Docs more dangerous than gun owners?

[Newt]

note: this is several years old and the present number of physicians is over 850K but the basic premise is still sound

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

The number of physicians in the US is 700,000.

Accidental deaths caused by Physicians per year is 120,000.

Accidental deaths per physician is 0.171.

(US Dept. of Health & Human Services)

 

Now consider this:

The number of gun owners in the US is 80,000,000.

The number of accidental gun deaths per year is 1,500.

The number of accidental deaths per gun owner is .0000188.

Statistically, doctors are approximately 9,000 times more dangerous than gun owners.

 

Please alert your friends to this alarming threat. We must ban doctors before this gets out of hand.

 

As a public health measure, I have withheld the statistics on lawyers for fear that the shock could cause people to seek medical attention!

[Alan Taylor]

Newt:

note: this is several years old and the present number of physicians is over 850K but the basic premise is still sound

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Very good Newt but what are the statistics with regards to gun related crime?

 

Alan(nl)

 

[ 27. August 2003, 08:39 AM: Message edited by: Alan Taylor ]

[Newt]

Alan - you can find all sorts of statistics re: guns and related issues. And just like the (hopefully humorous) one I posted, they will be all over the place and usually will go along with the bias of whoever is doing the reporting.

 

For instance, a "study" done last year clearly showed that households where there are handguns are more likely to have a member of the household injured by a gunshot. And the newspapers with an anti-handgun bias screamed this result in large type.

 

The failed to report the section of the study where the authors admitted the data was somewhat skewed because they hadn't been able to account for some factors that would bias the results:

- Legal: was the gun bought legit and registered

- Occupation: was a member of the household a drug dealer or some other illegal and high-risk occupation

- Social: was a member of the household also a member of a gang that routinely fought with other gangs

 

I'm a bad one to try and put up statistics about gun issues since I am strongly biased and strongly pro gun ownership. I don't (and won't) live in a place like New York where it is very difficult to get a gun legally. I much prefer North Carolina where the local Wal-Mart sells them in the hunting section.

[*Ant*]

Not trying to be confrontational Newt, just curious.

:confused:

 

What makes you so pro-gun, what makes you want a gun?

 

Again, not knocking you, just interested.

[Alan Taylor]

aanthony:

Not trying to be confrontational Newt, just curious.

  :confused:  

 

What makes you so pro-gun, what makes you want a gun?

 

Again, not knocking you, just interested.    

Probably becaus after they threw the British out they are worried we might want to go back

 

Seriously I am also interested in your question to newt.

 

And again not knocking Newt or his culture, just interested.

 

Alan(nl)

[Newt]

I said I was very pro gun ownership rather than that I wanted to own a gun. As a matter of fact, I do not own one just now. But I do belong to the NRA (National Rifle Association) and pay my dues ever 3 years. Fun to read their magazine about all the great new loads they have now but mostly, they are our main pro-gun lobby with the lawmakers and I support them for that reason.

 

Several reasons I imagine.

 

For one thing, I grew up in a small town in a rural area and hunted from a very young age. So did all my friends and all our fathers. Guns were pretty much standard tools for us. Early experiences have a lasting effect and that one certainly did on me. I haven't hunted since I returned from Viet Nam and that was in the late 60s but I'd hate to think I couldn't start again if I wanted to. And I've noticed over the years that when I happen onto a place where they are generally against guns, there are lots of other things I find objectionable. Lots of folks who think their opinions should be some sort of universal law.

 

For another, the right to own a firearm is very fundamental in the US. After our original constitution was written, the right to bear arms was the 2nd addition to that document. Came right after the one about freedom of religion and states:

A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed. Short and very to the point. Congress could do away with it if they so chose but I highly resent those who try to use the courts and local laws to get what they want when the Federal Legislature won't act to suit them.

 

The area I live in now is a very safe one. Given that and the fact that my wife (city gal) doesn't like guns, I've opted to give mine to one of my children and do without. But if we ever have to move to an area less safe or if our neighborhood ever starts getting rough, I'll certainly buy a gun and it will be very similar to the one I gave away. 12 ga. pump shotgun with the shortest barrel the law allows so the shot pattern will spread quickly. And kept loaded with #00 or possibly #1 buckshot for all 5 shells it will hold. Only good for one thing and that's killing people at close range. Not precise enough to wound but will certainly kill.

 

I see no reason whatever that a burgler who breaks in to my house when I'm at home should live through the experience. My wife prefers a security system that will alert the police if the house is broken into. I prefer to call them myself and tell them they have a body to pick up to and then repair whatever damage was done to the house. Should be minimal except for the blood and a couple or 10 small holes in walls or floor.

 

Outside would be a different story. There I'd simply chamber a round (makes a nice, distinctive sound) and if the would-be thief were smart enough to stand still or run away, then he'd survive - and be very unlikely to ever want to steal from my house again.

[Scapanapper]

quote:

---

A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.

---

Hi Newt

You are of course aware that the 2nd Amendment was passed in 1791 just a few years after a brutal struggle against a wicked Imperial power!! A risk was still felt that the Fledgling Union was still at the mercy of more highly developed nations.

 

Things have changed somewhat now that the US has the most powerful military organisation on the planet. The 2nd Amendment must at the very least be seen as out moded.

 

Of course properly vetted individuals should be allowed to hold firearms for hunting and controlling vermin. There is also an argument that a citizen be allowed to protect himself, his family and property.

However why are private individuals allowed to amass arsenals that could out gun some third world Countries??

 

I ask as a soft Brit, out of curiosity and don't expect you to answer for the whole of your legal system.

Respect

Scapa

[Excalibur]

With you on 99% of your reply, Newt. Of course I couldn't possibly condone taking a gun to a burglar.

I wrote a reply to this last night, and lost it when a DNS Error showed up again. Suffice to say that UK gun owners are highly law abiding, since being caught breaking it usually results in losing your guns, quite an incentive.

Also, since the post Dunblane clampdown, gun crime in the last year alone has risen by average 20%, and in the Midlands 40%! Does this show that the knee jerk measures introduced have worked? :confused:

 

Before I owned guns, I was not pro gun. Since owning them I have got a lot of enjoyment from them and despite what some may say, the sole purpose of a gun may not necessarily be to kill, and gun owners are not psycopathic monsters.

[grumpybum]

Newt. I hate to disagree with you regarding the size of shot you would use against a burglar. I read an american book years ago that recommended size 9. Just think what damage the lettered shot would cause to the internal walls. Size 9 shot would be far easier to repair.