Termyn8or
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quote:
ORIGINAL: Lucylastic
The Myth of Defensive Gun Use
**Note – This article appeared in Politico on 1/14/2015
In the early hours of Nov. 2, 2013, in Dearborn Heights, Michigan, a pounding at the door startled Theodore Wafer from his slumber. Unable to find his cell phone to call the police, he grabbed the shotgun he kept loaded in his closet. Wafer opened the door and, spotting a dark figure behind the screen, fired a single blast at the supposed intruder. The shot killed a 19-year-old girl who was knocking to ask for help after a car accident.
Shortly after midnight on June 5, 2014, two friends left a party briefly. Upon returning they accidently knocked on the wrong door. Believing burglars were breaking in, the frightened homeowner called the police, grabbed his gun and fired a single round, hitting one of the confused party-goers in the chest.
On Sept. 21, 2014, Eusebio Christian was awakened by a noise. Assuming a break-in, he rushed to the kitchen with his gun and began firing. All his shots missed but one, which struck his wife in the face.
What do these and so many other cases have in common? They are the byproduct of a tragic myth: that millions of gun owners successfully use their firearms to defend themselves and their families from criminals. Despite having nearly no academic support in public health literature, this myth is the single largest motivation behind gun ownership. It traces its origin to a two-decade-old series of surveys that, despite being thoroughly repudiated at the time, persists in influencing personal safety decisions and public policy throughout the United States.
In 1992, Gary Kleck and Marc Getz, criminologists at Florida State University, conducted a random digit-dial survey to establish the annual number of defensive gun uses in the United States. They surveyed 5,000 individuals, asking them if they had used a firearm in self-defense in the past year and, if so, for what reason and to what effect. Sixty-six incidences of defensive gun use were reported from the sample. The researchers then extrapolated their findings to the entire U.S. population, resulting in an estimate of between 1 million and 2.5 million defensive gun uses per year.
The claim has since become gospel for gun advocates and is frequently touted by the National Rifle Association, pro-gun scholars such as John Lott and conservative politicians. The argument typically goes something like this: Guns are used defensively “over 2 million times every year—five times more frequently than the 430,000 times guns were used to commit crimes.” Or, as Gun Owners of America states, “firearms are used more than 80 times more often to protect the lives of honest citizens than to take lives.” Former Republican Sen. Rick Santorum has frequently opined on the benefits of defensive gun use, explaining: “In fact, there are millions of lives that are saved in America every year, or millions of instances like that where gun owners have prevented crimes and stopped things from happening because of having guns at the scene.”
It may sound reassuring, but is utterly false. In fact, gun owners are far more likely to end up like Theodore Wafer or Eusebio Christian, accidentally shooting an innocent person or seeing their weapons harm a family member, than be heroes warding off criminals.
edited to add links
Original story
http://www.armedwithreason.com/debunking-the-defensive-gun-use-myth/
The first paragraph was from
http://www.armedwithreason.com/debunking-the-defensive-gun-use-myth/
This is partly because we breed so many criminals, and when people are afraid of criminals that does not mean they are paranoid.
however they also lack common sense. Criminals do not usually knock on your door, they kick it down. They bust a window and are already in there. I will admit that if someone came banging on the door at four in the morning I would grab my gun. But I would not just up and shoot them.
I don't really know what to say, people are so fuck ass stupid anymore. The media shows as much crime as they can, i concert with the government wanting more money for law enforcement. They get tricked into thinking they will get mugged if they open the fucking door. The person was KNOCKING on the door. Loudly perhaps because it was late and people were sleeping, but god damn. To just shoot blindly ?
So the guy has a loaded gun pointed at him and says "Can I use a phone, my car just died and my cellphone is dead for some reason and I need to call Triple A".
But burglars do not knock. How much can people not have this much common sense ? I know people do not have common sense anymore but it is really getting bad these days.
After I am dead, turn in your guns. By then people will be too fucking stupid to use them. Or to not know when NOT to use them. But as long as I am alive I retain all my rights.
And anyone who says (thompsonx) that I do not deserve the right to have gun, try and come get it motherfucker, and that goes for everyone. That will be the last day of my life, and yours. Stop on by, I'll give you the address.
T^T
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RE: Show Me One NRA Member Who Committed Murder - 
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