How bad is gun crime in the US? (click here) The latest data from the FBI's uniform crime reports provides a fascinating picture of the use of firearms in crimes across America.
Barack Obama is under pressure to tighten gun laws after following the disclosure by police that the Newtown gunman used a semi-automatic assault rifle equipped with "numerous" high-capacity magazines holding hundreds of bullets to carry out his massacre of young children.
The US has the highest gun ownership rate in the world - there are 89 guns for every 100 Americans, compared to 6 in England and Wales.
And the murder figures themselves are astounding for Brits used to around 550 murders per year. In 2011 - the latest year for which detailed statistics are available - there were 12,664 murders in the US. Of those,8,583 were caused by firearms.
The FBI crime statistics are based on reports to FBI bureau and local law enforcement. The figures are not complete - there are no stats for Florida or Alabama on firearm murders. But even so it provides a detailed picture of attacks by state.
There is absolutely no reason to defend gun control legislation based on the fact those opposed to that legislation have tainted and incomplete information. No reason. None. The legislation goes forward.
If the opposition to legislation cannot present accurate, complete and compelling information there is absolutely no reason to take it seriously.
The justice system demands accuracy when making decisions.
I'll make a parallel comparison that has nothing to do with violence, but, does involve Wall Street.
Some time ago, there was an endangered species dying in purse-seine nets the fishing industry was using for Yellow Fin Tuna. (click here)
The startling statistics came before a group of scientists. I know because I know one of the scientists involved.
The group filed a lawsuit against the tuna industry based on the Endangered Species Act to stop the practice. It went before a judge. The judge stated to the group of scientists that the statistics they had were not compelling enough to provide a ruling.
The judge admitted since this was an endangered species of dolphin it was not prudent to allow the industry to continue the practice. The judge ordered the group of scientists to do thorough fact finding and return to the court in a period of time that was reasonable. The funding for the scientific research was to come from the tuna industry because they had no information about any dolphins or 'by catch' of any kind to present in court. So, in the decision of the court, the industry was HIDING the truth and/or negligent in policing their own industry.
The results were obvious. The group of scientists conducted intense investigation with their students into the deaths of dolphins in purse seine nets by bringing their own equipment on the very ships casting the nets and then counting the 'by catch' by the industry. They won their case, not because they 'drummed up' information, but, because they were on the very ships committing the crime. They operated their investigation in complete openness and transparency.
In the case of the gun industry, the American people are operating in a fog created by Wall Street so their profits are CERTAIN and not UNCERTAIN. What is occurring here is VICTIMIZATION of honest and decent people and their kids are dying. The gun industry RELIES on falsehoods and lies. They don't care and they aren't going to care because it serves their purpose. The gun industry is guilty of not policing itself. It has become at the very least a nuisance to the people of the USA. They rely on propaganda to sustain their CERTAINTY of their profits. Do people really want gun policy based on propaganda?
The question arises as to the OPPORTUNITY for accuracy in gun statistics. Well, if states are cutting their budgets by eliminating vital information that services political cronies will there ever be accurate statistics? And what about those gun sales between criminals? Will those statistics ever be known? Police find guns all the time, they are part of the prosecution of criminals, found in drug raids; so there is information available, but, no one is going to set up another office to record gun statistics KNOWN within the justice system.
And what about the prison population? Is there any way of knowing where the 'trafficking' comes from and how it is carried out? Sure. But, there has to be an incentive for prisoners to COOPERATE to break up the trafficking networks.
These statistics are NOT infinite as the gun industry and lobby wants Americans to believe. These statistics are finite. This can be done, but, it requires funding. Without concerted efforts and/or the funding and/or cooperation there is only ONE WAY, (ONE WAY, EVERYONE) to stop this and it is to ban the military style weapons and END THE MARKET ourselves.
There are countless examples of countries in this world very successful in LIMITING violence and death. LIMITING any adverse COMPONENT of a society is a reasonable request of legislation be it food that kills and/or guns that kill. A society has a right to save their own lives. When the ODDS of proving anything to advance legislation is so tainted by political monkey business, the legislation goes forward. If the corruption is so deep and the facts so twisted it makes protection for citizens nearly impossible the legislation goes forward and the impact stunted or stopped. Just that simple.
