An editorial today in the Daily Times on gun control peaked my interest and, in my opinion, is worthy of civil discourse.
Let's get the statistical data out of the way.
The FBI estimates that there are approximately 350,000,000 firearms in the United States. One for every man, woman, and child. And in the U.S. there are approximately 30,000 people killed by firearms annually.
In comparison there are approximately 270,000 ,000 motor vehicles in operation - about 3/4 for every man woman, and child. Yet in the U.S. approximately 33,000 people die in M.V. accidents during the same time period.
Statistically, motor vehicles account for approximately 30% more deaths than firearms.
From a separate source:
"According to
Statistics, Facts and Quotes there were 30,694 gun-related deaths in the US in 2005 vs
Fatal Car Accident, Crash Statistics: Stats Auto, Traffic, Car, Collision, Traffic showing 43,443 vehicular fatalties that same year. So guns overall are about 71% as deadly as vehicles in the US.
No matter how you slice it, motor vehicles are much more likely to cause human death than a firearm. Interestingly, although firearms are far too regulated (in my opinion), there are more regulations relating to motor vehicles at all levels of government. Yet the loss of life relating to the operation of motor vehicles continues to be higher than the use of firearms year after year. I find it laughable that the same people who push for increased firearm restrictions based upon emotion, drive automobiles in spite of the fact that more people die in auto accidents than firearm related incidents. The hypocrisy is amazing yet expected.
All that being said, there is one common denominator upon which those who push an anti-gun agenda refuse to place the appropriate blame - people. The blame needs to be placed upon the shoulders of those people involved in the incidents. To coin a phrase "Guns don't kill people. People kill people." To go further, people have been killing people since the beginning of recorded history. I mean....Cain slew Abel.....the 3rd and 4th people on the planet....and he didn't use a gun.
So many people talk about new laws and tougher laws. The truth is that the laws on the books now aren't used as intended. Exile is a joke. Disarm was a joke. The courts are a joke. The air conditioned jails with fully furnished gymnasiums, libraries, etc., are jokes. Police officers go out and lock the criminals up yet the courts and the system turn them back out on the public - in spite of "mandatory" sentences associated with the aforementioned programs. The recidivism rates are subsequently increasing. As a result the liberals among us lash out at inanimate objects and convince liberal lawmakers to further encroach on the constitutional rights of all Americans by creating Draconian laws that strip the law abiding citizens of the right to defend themselves as well as the second amendment right to keep and bear arms. As these rights are stripped away from us we become easier targets for those who would take advantage of the victims created by these unconstitutional laws.
I disagree with the Editor of the Daily Times. It isn't a difficult balance to strike between our constitutional rights and public safety. It's a very easy balance to strike. In fact it's a balance that will finds it's natural equilibrium - if the government stops intruding on the rights of men (and women). I do agree that not everyone has the right to keep and bear arms. In much the same way that not eveyone has the right to enjoy liberty. Who? Criminals! Those who have shown that they cannot be responsible enough to enjoy the liberties inherent in being a law abiding citizen! I believe it is the job of the government to keep criminals locked away. But it can never be within the authority of the government to prevent peaceful citizens from enjoying any of their rights. Not one! Those rights are inalienable. They cannot be taken away. Not by government - federal, state, or local. Not by other citizens - majority or not. "The right or the people to keep and bear arms SHALL NOT BE INFRINGED! Period. What part of that amendment do they not understand?
This nation was founded upon the principals of individual freedom and liberty. The mindset exhibited by the Editor of the Daily Times is all too common in America today. It's one which would compromise liberty for security. Because that mindset prevails on so many fronts, our liberty - the very foundation of this nation - continues to erode. This is rendering a nation that depends upon a government to do what it can never do. Take care of every need of our citizens. We have watched this country degrade for the past several decades from one based upon freedom to one where almost half of it's people depend upon it for food, clothing, shelter, medical care, and safety. Unless those among us who can see the truth are willing to stand up and openly ridicule this transition toward a total dependency upon government, we are destined to meet the same fate as the people of every other nation/government that placed it's fate into the hands of a government that serves a select few at the cost of freedom.
