Friday, July 11, 2008

Suicide and Gun Control

Sebastian has thoughts:

I couldn't figure out why they might be latching on to an argument that’s clearly not going to get any traction in the sphere of public opinion. But thinking about it last night, it occurred to me. It’s likely a ploy to develop a new constituency for gun control.
I'm certain it is, but I think it's doomed to failure.

Most folks who have had a friend or loved one commit suicide won't blame the instrument. Trust me, there are a lot of things that run through your head (been there), but the one thing you come to realize is that it's the person and his actions, not the close proximity of a gun, rope, bottle of pills, etc, that are responsible for what happened.

I'm sure there will be some who latch on to the anti-gun movement as a method of dealing with their grief, but if that's what they are counting on to boost their movement, they really are desperate.

.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

it's not a question of blame. It's a question of prevention....

and you are wrong about the proximity. The study CLEARLY shows that having a gun INCREASES the odds of commiting suicide.

Why is it so hard to accept that a 20 year study is right? I don't get it. What is so wrong about acknowledging that having a gun around the house increase the risk of death by suicide?

The study proves it. You look like a baffoon arguing statistical analysis. but I guess you don't know anything about statistics?

Rustmeister said...

I know they can say whatever a statistician wants them to.

What study are you talking about, anyway?