A Gun Study I Would Like To See Done.

[GreenStormCloud]

Gun studies seem to be mostly made by one side or the other and are seriously flawed in that they begin with the agenda they want to push (both sides) and procede with horrible science to to promote the agenda. There is a fairly simple study that could be quickly done and would provide a lot of illumination on the subject of CCWs. There are now dozens of states that have had "shall -issue" CCW laws for several years and longer. There are about 12 million people in the county with CCWs.

I propose that the study randomly select 50,000 people who have had their CCW for over five years. That should provide a good sized database. Although random they should be from states that have very similar shall-issue CCW requirements. Usually the requirements are one day of class that covers self-defense law, and conflict de-escalation, requires an FBI background check, fingerprinting and photographing, and a handgun proficiency test.

Look at their police records for the five years following getting their CCWs. How many were involved in a shooting, was it a justifiable shooting or were they charged. How many convicted of any crimes? How many accidents? How many reported to police a defensive gun use? How many were shot themselves?

Since records are computerized it should be an easy study to do. The results would go a long way towards settling a lot of arguments about guns in public.

[ManiacJoe]

1. While a great idea,

what you are proposing would be to gather data from multiple, disconnected data sources; nothing easy about this.

[oneshooter]

2. You do realise that no matter how it is done, or who does it

It will still be referred as a "NRA Talking Point". and thus discounted.

[Hoyt]

3. Why don't you suggest NRA lobby Congress to study that,

rather than opposing gun studies.

Also, select 50000 non-gun carrying people - who qualify for a permit to tote in public, but have better sense to do so - and see how they compare.

Then, study what happens to kids who grow up in gun culture. Start with son of NRA President Keene who served time for shooting in a road rage incident.

Then, track what happens to guns legally purchased over several decades.

Finally, see how many of gun toters in sample are bigots.

[GreenStormCloud]

5. If the NRA is connetcted in any way you will discount the study.

50K qualifed by not carrying citizens would be a bit hard to find, but it isn't a bad idea. They would need to be in the same states as the CCW folks, and in the same number.

Kids raised in gun culture grow up just fine. They will be a mix of good and bad apples, just like other kids.

[Hoyt]

10. Nope, guns help right wingers promote their vile bigotry, war mongering, callousness, etc.

[premium]

6. I grew up in the firearms culture

as did all my brothers and sisters, as did all my kids, we all turned out to be law abiding citizens who contributed to society as did 99% of all kids who grew up in the firearms culture.

And while we're at it, did you ever find a post of mine where I defended Zman? If not, are you going to delete the lie you posted in another thread?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=3041681

[Hoyt]

9. Zimmerman said he was law-abiding right before he grabbed his gun an shot unarmed kid.

So did Loughner, Stawicki, Holmes,. . . . . .

[premium]

12. Wow Hoyt, you just named 4

out of 100's of millions of kids that grew up in the firearms culture, and you don't even know if 3 of those grew up around firearms.

Found that link yet? If not, are you going to do the honorable thing and delete that lie? I know if I made a false allegation against another member and was corrected, I would apologize and delete the offending post.
Are you going to do so?

[CTyankee]

11. I did too and I couldn't get out of Texas fast enough. Hated that "culture" if that is what

you like to call it (I don't).

You are welcome to it.

[premium]

13. To each their own,

I respect your choice, it obviously wasn't what you wanted and I'm glad you found peace where you live now.

[Hoyt]

14. The problem is that gun cultists tend to be bullies, bigots, and right wingers

willing to use their guns to get their way. But, they get nervous when their crutch ain't close by. A few exceptions maybe, but not many.

That's why gun marketeers go for the "man card" type campaigns.

[premium]

15. Blah, blah, blah.

I think it's pretty obvious that you haven't found any post where I've defended Zimmerman, care to do the honorable deed and apologize to me and delete your lie?

[TheCowsCameHome]

4. And publish their names and addresses.

Just for the sake of transparency.

This would just be another waste of time and money, and prove exactly nothing.

[oneshooter]

8. In that case they should make sure you are one of them.

No worries.

[premium]

7. This is a great idea,

and should be done by a non partisan group. This would help in the ongoing debate about CC.

[BainsBane]

16. Well, perhaps you should do something about your friends at the NRA

who have worked to keep the federal government from funding research on guns, and have criminalized doctors efforts to document anything about guns. That does put a damper on things.

Then there is the fact that the NRA has lobbied to prohibit computer analysis of records of guns.

They badly want to keep research from being done because favorable reception of their propaganda depends on ignorance.