The LA Times reports on a study by researchers at Standford University of murder statistics for a 12-year period from 2004 to 2016. The data is from California, one of the states that provides consistent and relatively complete information. (Many US states don’t.)
Bottom line: A gun may make the owner feel safer, but an adult living with the owner of a handgun is three times more likely to be shot and killed than someone living in a home with no handgun. It’s twice the risk of death for all types of guns, and three times when we limit the discussion to pistols.
I suppose there are two ways you could look at these data:
- It’s better not to have a handgun in the home.
- If another adult in the home has a handgun, you may need your own to protect yourself from that person.
Really, who wants to live like that?
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CRAIN'S COMMENTS 
but I suspect that this is not an issue of great importance for most gun owners.
My own view is that rather than talking directly about controlling guns, your problems stem from having lobby groups (including but not limited to the NRA) able to buy politicians. Until those politicians can vote freely with their conscience, your hands are tied.
If the politicians vote freely, with their conscience, to allow guns, then that says that human life has no value in the US, and makes this report irrelevant anyhow.
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And I hate to say it Vic, but if we’re talking about having politicians who can’t be bought, we’re basically talking about publicly-funded elections. I suspect that’s an anathama to many Americans.
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One simpler fix is to put a time limit on election campaigns. The next step would be term limits, which makes investing in a politician less valuable. Of course, we haven’t been able to get either of those done.
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Yes there is a degree of frustration that the US has one foot in the 1700s always.
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Speaking for myself, I realize after purchasing a(nother) gun that it doesn’t make me feel any safer, but quite the opposite because now I have a greater responsibility to make sure it’s safe for everybody else (my family, friends, the public). The things you own really own you.
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I had an heirloom shotgun that I gave away years ago. As I get older, I’m shedding more and more stuff, as I recognize that no one will want most of what I have after I’m gone and I don’t need to drag a sea anchor around.
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Reblogged this on Ned Hamson's Second Line View of the News.
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Thank you!
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