How U.S. gun deaths compare to other countries

[billh58]

Americans are 10 times more likely to be killed by guns than people in other developed countries, a new study finds.

Compared to 22 other high-income nations, the United States' gun-related murder rate is 25 times higher. And, even though the United States' suicide rate is similar to other countries, the nation's gun-related suicide rate is eight times higher than other high-income countries, researchers said.

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Overall, our results show that the U.S., which has the most firearms per capita in the world, suffers disproportionately from firearms compared with other high-income countries," said study author Erin Grinshteyn, an assistant professor at the School of Community Health Science at the University of Nevada-Reno. "These results are consistent with the hypothesis that our firearms are killing us rather than protecting us," she said in a journal news release.

The review of 2010 World Health Organization data also revealed that despite having a similar rate of nonlethal crimes as those countries, the United States has a much higher rate of deadly violence, mostly due to the higher rate of gun-related murders.

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/how-u-s-gun-deaths-compare-to-other-countries/

NRA apologists point out that on a worldwide scale, including all third-world countries, the US ranks relatively low on the gun violence scale, which I admit is true. But when compared to comparable societies, we come in near, or at the top of every gun violence related category.

Here's an interesting excerpt from the linked article:

"Even though it has half the population of the other 22 nations combined, the United States accounted for 82 percent of all gun deaths. The United States also accounted for 90 percent of all women killed by guns, the study found. Ninety-one percent of children under 14 who died by gun violence were in the United States. And 92 percent of young people between ages 15 and 24 killed by guns were in the United States, the study found."

Even though the overall homicide rate in the US has declined in recent years, it remains much too high, and there are too many guns in the wrong hands, and in the wrong places in our society. We can, and must takes sensible steps to reduce both the number of guns on our streets, and improve the screening process for who may purchase a lethal weapon.

[american_ideals]

1. But here's the real question.

Was the name "semiautomatic" or "machine gun" or "assault rifle" used to describe the weapon?

Because if you don't use the right term, you definitely have absolutely zero credibility to talk about people getting shot.

[guillaumeb]

2. Recommended.

Only in the US, with its fetish for gun possession, and the rich fantasy narrative of the ever vigilant gun owner bravely resisting tyranny.

Who could imagine that having hundreds of millions of guns in the hands of mainly untrained civilians would result in huge levels of gun violence.