As a society we don't need the permission or information by the gun industry; we simply need to know our own realities and demands for protection by our government. That is all we need.
The Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre is proof of a society with wayward trends. They have to end. That is all the proof anyone needs.
Legislation is not a trial. If the Endangered Species Act did not exist the group of scientists would never have brought brevity to the tragedy they were witnessing.
The USA needs to act. It is moral and correct.
There is absolutely no reason to defend gun control legislation based on the fact those opposed to that legislation have tainted and incomplete information. No reason. None. The legislation goes forward.
If the opposition to legislation cannot present accurate, complete and compelling information there is absolutely no reason to take it seriously.
The justice system demands accuracy when making decisions.
I'll make a parallel comparison that has nothing to do with violence, but, does involve Wall Street.
Some time ago, there was an endangered species dying in purse-seine nets the fishing industry was using for Yellow Fin Tuna. (click here)
The startling statistics came before a group of scientists. I know because I know one of the scientists involved.
The group filed a lawsuit against the tuna industry based on the Endangered Species Act to stop the practice. It went before a judge. The judge stated to the group of scientists that the statistics they had were not compelling enough to provide a ruling.
The judge admitted since this was an endangered species of dolphin it was not prudent to allow the industry to continue the practice. The judge ordered the group of scientists to do thorough fact finding and return to the court in a period of time that was reasonable. The funding for the scientific research was to come from the tuna industry because they had no information about any dolphins or 'by catch' of any kind to present in court. So, in the decision of the court, the industry was HIDING the truth and/or negligent in policing their own industry.
The results were obvious. The group of scientists conducted intense investigation with their students into the deaths of dolphins in purse seine nets by bringing their own equipment on the very ships casting the nets and then counting the 'by catch' by the industry. They won their case, not because they 'drummed up' information, but, because they were on the very ships committing the crime. They operated their investigation in complete openness and transparency.
In the case of the gun industry, the American people are operating in a fog created by Wall Street so their profits are CERTAIN and not UNCERTAIN. What is occurring here is VICTIMIZATION of honest and decent people and their kids are dying. The gun industry RELIES on falsehoods and lies. They don't care and they aren't going to care because it serves their purpose. The gun industry is guilty of not policing itself. It has become at the very least a nuisance to the people of the USA. They rely on propaganda to sustain their CERTAINTY of their profits. Do people really want gun policy based on propaganda?
The question arises as to the OPPORTUNITY for accuracy in gun statistics. Well, if states are cutting their budgets by eliminating vital information that services political cronies will there ever be accurate statistics? And what about those gun sales between criminals? Will those statistics ever be known? Police find guns all the time, they are part of the prosecution of criminals, found in drug raids; so there is information available, but, no one is going to set up another office to record gun statistics KNOWN within the justice system.
And what about the prison population? Is there any way of knowing where the 'trafficking' comes from and how it is carried out? Sure. But, there has to be an incentive for prisoners to COOPERATE to break up the trafficking networks.
These statistics are NOT infinite as the gun industry and lobby wants Americans to believe. These statistics are finite. This can be done, but, it requires funding. Without concerted efforts and/or the funding and/or cooperation there is only ONE WAY, (ONE WAY, EVERYONE) to stop this and it is to ban the military style weapons and END THE MARKET ourselves.
There are countless examples of countries in this world very successful in LIMITING violence and death. LIMITING any adverse COMPONENT of a society is a reasonable request of legislation be it food that kills and/or guns that kill. A society has a right to save their own lives. When the ODDS of proving anything to advance legislation is so tainted by political monkey business, the legislation goes forward. If the corruption is so deep and the facts so twisted it makes protection for citizens nearly impossible the legislation goes forward and the impact stunted or stopped. Just that simple.
As a society we don't need the permission or information by the gun industry; we simply need to know our own realities and demands for protection by our government. That is all we need.
The Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre is proof of a society with wayward trends. They have to end. That is all the proof anyone needs.
Legislation is not a trial. If the Endangered Species Act did not exist the group of scientists would never have brought brevity to the tragedy they were witnessing.
The USA needs to act. It is moral and correct.
