At the E.R., Bearing Witness to Gun Violence

[Starboard Tack]

"I do not know exactly what measures should be taken to reduce gun violence like this. But I know that most homicides and suicides in America are carried out with guns. Research suggests that homes with a gun are two to three times more likely to experience a firearm death than homes without guns, and that members of the household are 18 times more likely to be the victim than intruders.

I know that in 2009, the most recent year for which data is available, nearly 400 American children (age 14 and under) were killed with a firearm and nearly 1,000 were injured. That means that this week we can expect 26 more children to be injured or killed with a firearm."
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/02/opinion/at-the-er-bearing-witness-to-gun-violence.html?emc=eta1&_r=0

[beardedcollie]

1. Why is the discussion ignoring hand guns?

Let's hope Washington takes action that actually addresses the problem. The immediate response aimed at high-capacity magazines and assault weapons ignored the fact that most gun deaths are from simple, old fashioned hand guns.

Thanks for reminding us of the gun problem, Starboard Tack. We need to pressure Congress and the White House NOW and not wait until they announce a plan.

[friendly_iconoclast]

2. Congress will tell you to take a long walk off a short pier...

...as there are enough Republicans in the House to stymie any new gun control laws
until 2014 at the earliest.

[NMDemDist2]

3. Welcome to DU beardedcollie!

[MightyMopar]

8. Welcome to DU and the tough long fight against the cancer that is America's insane gun culture

[gejohnston]

4. ER doctors talking about accidents

other than the one in Iraq.

the research that he mentions is probably by Kellermann, which has a number of flaw. For example, home invasions mentioned in the study did not indicate if the home owners owned a gun to begin with.
Out of that 400 how many were:
suicides
cops kicking in the wrong door
"collateral damage" during a drug gang business dispute?

[GreenStormCloud]

5. That research does not divide out the criminals from the law-abiding.

It is dangerous to be a violent criminal or to live with one. Normally they will have a gun, even though it is illegal for them to do so. Those are the ones committing most of the gun crime.

It is extremely rare for a person to commit murder as a first offense. Taking guns away from the law-abiding accomplishes nothing, except to leave them defenseless.

[Starboard Tack]

7. Which begs the question "Where do they get their guns?"

[gejohnston]

9. NYPD

officers who need a fix.

[Starboard Tack]

10. Of course. Why didn't I think of that

Every criminal is being supplied by the NYPD. Well, that solves the problem.

[gejohnston]

11. when you have a mayor who

spends more time pissing off the ATF and the NRA, not that pissing them is always a bad thing, but can't control your junkie officers from raiding the armory for profit Can't help it. If it were the mayor of LA, I would be making jokes about leaving SMGs and pistols in empty buildings without alarm systems.
Wait, pissing off the ATF can get you in jail or dead. So, pissing them off is never a good thing.

[ManiacJoe]

6. The doctor needs to brush up on his reading.

After clicking on the quoted links from the article, the doctor is misquoting all three of the studies linked to, especially the often misquoted Kellerman study.