Another senseless mass killing, another round of irrational, politically-suicidal calls for gun bans or gun control. It's as predictable as the ground getting wet when it rains, as is the fact that most of those calling for something to be done will mislead and lie about the source of their opposition to guns.
They don't have any, or want anybody else to have any. Just like homophobes and gay sex. And they want to use the power of Government to impose their preferences and tastes on everybody else. Just like homophobes. And they consistently cite bullshit to "support" what they want.
Just like homophobes.
According to this Diary Americans have about 160,000,000 firearms. According to the CDC, in 2005, the last year data is available for, 12,352 people were victims of homicide involving a firearm. By my count that means one person was murdered for every 12,953 firearms in private hands. How does that carnage compare with other aspects of American life?? You might be surprised.
According to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics in 2005 there were 247,421,120 vehicles registered for highway use in the U.S. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (via WaPo), 43,443 people died in traffic accidents in 2005. One person died for every 5,695 motor vehicles registered for highway use.
The car in your neighbors' driveway is statistically more than twice as likely to kill you than the gun in his/her nightstand.
In 2005 there were 6,227,146 motorcycles registered, and 4,553 motorcyclists were killed, one death for every 1,367 motorcycles, or nearly ten times the per-each death rate of homicide by gun.
If, as is claimed, the loss of life is the impetus for gun-control fanatics, where are the shrill, emotional calls for the immediate banning of these much more dangerous machines?? To say nothing of the vastly greater death tolls associated with tobacco and alcohol and fatty foods??
Because, just like "the sanctity of marriage", it's a damned lie to justify imposing personal preference on others using the power of Government, no more valid or honest than those who cite Leviticus to condemn homosexuality while conveniently ignoring the same Book's proscription against tattoos and usurious interest rates.
Gun owners and gay people should unite, they have more in common than they think. When they aren't the same person.
Of course, my analogy isn't exact, because there's really no such thing as "gun-owner bashing" because, well, they own guns.
If having guns were a common stereotype about gay people instead of those assless britches...