The National Rifle Association (N.R.A.) website has an ongoing feature called the Armed Citizen. The feature reports stories of individuals successfully using guns either at home, on the street, or in their place of business to thwart intruders, robbers, or burglars.
During the month of November, the Armed Citizen reported eight such incidents. The first one was dated November 4, 2013; the last one was dated November 25, 2013 -- a period of 22 days. If you want a first-hand look at the feature, you can find it here: www.nraila.org/gun-laws/armed-citizen.aspx.
However, not mentioned in the Armed Citizen was that during the same 22-day period, based on average numbers (source: www.bradycampaign.org), 1,848 Americans were killed by a gun (1,122 by suicide) and another 4,246 were wounded by one (220 by attempted suicide). So for each “good” use of a gun during those 22 days, there were 762 “bad” uses of a gun.
Another thing. I’d like to see someone do a study that shows how often a gun is used each day to frighten, threaten, terrify, bully, intimidate, or coerce innocent individuals, including family members. It’s another “bad” use of a gun that has yet to be quantified and added to the story.
Please help reduce this carnage that goes on day after day, week after week, month after month, and year after year. Call, write, email, or FAX your representatives in Washington, D.C. and tell them to support common sense gun control. Do it today. And do it again next week. And do it again every week after that until they get the message.
You’ll find contact information here:
www.contactingthecongress.org