Quote:
Originally Posted by wannabemp";p="
Guns kept in the home for protecting a family are 43 times more likely to kill a family member than an assailant.
...Need I say more?
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Why yes, you do. Here's the list of things needed in order to "unpack" the statistic you want us to buy.
1. On what sample is this statistic based? Is it a random sample across all of America?
2. If not a random sample, what was the crime rate in the target community?
3. What was the time period for sampling? When was this data collected, and for how long?
4. What is the sample size? Are we trying to generalize from a tiny group?
5. How many of the "family member" gun deaths were due to suicide?
6. How many of the "family member" gun deaths were intentional murder?
7. How many potential intruders were deterred by the threat of a gun in the house?
8. How many acts of self defense did not result in the death of the intruder? How many intruders were injured, escaped, or otherwise thwarted by gun owners?
9. How many potential "family member" deaths were avoided by this deterrent?
10. Are people who are likely to have guns in the house also more likely to die from gun-related violence, whether or not they own the gun? Does slim fast "cause" obesity because it is found in greater proportion in obese households?
I think if you take these factors into account your telling statistic will tell you a much different story.