U of Pennsylvania says~~ 4X more likely to be shot if you have a gun

[minuteman]

I bet this study was paid for with 'stimulus' money....

 

[50 target]

I think we all know what your chances are without having a gun.

Happen to remember a remark by Richard Prior, " I ain't gonna be the last one shot" Works for me.

 

[BarbC]

almost five Philadelphians were shot every day over the course of the study and about 1 of these 5 people died. The research team concluded that, although successful defensive gun uses are possible and do occur each year, the chances of success are low.

I concluded that Philadelphia is hazardous to your health.

 

[Onomea]

The basic premise that no one would be shot if no one had a gun is hard to refute. In fact it’s a truism.

Yeah, but I think even this situation -- no one has a gun so no one gets shot -- would be a bad state of affairs. It means the BGs who are bigger and stronger than the physically weaker members of society just do whatever they want. Might makes right. It's caveman time.

In a civilized society, the 99 lb weakling ought to be able to defend him/herself against the 250 lb BG.

Like the old saying goes, "God made men, but Sam Colt made men equal." The saying seems trite, but the sentiment is true.

 

[FirebirdV8]

"study" results will show what ever the person conducting it wants. Along with that you can turn numbers around to show anything you want as well. I remember the government once did a study showing that the driver of a large SUV is a menace to society, because when that large SUV hits a small car the guy in the SUV walks away and the guy in the car doesn't. One could just as well say that the SUV is a safer vehicle then the small car, but look thats not the conclusion the government wanted.

 

[Joni_Lynn]

There was an agenda here and the true facts should never be allowed to get in the way of a good misleading study.

 

[scooter123]

Somebody please expain something to me.

These shooting cases were matched to Philadelphia residents who acted as the study's controls. To identify the controls, trained phone canvassers called random Philadelphians soon after a reported shooting and asked about their possession of a gun at the time of the shooting. These random Philadelphians had not been shot and had nothing to do with the shooting. This is the same approach that epidemiologists have historically used to establish links between such things as smoking and lung cancer or drinking and car crashes.

What the heck does this have to do with whether you get shot or not?

IMO, it's pretty simple. People get shot for 3 reasons. One is mishandling a firearm. Another is that they get into a confrontation with someone who is armed. And finally, they run into some animal who will shoot them for no reason at all.

I've been the victim of an armed robbery 3 times. Fortunately for me, it was in the 70's when armed robbers seemed to be a lot less willing to shoot than they are today. First time happened when I was working in a gas station. I was 17 at the time and handed over the cash and the robbers ran. The two other times happened when I was driving a taxicab while attending Ohio State. Both times I didn't argue at all and just handed over the cash. Since then I have been fortunate and haven't had to take any "high risk" jobs.

However, I do read the papers and watch the news. Thugs today are much more willing to shoot someone over a few measly dollars and they don't always restrict their actions to "high risk" areas. Just about a month ago some gang bangers carjacked a 21 year old from a sandwich shop one mile north of my home, drove him to a house about 3 miles south of me, took his ATM card and got his PIN number, and then shot him in the head.

I carry a gun for one simple reason, that is because I can't carry a Cop. I don't ever want to have to use it, but am willing to do that if that is what it takes to survive.

Fact is they really should study how many times that thugs today shoot in comparison to 40 years ago. Then maybe they would realize that the problem isn't legal gun owners, it's a society that coddles the criminal elements instead of punishing them. As far as I am concerned, it's about time to bring back public hangings.

 

[CAJUNLAWYER]

4X more likely to be shot if you have a gun

well no ---- scooter! If you have a gun and are coming towards me, you will get shot-chances are close to 100% on that one. The corrolary to this is that I am much more likely to shoot you if I have a gun. who thinks up this pap anyway.

 

[Spotteddog]

Same resume as yours 123.
Substitute Chicago for Detroit.
The only one that had a positive outcome was the last, where everybody had brought a party favor. At least I didn't have to spend the night locked in my own trailer that night! And I got to keep my wallet?