Eyal wrote:TFLYTSNBN wrote:Rubbish!
It absolutely prooves the point that guns are not the cause of violent deaths. Guns become the instruments of violent death when they are available. If guns are not available, violent people substitute other weapons to kill themselves or others.
I don't think anyone has said that guns are hhe sole cause of violence. But they do make violent encounters more likely to cause deaths.
That is a very well reasoned argument. I can't dismiss it.
However; there are other factors involved including crime clearance rates, arrest rates, prosecutorial diligence, conviction rates, incarceration rates and sentence duration.
The US has abysmal crime clearance and arrest rates.
Prosecutions are hampered by a legal system that permits"expert witnesses who commit blatant perjury.
The US also has racial strife that often impedes arrest and prosecution. The Elmer Fudd defense is a classic example.
All of these issues are ignored because the politicians keep the public attention on guns.