DC Handgun Ban Lawsuit

[Jim Beaux]

I started this thread instead of hijacking the "DC Handgun Carry Ban Ruled Unconstitutional " thread. viewtopic.php?f=9&t=73711

At the WAPO website I was reading some of the lib comments regarding this issue and one of the liberwhacks stated that Louisiana had the highest rate of gun ownership in the nation as well as the highest gun murder rate in the nation. I checked and found that she was quoting a Salon smoke & mirrors article .

So I did a little more googling and found the below: (Im brain dead tonight and tired. I havent fact checked, Im just throwing this out here for grins)

-------------------- Gun Ownership % --- Murder Rate (per 100K) --- By Gun (per 100K)
Louisiana ------------ --- 44.1% ------ ------ --- 9.6 ---------- ------ --------- 7.7
Dist of Columbia --------- 3.6% ------------ -- 21.8 ---------------------- --- 16.5

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gun_viole ... s_by_state" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

These numbers suggest that though Louisiana has 12 times the guns as DC, its citizens are 50% less likely to be murdered by any means (guns included).

[jimlongley]

According to accepted legend, Mark Twain once observed "There are three kinds of lies: Lies; Damned Lies; and Statistics." which he attributed to Benjamin Disraeli, but according to my own research is likely to have been a concept for longer and voiced or printed by various people including those mentioned.

My point being that I don't doubt that there can be a way of making the numbers appear to be the other way around, such as comparing urban populations only (there is no rural in D.C.) and I have no doubt that the original article would be based on some such statistical sleight of hand.

[Keith B]

The issue is you can't necessarily compare the small size of DC to the whole state of LA. Many of the areas in LA are rural and gun ownership is a normal thing. You are better to compare DC to a individual city like New Orleans, Chicago, St. Louis or New York. I think you will find a much closer comparison in crime rates as there are a lot of gang related activity in these cities.

[MeMelYup]

A person would be more accurate with a comparison of D.C. with El Paso.

[Keith B]

Here is an article showing the top 25 http://www.businessinsider.com/most-dan ... 013-6?op=1" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; DC is about 46 on the list of the 2013 FBI top 100 http://www.neighborhoodscout.com/neighb ... erous2013/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[mojo84]

It amazes me how many Texas cities made the list considering all the crazy wild wild west gun nuts we have. Based on some, you would think we would hold the top ten to twenty spots.

I suspect the Texarkana made the list because of the Arkansas side.