Choose Your Weapon
Tonight I decide to go to a local bar and get drunk. After I get waisted I stumble out to the parking lot, and retrieve a handgun. I return to the crowded club and proceed to fire into the crowd. If I kill someone, it's murder; if not, attempted murder.
- Now let’s compare -
I go to the same bar, have the same drinks, stumble to the same parking lot and retrieve my car (my 3000lb handgun). I'm now driving my weapon on streets full of other travelers (the crowded club). If I kill someone, it's intoxicated manslaughter; If not, it's just a DUI.
Thousands more die from drunk drivers then from guns. Our DUI laws are far too weak!
I know that I could kill someone by pointing my gun at them and pulling the trigger.
I know that I could kill someone by pointing my car at them and pressing the gas.
In reality the only difference is that one of these methods of murder is more socially acceptable then the other. Neither of these are accidents. The intent for both in reality is to risk someone else's safety for my own selfish reasons. If it is to get home or to get revenge on an establishment it is still risking the lives of others for my own selfish reasons. I knew before I picked up that first beer that I intended to drive home.
In 2001 42,196 people were killed in 1 year in America with 3,033,000 being injured by drunk drivers. This equals 116 deaths, and 8310 injuries every day at the hands of drunk drivers.
From 1979 to 2002, 23 years, there were 95,761 people killed in violence involving a firearm. This equates to 11 firearm deaths per day.
Bear in mind these figures include suicides which account for 56% of all firearm related deaths in America, meaning that of the 11 only 5 per day were the result of another person's actions. Conversely, drunk drivers kill others far more often then themselves.
The initial comparison was my own opinion and perspective on the matter. The point of my post was simply "Thousands more die from drunk drivers then from guns. Our DUI laws are far too weak!"
Anyone can see that 116 deaths a day is far greater a problem then 11 (actually 5). Yet our legislative system clearly doesn't recognize the severity of this problem.
- Now let’s compare -
I go to the same bar, have the same drinks, stumble to the same parking lot and retrieve my car (my 3000lb handgun). I'm now driving my weapon on streets full of other travelers (the crowded club). If I kill someone, it's intoxicated manslaughter; If not, it's just a DUI.
Thousands more die from drunk drivers then from guns. Our DUI laws are far too weak!
I know that I could kill someone by pointing my gun at them and pulling the trigger.
I know that I could kill someone by pointing my car at them and pressing the gas.
In reality the only difference is that one of these methods of murder is more socially acceptable then the other. Neither of these are accidents. The intent for both in reality is to risk someone else's safety for my own selfish reasons. If it is to get home or to get revenge on an establishment it is still risking the lives of others for my own selfish reasons. I knew before I picked up that first beer that I intended to drive home.
In 2001 42,196 people were killed in 1 year in America with 3,033,000 being injured by drunk drivers. This equals 116 deaths, and 8310 injuries every day at the hands of drunk drivers.
From 1979 to 2002, 23 years, there were 95,761 people killed in violence involving a firearm. This equates to 11 firearm deaths per day.
Bear in mind these figures include suicides which account for 56% of all firearm related deaths in America, meaning that of the 11 only 5 per day were the result of another person's actions. Conversely, drunk drivers kill others far more often then themselves.
The initial comparison was my own opinion and perspective on the matter. The point of my post was simply "Thousands more die from drunk drivers then from guns. Our DUI laws are far too weak!"
Anyone can see that 116 deaths a day is far greater a problem then 11 (actually 5). Yet our legislative system clearly doesn't recognize the severity of this problem.
posted by Christopher at 11:49 PM
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