It’s a fact that America has more guns per 100 people (88.8) than any other developed nation. It’s no surprise then that America also has more gun deaths per 100,000 people (10.2) than any other developed nation. Coming in second is Switzerland with 45.7 guns per 100 people and 3.84 deaths per 100,000 people. I find it interesting that while we have less than twice as many guns per 100 people, we have 2.5 times more deaths per 100,000. In other words, not only do we have more guns, but we kill more people with them! (Twenty times more than the average of other developed nations, to be exact!) Go ‘Merica! Number one!
These numbers are taken from ABC News and it also went on to say, “that the U.S. has 88 guns per 100 people and 10 gun-related deaths per 100,000 people — more than any of the other 27 developed countries they studied. Japan, on the other hand, had only .6 guns per 100 people and .06 gun-related deaths per 100,000 people, making it the country with both the fewest guns per capita and the fewest gun-related deaths.” Anyone trying to deny a link between more guns meaning more gun-related deaths has an uphill battle, to put it mildly.
A quick study will tell you that the majority of our gun-related deaths have nothing to do with self-defense. As a matter of fact, statistics bear out that for every justifiable gun-related death, there are up to 50 non-justifiable, gun-related deaths. (i.e. homicides, suicides, even accidents)
Now, with the size of our country and the proliferation of firearms among criminals, how should we handle this? Take everyone’s guns? That would be difficult, although if you really could get everyone’s gun, I might be more open to the idea. I’m aware that there are other reasons to own guns besides crime and self-defense, such as hunting, or the purpose the founders of our country wrote the second amendment, to keep the government in check. Whether or not that’s still applicable in the same manner today as it was when the second amendment was written is another discussion. What I’m more interested in is our attitude toward guns. Our “gun culture.”
A gun is designed to end a life. I’m not saying it can’t be used to save a life, but in the rare cases it does save a life, it’s the fact that it was designed to end a life that accomplishes this. Guns are not “cool.” You’re not “cool” because you’re carrying or holding or own a gun…no matter what Hollywood says. It’s an instrument of death and used as such tens of thousands of times a year in America alone. At best, they’re perhaps a necessary evil; but they’re definitely a plague upon our country. If you have one, it should be something that you don’t ever, ever want to have to point at someone. I know too many people excited at the prospect of getting to actually use their gun. It’s a bit disturbing.
Basically, we’re having a bit too much fun with our guns. A few too many unrealistic action movies. A few too many pictures of people with their guns. A few too many tourist attractions where your nine year old can shoot a fully automatic Uzi an instructor in the head.
For most law-abiding Americans, freedom from tyranny is one of their main reasons for owning a gun. At least that’s what they say. Their attitude, photos, and speech say there’s more behind it. As a country, we’re enamored with guns, and to the rest of the world, it shows. Mostly through death.
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