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Suicide Risk Linked to Rates of Gun Ownership, Political Conservatism
Science Daily ^ | April 6, 2013 | Augustine J. Kposowa

Posted on 04/06/2013 3:51:16 AM PDT by Lowell1775

snip---------------- With few exceptions, states with the highest rates of gun ownership -- for example, Alaska, Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, Alabama, and West Virginia -- also tended to have the highest suicide rates. These states were also carried overwhelmingly by George Bush in the 2000 presidential election.

snip-------------------- "In states with a higher percentage of the population that belong to a church, it is plausible that religious views and doctrine about suicide are well-known through sacred texts, theology or sermons, and adherents may be less likely to commit suicide."

snip--------------------- The sociologist said that although policies aimed at seriously regulating firearm ownership would reduce individual suicides, such policies are likely to fail not because they do not work, but because many Americans remain opposed to meaningful gun control, arguing that they have a constitutional right to bear arms. "Even modest efforts to reform gun laws are typically met with vehement opposition. There are also millions of Americans who continue to believe that keeping a gun at home protects them against intruders, even though research shows that when a gun is used in the home, it is often against household members in the commission of homicides or suicides," Kposowa said. "Adding to the widespread misinformation about guns is that powerful pro-gun lobby groups, especially the National Rifle Association, seem to have a stranglehold on legislators and U.S. policy, and a politician who calls for gun control may be targeted for removal from office in a future election by a gun lobby," he added. Although total suicide rates in the U.S. are not much higher than in other Western countries, without changes in gun-ownership policies "the United States is poised to remain a very armed and potentially dangerous nation for its inhabitants for years to come."

(Excerpt) Read more at sciencedaily.com ...


TOPICS: History; Hobbies; Religion; Society
KEYWORDS: banglist; conservatism; guncontrol; guns; religion; secondamendment; suicide
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Red meat for breakfast!

I won't even take the easy shots from you.

What flaws do you see in his study and conclusions?

Remember, he is a professional and highly trained in his art. He is obviously discerning things far beyond what you and I are capable of.

Website has a map that adds even more "duh!" to the obvious he is missing.

I was forced to excerpt it due to size.

The entire article will start your weekend with a laugh and confidence in ultimate victory......because the educated elite in the opposition are morons.

The PhD may not be stupid, but he is blind.

Whatever they pay this guy....they shouldn't.

1 posted on 04/06/2013 3:51:17 AM PDT by Lowell1775
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To: Lowell1775
So, conservatism and gun ownership will be defined as a mental illness and gun confiscation can begin.

It's not a matter of if but when.

2 posted on 04/06/2013 3:57:10 AM PDT by Caipirabob (Communists... Socialists... Democrats...Traitors... Who can tell the difference?)
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To: Lowell1775
Although total suicide rates in the U.S. are not much higher than in other Western countries

IOW, Americans (actually mostly American men) commit suicide using a gun because one is available. If it were not available, the suicide method would change but probably not the result.

3 posted on 04/06/2013 3:58:30 AM PDT by Sherman Logan
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To: Lowell1775

What has everyone got against suicide?


4 posted on 04/06/2013 3:59:20 AM PDT by dalereed
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To: Lowell1775
Scientific studies have conclusively demonstrated 99.99% of all violent felons in federal prisons ate hamburgers and French fries as children; therefore, we need to ban hamburgers and French fries immediately! It's for the sake of the children! Which would you rather do: give up fatty foods that aren't good for you, anyway, or watch millions of innocent little children be killed every year? Trust the all-wise, all-pervading, all-powerful state!
5 posted on 04/06/2013 4:08:17 AM PDT by Standing Wolf
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To: dalereed

What’s all this I hear about Sue Inside? If Sue wants to stay inside , let her and leave her alone...oh...never mind...


6 posted on 04/06/2013 4:09:48 AM PDT by Castigar
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To: Lowell1775

I’d Fisk that article all the way down, but it would use up the Internet. Would make an excellent case study for a Logic 101 class though. “science Daily” indeed!

TC


7 posted on 04/06/2013 4:16:27 AM PDT by Pentagon Leatherneck
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To: Lowell1775

Any beginning Sociology textbook will debunk this.
The earliest Sociologist who studied suicide, Emile Durckheim, recognized that suicide is higher is sparsely populated areas, where people have fewer opportunities to bond with their neighbors. Sparsely populated areas are usually rural, and have more conservative tendencies.
It has nothing to do with church membership, or gun ownership. In fact, church membership inhibits social deviance.


8 posted on 04/06/2013 4:18:10 AM PDT by CivilWarguy
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To: Lowell1775

The counties where Obama won have had the most mass shootings; Pima Co, Arapahoe and Adams counties, Fairfield County, and Milwaukee County


9 posted on 04/06/2013 4:18:21 AM PDT by Perdogg (Sen Ted Cruz, Sen Mike Lee, and Sen Rand Paul are my adoptive Senators)
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To: Lowell1775

Whew! I thought this researcher had found us out, but i don’t see it in Augustine’s study.

