Is Gun Violence an Epidemic?

I decided to get some solid numbers on violent crime involving guns in the United States.

I needed to ask a few questions first, however.

1. What is the population of the United States?

Well according to the Population clock at the time of this post the population of the US is 318, 211, 445 and rising by one every 8 seconds.

2. What are the total number of homicides involving ALL firearms in the US according to the FBI?

The number is close to 8000 per year on average. These numbers are based on the 2011 statistical report, the most recent published number for such statistics kept by the FBI.

What percentage does that leave us with within the population of the US?

.002514%

If there was an epidemic of gun related violence of the type we are bombarded with on tv and other media, then such a phenomenon would have to conform to the very definition of "epidemic". So my next question:

What does epidemic mean?

ep·i·dem·ic
ˌepiˈdemik/Submit
noun
1.
a widespread occurrence of an infectious disease in a community at a particular time.
"a flu epidemic"
synonyms: outbreak, plague, pandemic, epizootic More
a disease occurring in such a way.
a sudden, widespread occurrence of a particular undesirable phenomenon.
"an epidemic of violent crime"
synonyms: spate, rash, wave, eruption, outbreak, craze; More
adjective
adjective: epidemic
1.
of, relating to, or of the nature of an epidemic.
"shoplifting has reached epidemic proportions"
synonyms: rife, rampant, widespread, wide-ranging, extensive, pervasive

Now if we are to have an epidemic a large and disproportionate increase in such violence from current levels would have to occur.Which brings me to my final question. Is that trend occurring?

According to Pew Social Trends.org That trend is not happening. Not only that, but has been steadily declining.

So we have a statistically insignificant rate of occurrence in violent crime related to guns, specifically murder, as well as a steady,continued, and consistent downward trend in gun related homicides. So it does not seem like we have an epidemic.

So what the hell is going on? How can we square these numbers with what people believe is going on in the United States in relation to guns, gun rights, and legislation efforts by gun control groups?

The answer, to me, is obvious. As many like to say on ATS, it is a classic 'problem, reaction, solution' dynamic taking place by the powers that be. That being the media who is in the bag for the political establishment, the political establishment itself, and other conspirators involved in the effort to systematically disarm Americans.

Why? Because armed Americans are a threat to the global order the ruling elite are attempting to create. They use crime as an excuse and the media as a means to inflate the issue beyond its reality to get it done. These numbers tell the story.

Stay armed, my friends

a reply to: projectvxn

No... human evil is an epidemic, and it is only going to get worse as our world and society as a whole moves further and further away from God, and not just any god, but the LORD Jesus Christ. Guns are inanimate objects that are a convenient way for evil people to carry out their evil acts. Get rid of guns and they will find something else. Get rid of that and they will find something else. Get rid of literally everything and evil people will still be evil, and they will still desire to do evil things. I guess in the end, once everything is taken away, we will have to resort to cutting the hands and feet off of evil people to prevent them from punching and kicking people.

Violence overall, with or without guns, has been declining since the 1990's, yet we see more and more clamor about it. 8,000 homicides per year in a population of 300 million is not an epidemic, especially if it is trending down.

Also, consider that all rifles, including scary looking "AR-15" types, account for less murders per year than fists or hammers, but the media spins it up like there are full-auto machinegun fights on every street corner.

I think that the obvious answer is that the left and the power hungry with their cronies in the MSM want to perpetuate this image of fear and mass murder so that Americans demand to be disarmed "for the cheeeeeeldriiiin."

Don't know about "epidemic" but when you are in the same category as many Latin American countries for gun violence there's definitely a problem.

en.wikipedia.org...

Nope. No epidemic. Violence is a part of human nature. It will always exist, with or without guns.

The main reason gun violence is so popular right now is that the media and people like us give it so much attention. Attention is the main thing these people want and we continue to give it to them with no end in sight.

The real question is if media sensationalism is causing an epidemic in gun violence? I think the answer is yes.

Gun violence isn't the problem. What people are really getting at is that guns are an easy way to project their violence on the people they want to hurt. Holding a gun, clutching the trigger is far easier, and less gruesome than strangling someone, or stabbing someone to death, it's also the best way to get 'attention'.

Gun don't kill people, people kill people. But it sure does make their jobs easier.

I was getting ready to go full re.......

Don't give them statistics. In fact don't tell them that your statistics include children and the elderly which are even less likely to encounter gun violence.

This would mean your percentage would become even more infinitesimal.

The people who refute this are the dangerous ones. Killing the truth one cheap shot at the time. (No pun intended)...well maybe

Unless of course they purposely release the weapons into border states so they can then say, "see, they end up with violent cartels."

