The majority in the Supreme Court might have thought they were protecting the Second Amendment last week with their controversial ruling, but the evidence across the country shows us something the NRA would rather keep hidden. Far from the myth that guns in the home protect citizens from mortal danger, the reality is that having a gun in the house increases the chance of a suicide or homicide in the home.
From RawStory:
ATLANTA - The Supreme Court's landmark ruling on gun ownership last week focused on citizens' ability to defend themselves from intruders in their homes. But research shows that surprisingly often, gun owners use the weapons on themselves.
Suicides accounted for 55 percent of the nation's nearly 31,000 firearm deaths in 2005, the most recent year for which statistics are available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
There was nothing unique about that year — gun-related suicides have outnumbered firearm homicides and accidents for 20 of the last 25 years. In 2005, homicides accounted for 40 percent of gun deaths. Accidents accounted for 3 percent. The remaining 2 percent included legal killings, such as when police do the shooting, and cases that involve undetermined intent.
Public-health researchers have concluded that in homes where guns are present, the likelihood that someone in the home will die from suicide or homicide is much greater.
In fact, as the article states, crime was reduced after the D.C. ban was instated over 30 years ago. Unfortunately the strength of groups like the NRA have cut into gun control largely thanks to the conservative ideology that has run rampant in our country. Now that the courts have more and more "thinkers" like Antonio Scalia, Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito, we can expect more decisions like this in the future...regardless of the facts in each case.
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