Aurora Tragedy and Guns

The shootings in Aurora are tragedies for all those involved so first and foremost pray for those affected.  With that said it never ceases to amaze me how when something like this happens folks immediately attack the guns, and not those behind the guns.  Let’s look at some statistics:

 The National Vital Statistics Report, Vol. 60, No. 3, December 29,2011 that shows the death statistics compiled for the year 2009 we have the following (see page 93 of the link below):

Assault (homicide) by discharge of firearms:                          11,493

Assault (homicide) by other than discharge of firearm:          5,306

Total Homicide:                                                                       16,799

Drug-induced deaths                                                                39,147

Alcohol-induced deaths                                                           24,518

http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr60/nvsr60_03.pdf

Additional Statistics from other sources (documented below the stat:

2010 DUI Deaths:                                                                    13,365

http://www.bts.gov/publications/by_the_numbers/drunk_driving/index.html

2010 Homicide Deaths by firearm:                                          8,752

http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/ucr/crime-in-the-u.s/2010/crime-in-the-u.s.-2010/offenses-known-to-law-enforcement/expanded/expandhomicidemain

Number of Americans who legally own firearms:                   45 million to 50 million (depending on various websites you look at)

Observations about those statistics:

1.       When it comes to assault-homicide (the act of murdering another human being) a firearm is the preferred method of performing the act, as opposed to say a baseball bat or knife.  It is effective.

2.       The 2010 numbers show that there was a decline in murder by firearm from 2009, while the number of firearms owners is at an all-time high: http://dailycaller.com/2011/09/28/gun-crime-continues-to-decrease-despite-increase-in-gun-ownership/

3.       A human being was either behind the trigger or driving the car after drinking alcohol.

I think what the numbers above reveal is that guns don’t pull their own triggers just like cars don’t drive themselves.  So is the gun evil, is alcohol evil, and is the car evil?  The answer is no, it’s how those things are used.  So that brings us to what is the cause, well it is a matter of the heart.  This young man in Aurora decided in his own heart that he would perform these evil acts; he just used guns to carry out his intentions.  I personally know of many people that willingly get into a car under the influence of alcohol and that have also hurt or killed folks because of that action.  My question is what is the difference?  Well at the root of it, it’s a matter of the heart.  Unintentional selfishness can be just as devastating as intentional selfishness.  This young man in Aurora was very selfish and as a result had very evil intentions in his heart and used tools to carry out those intentions.  Guns, just like an automobile are tools.  Guns can be used for recreation, feeding your family (hunting) and for protecting yourself from people whose hearts have evil intentions.  The interesting thing about a criminal is that they don’t care about the law.  So is the criminal act of driving drunk any different than the criminal act of murdering someone with a gun?  Neither person cared about the law, much less the person that they injured or killed. 

Those that are hell-bent on hurting others will find a way, whether by a gun, a baseball bat, a pen, a knife, a car, whatever it is all about their heart.  They will find a way to accomplish what they want.  Let’s deal with the root issue, people’s hearts.

Here are some other interesting facts about Gun use:

http://gunowners.org/fs0404.htm