
As I've been observing the situation as it unfolds, I thought it useful to look back and find some statistics that could show just how ridiculous the current push is. Yes, guns can kill people, but so can things we eat, use for transportation and smoke and drink yet no one sees them as being such a big concern. So, I'm going to give a few tidbits of statistical information with the links to each following the narrative. We'll start by looking at causes of death thus far in 2018 in the United States with the data covering January 1st right up to 6 a.m. this morning. The site in use gathers data from a variety of sources and their live links can be found at the bottom of the source document.
So, between January 1st of this year and February 28th at 6 a.m., how many deaths have occurred by what causes? Following is a partial list of those compiled and the numbers thus far. And since the source document is live, if you look at it after that time you'll find the numbers growing. Here we go:
Abortion 174,318 Heart 98,069 Cancer 94,454 Tobacco 55,871 Obesity 49,007 Stroke 21,248 Unintentional Accident 21,719 Alcohol 16,023 Diabetes 12,210 Suicide 6,828 Drunk Driving 5,403 Drug Abuse 3,992 Homicide 2,682 Murder by Gun 1,835 There are a few more categories on the source list. This is a religious-based site but the data is very good. So if you are one of those who like to bash Christians, you still need to know the facts. And oh, yes, there is a big message to be told.
These are interesting numbers and remember that the murder by gun includes the heavy violence in inner-cities like Chicago which get very little "play" in the press or by politicians.
Here's the site: http://www.romans322.com/daily-death-rate-statistics.php
My second source document is the Washington Post. Now I'm not a great admirer of the Post but I do read it periodically to keep in touch with other views on subjects and sometimes they come up with some good articles, particularly if you peruse the archives. The document cited discusses mass shootings in the United States and is updated to give information since the original publication. And, in a nutshell, the message is one of honesty.
Since 1966 (when The University of Texas Bell Tower killer killed helpless students and staff below) 1076 people have been victims of a mass killer, including 176 children. This is a period of over fifty years in a nation which at the timeline beginning was 201.6 million and today is just under 236 million in population. Look at the numbers with that in mind, coupled with the fact that death by gun numbers overall have dropped significantly without counting their use in suicide which constitute about 70% of gun deaths today.
Link to the Washington Post article:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2018/national/mass-shootings-in-america/?utm_term=.804ce6202ab1
My point is that you don't start destroying the Law of the Land, the Constitution of the United States and its Bill of Rights without making the case for it. And yes, people have died but with proper security on sites and proper administration of mental health programs (something we lack), you don't take rights away from good citizens to punish them for the deeds of those possessed by evil. And even with mental health concerns, clearly define the terms, for it you don't they will just be taken advantage of. It's something that both Stalin and Hitler (and many more) used an excuse for imprisoning those who disagreed with them. A visit for counseling to a psychiatrist to discuss depression does not make you mentally ill; it probably means you understand your need to make yourself happier. That is not a danger by itself to yourself or others.
And please don't just say "But we must do something" or "If only we can save just one life." In a society as large and diverse as this one, taking the rights of law abiding people based on emotion violates the entire concept of freedom in America. If we kill that, what comes next will truly be insanity.
Let the objections begin.