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From: mercury@ut-ngp.UUCP (Larry E. Baker)
Newsgroups: net.flame
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Personal Defense
Message-ID: <1684@ut-ngp.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 2-May-85 15:23:44 EDT
Article-I.D.: ut-ngp.1684
Posted: Thu May  2 15:23:44 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 4-May-85 09:07:19 EDT
Organization: University of Texas at Austin
Lines: 41

[waitaminute!]

    [me]

> > No, they're examples of statistics taken out of context.  They are
> > accurate within the population as defined, that is "of all REPORTED
> > domestic voilence."  This simply means that, out of all the domestic
> > violence that actually got reported, "6 out of 7" people used guns
> > against family/friends, the dog, etc.
>
> And *why* did such violence get reported? Undoubtedly because it resulted
> in serious injury or death.  Fights involving fisticuffs may result in
> black eyes or bruises but are *very* unlikely to result in death or
> serious injury.  So the point still stands: guns are dangerous and
> actually increase the danger to their owners and gun owners families.
> The statistics are valid in pointing this increased danger.
> 
>            tim sevener  whuxl!orb

I don't disagree with you that guns are dangerous; I disagree with
your interpretation of the statistics.  The stats as stated indicate
that a significant majority of REPORTED DOMESTIC VIOLENCE involved the
use of a gun against a family member.

This in itself is not enough evidence to prove (to me, at least) the
broad generalization that "guns are dangerous and actually increase
the danger to their owners and gun owner familes."  Nor does it imply
that the incidents in question resulted in serious injury or death.

If I were to conclude anything from that single statistic (which would
be foolish as it makes a very limited observation of a very complex
universe) I would conclude that (a) out of the sample, a large number
of the assailants had access to a gun, and (b) they were of the type
of person who is prone to using them in violent situations.

Nuff said; anything else will go by mail.

-- 
-  Larry Baker @ The University of Texas at Austin
-  ... {seismo!ut-sally | decvax!allegra | tektronix!ihnp4}!ut-ngp!mercury
-  ... mercury@ut-ngp.ARPA