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etherealtruth

(22,165 posts)

11. Guns give the illusion of protection (a myth brought to "us" by the NRA)

Sat Jan 9, 2016, 09:30 AM

Jan 2016

This result is not particularly unexpected. Prof David Hemenway of Harvard school of public health has published numerous academic investigations in this area and found that such claims are rooted far more in myth than fact. While defensive gun use may occasionally occur successfully, it is rare and very much the exception – it doesn't change the fact that actually owning and using a firearm hugely increases the risk of being shot. This is a finding supported by numerous other studies in health policy, including several articles in the New England Journal of Medicine. Arguments to the contrary are not rooted in reality; the Branas study also found that for individuals who had time to resist and counter in a gun assault, the odds of actually being shot actually increased to 5.45 fold relative to an individual not carrying.

http://www.theguardian.com/science/blog/2013/mar/25/guns-protection-national-rifle-association

http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/hicrc/firearms-research/guns-and-death/

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So, if violence with guns has fallen so much and we should all be so proud about it... [View all] boston bean Jan 2016 OP

There you go again Boston Bean JustAnotherGen Jan 2016 #1

Many problems with your theory Lee-Lee Jan 2016 #2

Is it my theory? boston bean Jan 2016 #3

There appears to be no reasoning with these extremists--like suggesting (to Linus) we take his hlthe2b Jan 2016 #4

Which extremists? The gun toters or the gun grabbers? JustABozoOnThisBus Jan 2016 #13

Given the "gun grabbing" meme is such a myth, I think you can figure it out... unless hlthe2b Jan 2016 #17

Then why all the constant praise for "Australian style" gun control? Nuclear Unicorn Jan 2016 #20

Honestly, I'd be satisfied with U.K. style gun control, seems reasonable. n/t Humanist_Activist Jan 2016 #23

But I've been assured no one wants to take guns away. Nuclear Unicorn Jan 2016 #24

Well, that's just not true, I'll agree with you there, but I certainly don't view my view as... Humanist_Activist Jan 2016 #25

85 people (give or take) will die today from gun related incidents. Katashi_itto Jan 2016 #5

The gun culture Rosa Luxemburg Jan 2016 #6

In the house where I grew up, we seldom locked our doors. In fact we jonno99 Jan 2016 #26

We did I guess Rosa Luxemburg Jan 2016 #29

Why take the risk? ileus Jan 2016 #7

According to the stats, you are more likely to be a victim of gun violence by possessing a gun... Humanist_Activist Jan 2016 #21

That statistic TeddyR Jan 2016 #27

Yep - that is an interesting stat. It's right up there with the stat that those who own swimming jonno99 Jan 2016 #30

Actually, you bring up a pertinent point, I wonder how many studies controlled for that... Humanist_Activist Jan 2016 #34

I'd like to see more info here TeddyR Jan 2016 #36

It's worse than just not being controlled for Lee-Lee Jan 2016 #39

Let me know when law enforcement officers go unarmed - then I'll take your stat to heart. nt jonno99 Jan 2016 #28

Not sure how that is relevant, they are usually, or I should say hopefully well trained in how... Humanist_Activist Jan 2016 #35

It is relevant in that law enforcement officers are most often the 2nd or 3rd party to arrive jonno99 Jan 2016 #37

I haven't had an automobile accident in 25 years pintobean Jan 2016 #8

I'd say because it hasn't fallen nearly far enough. Lizzie Poppet Jan 2016 #9

If fences keep trespassers out and trespassers stay out why do we need fences? Nuclear Unicorn Jan 2016 #10

I notice a lack of responses to this salient point. ;) n/t X_Digger Jan 2016 #32

Unless you put signs up saying you are armed and dangerous in your front yard... Humanist_Activist Jan 2016 #33

Guns give the illusion of protection (a myth brought to "us" by the NRA) etherealtruth Jan 2016 #11

Even if its true that we currently don't need guns for protection at all aikoaiko Jan 2016 #12

I'm not familiar TeddyR Jan 2016 #14

You can own guns and just leave them locked up when not in use as well NickB79 Jan 2016 #15

I don't own guns for self defense - I live in a safe town hack89 Jan 2016 #16

Increased sensitivity. Igel Jan 2016 #18

How do you deal with folks that feel insecure all the time? Rex Jan 2016 #19

Fascinating insight TeddyR Jan 2016 #31

LOL. Rex Jan 2016 #38

So, yeah, that's the other side of that quadrilateral Recursion Jan 2016 #22

And maybe the cause of the drop in violence is more of the right people with guns Lee-Lee Jan 2016 #40

So when crime is low, we don't need guns for protection krispos42 Jan 2016 #41