In 2002, there were 30,242 gun deaths in the U.S:
* 17,108 suicides (56% of all U.S gun deaths),
* 11,829 homicides (39% of all U.S gun deaths),
* 762 unintentional shootings (3% of all U.S gun deaths),
* and 300 from legal intervention and 243 from undetermined intent (2% of all U.S gun deaths combined).
Read that again.
You are nearly twice as likely to die by a gun either in an accidental shooting or by turning the gun on yourself than you are to be killed via homicide. All the crap about "only the criminals will have guns" is just that: crap.
Here's another FACT for ya': While handguns account for only one-third of all firearms owned in the United States, they account for more than two-thirds of all firearm-related deaths each year. A gun in the home is 4 times more likely to be involved in an unintentional shooting, 7 times more likely to be used to commit a criminal assault or homicide, and 11 times more likely to be used to attempt or commit suicide than to be used in self-defense.
And another: A gun in the home increases the risk of homicide of a household member by 3 times and the risk of suicide by 5 times compared to homes where no gun is present.
And another: Comparison of U.S. gun homicides to other industrialized countries:
In 1998 (the most recent year for which this data has been compiled), handguns murdered:
* 373 people in Germany
* 151 people in Canada
* 57 people in Australia
* 19 people in Japan
* 54 people in England and Wales, and
* 11,789 people in the United States
And another: More Americans were killed with guns in the 18-year period between 1979 and 1997 (651,697), than were killed in battle in all wars since 1775 (650,858).
Rant and rave about how much you like guns all you want. The FACTS are not on your side in this argument.
) I can tell you that firing a weapon is incredibly easy - accuracy to within 3mm in 25 yards is the hard bit.
