Friday, July 8, 2016

Another Letter to Another Gun Nut

This is in response to Brendan Whelan's, let's ban cars and phones because they kill people too, letter.

    I'd like to respond to Ms. Whelan's letter and point out some differences between cars, phones and guns. You won't find a congressperson urging teens to text and drive. Nor will you find one urging people to drive drunk, not wear seat belts, exceed the speed limit, etc. The Kellerman study in 1996 stated, "A gun in the home is far more likely to be involved in the death of a member of the household than to be used in self-defense ... people should be strongly discouraged from keeping guns in their homes." That kind of talk doesn't sell guns. The only kind of discouraging the Congressional arm of the gun industry did was of gun studies. In 1996, they cut off funding the CDC with the Dickey Amendment.
     
     Your statistics are a bit off. Annual deaths from guns and autos are both in the range of 30,000 to 33,000. A big difference is that those from autos are declining. Another is that there is $240 million a year spent on traffic safety and next to nothing on deaths from firearms. Would more guns result in fewer deaths? Let's study it and find out. The NRA seems to feel everyone should be armed. Over 60% of fatalities are from suicide or accident. To me, that suggests more is not better. If not, let's cut out the gun industry propaganda and educate people. And educate Congress. Sensible legislation is not enacted out of ignorance and fear of reprisal from Wayne LaPierre.

     Condolences to the police of Dallas.

Link to my letter 

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