Guns don't offer protection – whatever the National Rifle Association says

[Boiler 43,462]

This is an emotional discussion. Facts will only cause confusion.

[We Keep Receipts 9,238]

This is an emotional discussion. Facts will only cause confusion.

There are a lot of facts from the OP that do ring true.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Well just look at the reaction - a link posted from a fringe blogger about fluoride toxicity and a rant about leftist websites.

What did you expect? That they read and at least try to understand what you posted?

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

What did you expect? That they read and at least try to understand what you posted?

Ha ha no I expected the reaction - it's funny to see the level of crazy that comes out of it though.

[Expat1 971]

Not neccesarily, in a good amount of cases this ramp up in gun purchases is people who already own guns simply buying more. There is no doubt that owning a gun or having a gun in your home makes a person more likely to be shot with a gun..

You are making what point? Odds of a gun owner being killed by his own gun are 1:514.147. Odds of freezing to death: 1:474,844. Odds of a bicycle owner being killed on his bicycle: 1:340,845. Odds of someone with stairs in their house being killed by falling down their stairs: 1:157,300. Odds of dying by post-surgery complications: 1:117,519. Odds of being hit and killed while walking: 1:54,538. Odds of being assaulted by a firearm: 1:24,974

So yes: Absent a criminal act owning a gun increases the likelihood of being shot with a gun but that likelihood is lower than freezing to death or dying on a bicycle or buying a two-story house or going to the hospital or going out on a walk.

the probability of success may be low for civilian gun users in urban areas is a reasonable conclusion for a study that was carried out in a city that has 6x the national murder rate. A study that excludes rural areas with higher gun ownership rates but lower gun incident rates is not driven by a search for accurate or balanced data.

Edited September 22, 2014 by Expat1

[Teddy B 17,251]

So yes: Absent a criminal act owning a gun increases the likelihood of being shot with a gun

Exactly, I'm glad you agree.

[Boiler 43,462]

You are making what point? Odds of a gun owner being killed by his own gun are 1:514.147. Odds of freezing to death: 1:474,844. Odds of a bicycle owner being killed on his bicycle: 1:340,845. Odds of someone with stairs in their house being killed by falling down their stairs: 1:157,300. Odds of dying by post-surgery complications: 1:117,519. Odds of being hit and killed while walking: 1:54,538. Odds of being assaulted by a firearm: 1:24,974

So yes: Absent a criminal act owning a gun increases the likelihood of being shot with a gun but that likelihood is lower than freezing to death or dying on a bicycle or buying a two-story house or going to the hospital or going out on a walk.

the probability of success may be low for civilian gun users in urban areas is a reasonable conclusion for a study that was carried out in a city that has 6x the national murder rate. A study that excludes rural areas with higher gun ownership rates but lower gun incident rates is not driven by a search for accurate or balanced data.

There were two cases last winter of people freezing to death, one of them seemed to have slipped and fell. Not sure what happened with the other one.

There was a guy locally who committed suicide, gassed himself, now if he had shot himself instead would that be a bad gun issue?

[Expat1 971]

Exactly, I'm glad you agree.

Yeah. Big win. Revel in it. Yes. Owning a gun introduces risk to a household. Less risk than owning a bicycle or having a set of stairs or taking a walk down the street.

[Teddy B 17,251]

I'm thinking we need to ban cold weather.

Yeah. Big win. Revel in it. Yes. Owning a gun introduces risk to a household. Less risk than owning a bicycle or having a set of stairs or taking a walk down the street.

Except that one cannot be shot and killed by a bicycle or a set of stairs.

[Expat1 971]

There were two cases last winter of people freezing to death, one of them seemed to have slipped and fell. Not sure what happened with the other one.

There was a guy locally who committed suicide, gassed himself, now if he had shot himself instead would that be a bad gun issue?

We should review lifetime odds of dying by:

Poisoning by and exposure to noxious substances 1 in 123

vs:

Firearms discharge 1 in 7,059

We should ban firearms and ensure that every household has a readily available supply of gas!

[Boiler 43,462]

I'm thinking we need to ban cold weather.

UK Winter deaths circa 31,000, yet people protest about warming?

http://www.bbc.com/news/health-25100497

Edited September 22, 2014 by Boiler

[Expat1 971]

I'm thinking we need to ban cold weather.

Except that one cannot be shot and killed by a bicycle or a set of stairs.

Lots of people are killed by bicycles and stairs. No interest in those lives?

[Boiler 43,462]

Lots of people are killed by bicycles and stairs. No interest in those lives?

Assault Bicycles, maybe?

Bicycles have been used by Armies in the past.

[Teddy B 17,251]

Lots of people are killed by bicycles and stairs. No interest in those lives?

Any needless death is a shame.

[Expat1 971]

Any needless death is a shame.

You folks actually reading what you are supporting? "Guns don't offer protection" is a pretty dumb statement beside the reality that every person and every thing under guarded security on the planet is usually guarded by people with guns.

Assault Bicycles, maybe?

Bicycles have been used by Armies in the past.

Just running through the stats. I didn't generate them.