But then again, since when does the constitution matter anymore. Now be a nice obedient slave lest you be detained without cause. What a brave new world this is.

I think there is an issue with Gun violence. I don't think it's an epidemic though. We just need to have a sensible discussion about it, without getting all up in arms. Pardon the pun. Are our laws enough, should the background checks be expanded or changed, should there be a longer waiting period, should some weapons be banned and others not, etc.

However, I think the bigger issue is mental health and addiction and healthcare. Those three are all intertwined and present in a lot of gun violence. We're not taking care of our people and it's not just killing them, but it's killing us.

originally posted by: intrepid
Don't know about "epidemic" but when you are in the same category as many Latin American countries for gun violence there's definitely a problem.

en.wikipedia.org...

Well by that logic aren't we MORE normal?

originally posted by: TiedDestructor

originally posted by: intrepid
Don't know about "epidemic" but when you are in the same category as many Latin American countries for gun violence there's definitely a problem.

en.wikipedia.org...

Well by that logic aren't we MORE normal?

Not from the perspective of other 1st world nations. 2nd or 3rd maybe.

originally posted by: strongfp
Gun violence isn't the problem. What people are really getting at is that guns are an easy way to project their violence on the people they want to hurt. Holding a gun, clutching the trigger is far easier, and less gruesome than strangling someone, or stabbing someone to death, it's also the best way to get 'attention'.

Gun don't kill people, people kill people. But it sure does make their jobs easier.

If others weren't allowed to carry guns as well; I'd agree.

However their job is only easier if facing an unarmed populous.

Sounds familiar doesn't it?

originally posted by: NavyDoc

"for the cheeeeeeldriiiin."

LMAO this is my brothers favorite saying. All the government and media needs to do is lie, cheat, and send more guns to drug lords in Mexico, and the public will ask for government to do it for them. Appeal to the emotional side of the argument and every left leaning kook will never engage the brain and yell hurry through the tears of a CNN broadcast.

Well, they call it a flu epidemic when a few people get the flu. The problem is that our Society has gone more astray over the last few decades. People are more interested in promoting their own self than working as a team. We need to quit arguing amongst ourselves, that makes more pissed off people. What happened to this country? We used to be a nation. What happened to the people running this country, evidently many have sold out.

a reply to: OptimusSubprime

Well, I could give a rodents sphincter about your "Lord Jesus Christ" and indeed your God. Yet I don't seem to find myself stricken by an inhuman urge to mass murder or in any way shape or form harm another living thing, especially my fellow humans.

Why is that, I wonder?

Hail Eris (or don't)

originally posted by: intrepid

originally posted by: TiedDestructor

originally posted by: intrepid
Don't know about "epidemic" but when you are in the same category as many Latin American countries for gun violence there's definitely a problem.

en.wikipedia.org...

Well by that logic aren't we MORE normal?

Not from the perspective of other 1st world nations. 2nd or 3rd maybe.

Let's keep in mind that most Latin American nations have heavy restrictions on gun ownership. Most have outright bans.

Stop glorifying these violent offenders by pasting their picture, name and evil deeds, all over the news, internet, T.V....
They want a way to be remembered..they're getting it.

I don't think guns are the issue. People are the issue and if they don't have access to guns, they use knives, baseball bats...

It almost seems like a competition...and the winner...gets 15 minutes of "Extreme fame".

originally posted by: intrepid

originally posted by: TiedDestructor

originally posted by: intrepid
Don't know about "epidemic" but when you are in the same category as many Latin American countries for gun violence there's definitely a problem.

en.wikipedia.org...

Well by that logic aren't we MORE normal?

Not from the perspective of other 1st world nations. 2nd or 3rd maybe.

Our perspective is what matters most. It is, after all, the driving force behind our judgement.

Now I'm going to step out for a moment. My continued posting is annoying myself.

originally posted by: OptimusSubprime
a reply to: projectvxn

No... human evil is an epidemic, and it is only going to get worse as our world and society as a whole moves further and further away from God, and not just any god, but the LORD Jesus Christ. Guns are inanimate objects that are a convenient way for evil people to carry out their evil acts. Get rid of guns and they will find something else. Get rid of that and they will find something else. Get rid of literally everything and evil people will still be evil, and they will still desire to do evil things. I guess in the end, once everything is taken away, we will have to resort to cutting the hands and feet off of evil people to prevent them from punching and kicking people.

We should definatly just ignore all our problems and turn to Jesus.... :p