John B. wrote in news:rruc39h1q0j6915mratkjd25gjvmkogs16@
4ax.com:

On Sun, 15 Sep 2013 13:50:20 +0000 (UTC), Doug Miller
wrote:

John B. wrote in
news:lg7b39himjt7mektqorjq403qf1ba8p9mg@
4ax.com:

On Sun, 15 Sep 2013 01:32:58 +0000 (UTC), Doug Miller
wrote:

John B. wrote in
news:8oa339ps4tntimq4geqaljdj9kmbt0g2mn@
4ax.com:

The U.S. kills some 37,000 people annually in auto accidents and
injures an additional 2.35 million. Versus a miserable 11,000 gun
deaths.

This is not true.

There are approximately 10,000 to 11,000 gun *murders* in the U.S. annually.

And more than half again as many suicides.

The total number of gun deaths in the U.S. is very close to the total number of
automobile
deaths. Not quite, but very close -- within less than ten percent.

I see, you want to count those who have decided that life is no longer
living? I assume that you believe that without a gun they would not
be able to kill themselves?

I want to correct a false statement, that is all. The claim that there are 11,000 gun deaths in
the US annually is false.

Technically correct but on the other hand, if someone hangs themselves
do we call it a "rope death"? Or slashes them with a razor blade a
"razor death"? Or do we just say "they killed themselves"?

Beside the point. When an anti-gun activist says that guns kill [almost] as many people as
cars every year, he's telling the truth -- and if you say, no, that's not so, it's only one-third as
much, he *has* the statistics to prove his figure. You don't. What you need to counter that is
the knowledge that yes, in fact, there are nearly as many firearm deaths as automobile
deaths annually -- but what the anti-gun activist probably does *not* know is that about *two
thirds* of them are suicides, and very few of them are accidents.

Bottom line: make sure you have *all* the facts before engaging in debate.