Y’all KNOW it’s only a matter of time before they find about all the Russian Roulette parties we conservatives are so fond of having, don’t you? So try extra hard to keep it on the downlow, aight?!


10 posted on 04/06/2013 4:21:11 AM PDT by Nita Nupress
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To: Lowell1775

“The PhD may not be stupid, but he is blind.”

The first question you ask your customer is “What are you trying to prove?” Then, you craft your work to answer that question to the customer’s satisfaction. That way you get repeat business. If you tell the truth not only won’t it get published, but you’ll never got his business again.

Bering a PhD. is a business proposition, not for science.


11 posted on 04/06/2013 4:22:08 AM PDT by Gen.Blather
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To: dalereed

Through early morning fog I see
visions of the things to be
the pains that are withheld for me
I realize and I can see...

[chorus]:

That suicide is painless
It brings on many changes
and I can take or leave it if I please.

I try to find a way to make
all our little joys relate
without that ever-present hate
but now I know that it’s too late, and...

[Chorus]

The game of life is hard to play
I’m gonna lose it anyway
The losing card I’ll someday lay
so this is all I have to say.

[Chorus]

The only way to win is cheat
And lay it down before I’m beat
and to another give my seat
for that’s the only painless feat.

[Chorus]

MASH
The sword of time will pierce our skins
It doesn’t hurt when it begins
But as it works its way on in
The pain grows stronger...watch it grin, but...

[Chorus]

A brave man once requested me
to answer questions that are key
‘is it to be or not to be’
and I replied ‘oh why ask me?’

‘Cause suicide is painless
it brings on many changes
and I can take or leave it if I please.
...and you can do the same thing if you choose.


12 posted on 04/06/2013 4:26:41 AM PDT by mc5cents
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To: CivilWarguy

I find this conclusion very interesting. I grew up in one of the more rural parts of this country, and never knew what suicide was. The first suicide I encountered was in my mid 20s, in a urban setting. And I know of more suicides living near the Denver area than I ever knew. If anything, I find urban living much more isolating that rural living.

I lived in Albuquerque, never knew my neighbors, and in a few larger towns here in CO, never really knew my neighbors. I moved recently to a very small town, I know all of my neighbors by name, we visit, neighborhood bbqs, etc.


13 posted on 04/06/2013 4:28:29 AM PDT by ican'tbelieveit
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To: Lowell1775
Well, for the first obvious thing, the numbers used for the main conclusion (intended to denigrate the freedom-loving Western states) is based on awfully small numbers. This makes them statistically suspect.

For example, let's just take the first 3 states mentioned, who are obviously mentioned first because they have the most significance, right?

The "average" rate is 11.82 per 100,000 residents (top of 2nd, bottom of 3rd quartiles). The very highest must be the 20.08 mentioned.

So let's suppose that we calculate what it would take to move the very "worst" states into the "below average" group, or say from 20.08 to 11.81 (and in fact only one of the 3 could have that highest number anyway)

State / Population 2010 / suicides if 20.08 / suicides if 11.81 / Difference
AK / 710,231 / 142 / 83 / 59
MT / 989,415 / 198 / 116 / 82
WY / 563,626 / 113 / 66 / 47
total of 3 / 2,262,000 / 453 / 265 / 188

And so, we can see that if a grand total of 188 fewer people in 3 states had committed suicide*, this study would be absolutely undercut and no left-wing conclusion would even be possible.

(*) and do we know that the years 2000-2006 that were used were NOT cherry-picked to match the predetermined conclusion? Sounds like global shooting to me.

14 posted on 04/06/2013 4:29:55 AM PDT by wildandcrazyrussian
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To: Lowell1775

The entire article is a publish or perish extrapolation imagination.


15 posted on 04/06/2013 4:47:41 AM PDT by chainsaw ("Two ways to conquer and enslave a nation. One is by the sword. The other is by Obama")
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To: Lowell1775
With few exceptions, states with the highest rates of murder -- for example, IL, NY, PA, MI, and DC -- also tended to have the highest suicide rates. These states were also carried overwhelmingly by Baraq 0bama in the 2008 presidential election.

That was fun.

5.56mm

16 posted on 04/06/2013 4:48:00 AM PDT by M Kehoe
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To: M Kehoe
Oh, and we need to ban or regulate murder.

5.56mm

17 posted on 04/06/2013 4:48:58 AM PDT by M Kehoe
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To: Lowell1775

suicide


18 posted on 04/06/2013 4:55:14 AM PDT by quintr
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To: Lowell1775
Suicide Risk Linked to Rates of Gun Ownership, Political Conservatism

If true, why exactly would the libtards care?

19 posted on 04/06/2013 6:02:05 AM PDT by Common Sense 101 (Hey libs... If your theories fly in the face of reality, it's not reality that's wrong.)
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To: Lowell1775

Conservatives kill themselves. Only a few.

Liberals/Progressives kill others. By the thousands.

End of argument.


20 posted on 04/06/2013 6:05:53 AM PDT by Arlis (.)
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