Posted on 12/16/2018 7:05:58 AM PST by rellimpank
The simple explanation for rising suicide rates is our aging population. Years ago Time magazine did a major piece on “Death by Gun” during a set period; I read the back story on each death, tabulated the results, and analyzed them. Of course, Time had an anti-gun spin. Then as now, the majority were suicides. Of those, 95% were elderly men, with major health problems of their own or of their spouse. In many cases, elderly men killed their terminally ill wives, and then themselves. Next most numerous were what appeared to be criminals, shot by each other, by their intended victims, by the police, by gang rivals. Lots of girlfriends, wives, and exes are murdered. Some general murders, and victims shot during robberies. A few supposed accidents and the odd hired killing.
Great Clip,
Thanks!
The Japanese and Australian studies bear this out.
Another issue here is that most lethal suicides are performed by men between forty and 70. The gun is a method overwhelmingly employed by men.
We’ve got a nice big bridge One day, a guy was evidently walking to the center of the span, to jump, but chickened out, and dove in front of a semi-, instead.
I have a problem conflating people who don't want to die (murder victims) with people who want to die (suicides).
Japan has essentially no guns in civilian hands, and has a higher suicide rate than the US.
"...Europe, Japan, Russia, and many places where Gibbs are banned..."
Removing the suicide numbers, if the number of “gun deaths” is 90-95% criminals and gang bangers killing each other, I have no problem with it. But I have a feeling that 90-95% includes more than just a few innocents.
It might not be a valid assumption that if a gun wasn’t available, the individual would just have used another method...but I’d venture to say it will be true much of the time.
If that were so, then why does Japan, which has almost no guns in private hands, have a higher per capita suicide rate than the US. 14.3 vs 13.7.
The US is 34th in the world for suicides per capita with both Finland and Belgian (and Japan) ahead of us.
If someone wants to kill themselves, they’ll find a way. The female TV meteorologist who killed herself a few days ago, hanged herself.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_suicide_rate
IIRC homicides, as defined by the FBI, include all non suicide deaths to include legal use in self defense, police actions, negligent discharges, as well as murder.
p>I live next to a big railroad bridge. My first wife’s father helped build it. Over the years there have been a few suicides who jumped from it. All men, so far as I know, but no other common factors. I’m not suicidal, but if I were, that would probably be my choice.
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