly must protect people from themselves.
I love the commenters who don’t understand satire.
…Attempting to channel my inner MDB_
I don’t think you go far enough. In many ways Britain is much further along in this common sense approach to stop violence. After banning guns they are now going to ban knives because people stubbornly refuse to stop hurting each other with various implements.
http://www.snopes.com/2015/06/22/save-a-life-surrender-your-knife/
http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-birmingham-26141325
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1058656/Thousands-join-Stop-knives-save-lives-march-streets-London.html
The next logical step will be to ban all pointy things like non-rounded scissors, which will be good because then you can finally run with scissors all you want.
I fully look forward to Britain becoming a true example of peace, love, and non-violence.
On a side note, I noticed that you recently converted to islam. I’m sure the very large muslim population in Britain will feel much safer knowing that the entire (non-muslim) population is totally disarmed and helpless. Every muslim I’ve ever met has told me that islam is pieceful and has happily pointed out the quranic verses exhorting muslims to treat all people in a non-violent, pieceful and respectful way!
Love your posts! Gun deaths are down 50%+ since the 1990s, despite the people loading up on guns. With blacks making up over 50% of all homicides it appears we have a serious problem in the urban slums, like the complete breakdown of western society. Perhaps this is where we should focus that anti-gun angst. Omitting the black stats would mean gun homicides have declined 75%+ since the 1990s. Check out FBI crime stats.
It’s a CIA funded conspiracy why blacks use guns to kill each other so much. I’m sure it’s some rich white guy’s fault; probably Nixon, Ford, Reagan, Bush, or the other Bush.
Any rational person would naturally come to this conclusion, because everyone knows that all people, races, religions, and genders are absolutely equal in every conceivable way.
You are a dirty waycist for even suggesting that blacks are different than whites in any meaningful way! I also find your use of statistics to be a micro-aggression to mathematically disadvantaged americans. Pointing out that black males who comprise only 7% of the population account for 50% of all murders is so disgustingly offensive to community cohesion you should be arrested for inciting racial hatred.
You are lucky you are not in Europe where they have laws to deal with evil criminals like you!
I agree wholeheartedly, Maximus. The ideas that deviate from this egalitarian paradise of ours are pure, unadulterated rubbish.
it’s not guns that are the problem, per se,
it is the bullets.
All bullets should be registered, serialized, and accounted for.
this will allow LEO to identify and persecute the offending bullets, for entering or leaving said bodies without proper authorization.
I have just invented a machine that will do exactly this, and am starting a gofundme site, to help stop the madness of unregistered, flying bullets.