A piece in the Boston Globe and on Reason.com questions whether the
link between handgun ownership and high rates of murder has been established
as reports in the media would suggest.

The article cites non-gun homicide rates in the United States that exceed total
homicide rates in many nations. “In 1998, the murder and non-negligent manslaughter
rate in the United States was 6.3 per 100,000 people, and firearms were used
in about two-thirds of these killings.” If all guns had been completely eliminated,
the U.S rate of 2.1 murders for every 100,000 people would be roughly four times
the average in Japan and higher than the homicide rates in the UK or Sweden.”

Fifty-five percent of gun deaths here are suicides and not murder. People intent
on suicide will do so with or without a gun. A comparison of suicide rates is
favorable to the U.S. “In 1996, the suicide rate per 100,000 people was 11.8
in the United States, 13.4 in Canada, 17.9 in Japan, 20.9 in France and 25 in
Finland.”

Studies published by John R. Lott, an economist and senior research scholar
at Yale Law School, conclude that state laws allowing citizens without a record
to obtain a gun permit actually results in lower rates of violent crime, including
murder. The Globe piece asserts that “Lott’s research has held up well
under scrutiny. Yet most of the mainstream media and punditry ignore his findings
and scoff at the notion that guns may have benefits.”

Moderator Comment: Should the laws governing firearm
sales at retail be changed? How?

We can not be counted among the members of the Charlton
Heston fan club. That said, fact-based decision making has long been the mantra
of category management. There is an objective story on the issue of firearm
sales. It would be nice if we could finally get past the ranting on both sides
of this issue and (as a society) come to a compromise. [George
Anderson – Moderator]

• The Bias Against Handguns – Reason

A piece in the Boston Globe and on Reason.com questions whether the
link between handgun ownership and high rates of murder has been established
as reports in the media would suggest.

The article cites non-gun homicide rates in the United States that exceed total
homicide rates in many nations. “In 1998, the murder and non-negligent manslaughter
rate in the United States was 6.3 per 100,000 people, and firearms were used
in about two-thirds of these killings.” If all guns had been completely eliminated,
the U.S rate of 2.1 murders for every 100,000 people would be roughly four times
the average in Japan and higher than the homicide rates in the UK or Sweden.”

Fifty-five percent of gun deaths here are suicides and not murder. People intent
on suicide will do so with or without a gun. A comparison of suicide rates is
favorable to the U.S. “In 1996, the suicide rate per 100,000 people was 11.8
in the United States, 13.4 in Canada, 17.9 in Japan, 20.9 in France and 25 in
Finland.”

Studies published by John R. Lott, an economist and senior research scholar
at Yale Law School, conclude that state laws allowing citizens without a record
to obtain a gun permit actually results in lower rates of violent crime, including
murder. The Globe piece asserts that “Lott’s research has held up well
under scrutiny. Yet most of the mainstream media and punditry ignore his findings
and scoff at the notion that guns may have benefits.”

Moderator Comment: Should the laws governing firearm
sales at retail be changed? How?

We can not be counted among the members of the Charlton
Heston fan club. That said, fact-based decision making has long been the mantra
of category management. There is an objective story on the issue of firearm
sales. It would be nice if we could finally get past the ranting on both sides
of this issue and (as a society) come to a compromise. [George
Anderson – Moderator]

• The Bias Against Handguns – Reason