Between 2000 and 2015, firearm deaths remained steady at about 10% of all youth deaths, but this has grown dramatically since, and guns caused 19% of young peoples’ deaths in 2021.
Children, of course, are not the only ones to suffer. Between 1990 and 2021, 1,110,421 Americans died as the result of gunshots: homicidal, suicidal or accidental. The death rate has roughly doubled between 2014 and 2021. Deaths disproportionally affect males: 86% of the 1.1 million deaths were men. When looking at deaths among young people, black boys are much more likely to be killed than non-Hispanic white youth. When we look at suicides, older white males are the victims more than any other group.
Comparison with similar countries emphasizes how much of an outlier we are in the U.S. An American is 30 times more likely to die by firearm than a French citizen. Not surprisingly, in France there are 15-20 privately-owned firearms per 100 population, while in the U.S. there are 120 per 100 people. Multiple studies have shown a tight correlation of numbers of guns in circulation and gun deaths. Within the U.S., states with tougher gun laws have significantly lower firearm mortality.
Certainly, social factors – mental health issues, including depression, poverty, lack of social supports – play a role, but these are not unique to Americans. Every country has its share of sociopaths, depressed people and people angry at the world, but only in America is it so easy for these people to obtain a gun.
If someone tries to kill themselves with an overdose, there is a high likelihood they will be saved and then given help. Very few of such people die of suicide. When the method chosen is a gunshot, the “success” rate is nearly 100%.
A fanatic can kill innocents with a knife (or their bare hands), but mass killings are almost always done with firearms.
Public opinion surveys consistently show that the majority of Americans support tougher gun laws, but our federal legislators seem under the control of the gun lobby. We must convince our legislature that the will of the people is for sensible gun control unless we prefer to remain World Champions in deaths by firearm.
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Nice writeup Ed, and totally on point. What I'd like to add is that it's not just the FKNG GUNS, but the TYPE of weapons and type of AMMO that's also a major factor in the problem. The rapid firing assault type guns give ANYONE vast destructive power in just a very brief time and do not belong in our society for ANY SANE REASON (at least IMHO), and the ammunition they use are totally destructive to the human body wherever they hit - no longer is it a simple bullet hole into the body, but a tissue and organ destroying reaction wherever they enter. BOTH need to be banned or restricted.
ReplyDeleteAnd how and when will that happen? My guess is not until something so horrific (and we've certainly had those already) that ENOUGH people reach their complete "Day of Disgust" and say ENUFF!!! and put ENOUGH pressure and presence to ENOUGH representatives in Washington to CHANGE THE CONSTITUTION to modify the 2nd amendment and force Congress and the Supreme Court to bend to the will of the American People and remove them.
Will this happen? I have no idea, but NOT until ENOUGH unchecked violence occurs and the "silent majority" wakes up and decides ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. And hopefully still within our lifetime - maybe.
Bill Cohen