False Arguments of the Anti-Gunner

In the news, we are in a constant state of mass shootings, and this is the number one epidemic killing people today, so they things like: “We need to ban those guns right now because it is awful, and if you don’t you just want kids to die.”

But what do the numbers say? Are they the pariah of the US or are we selectively choosing what to be outraged at for a political agenda?

According to the National Institute of Health, fentanyl deaths in 2021 (just one year) were 70,601. That is a staggeringly high number, especially because from what I am tracking, drugs are still illegal federally (but totally ok in Washington and other states…go figure).

Let’s compare that with “mass shootings” according to statista.com. From 1982 through June 2023, there have been a total of 1,106 deaths from mass shootings. Yes, you read that right, 1,106.

But the numbers every year reported are usually “gun violence” which includes suicides, murders, accidents, law enforcement-involved shootings, and undetermined. According to Pew Research Center, for the same year of 2021, there were 48,830 people killed by gun violence, including mass shootings. Of that over half (26, 328 or 54%) were suicides.

With all the emphasis that is put on the number of legal firearms ownership and the need to decrease it, it is easy to see that there is an agenda. I like numbers so if you find yourself in that debate with your liberal Aunt Karen or someone on social media here are some things that are more deadly than guns that we apparently are ok with:

In 2021, there were 42,939 motor vehicle deaths in the United States. If we don’t count suicides (because they are the only victim and it’s a personal choice), and we take out the 1000 that are unknown, or police involved it brings the number down to 21,507.

So, car accidents account for double the deaths annually than murders.

We already talked just fentanyl, but as a percentage, 328% more people died from just this drug compared to gun deaths in 2021. If we include all drug overdose deaths (107,622 according to CDC in 2021) there is a 500% difference.

But we are making them more available. Additionally, some of the shooting deaths could be attributed to drugs either the stealing/acquisition of, being strung out on, or the defending of gang territory and distribution for drugs.

According to the NIH, an estimated 300,000 people die annually in the US due to obesity every year (rough estimate). However, we still see the use of artificial sweeteners, all sorts of preservatives that are illegal all over the world (I can verify having just come from overseas recently), that are direct contributors to the epidemic.

But apparently, they (food manufacturers) have better lobbyists than gun owners do, and no one wants to give up their high fructose corn syrup Coca-Cola while they try and take away your right to self-defense.

People taking selfies have about the same rate of death as those who are killed in gun-related accidents (about 400 annually).

More women die in complications from childbirth annually (1,208 according to CBS in 2017) than mass shootings, maybe we should ban pregnancies?

Accidental falls accounted for 36,338 deaths annually (again CBS), so I would like to see some regulations and age restrictions on assault ladders at my local Home Improvement store.

Look, I am not heartless, and I do see that there are a lot of deaths resulting from guns, but it is hardly the epidemic that is portrayed.

However, the drive to ban all firearms sounds just as insane as banning soda or regulating ladders. But you can see with some common sense and factual numbers a lot of the anti-gunners’ arguments fall flat.

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Author: Ian Bolser