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The deaths from gun violence in the United States negates part of what is the American dream-liberty and the pursuit of happiness; you are not at liberty to visit some places and relations of victims are traumatized.
The countries with the strictest gun control laws have the lowest homicides 1,2. And the countries with the most liberal gun laws like the USA and South Africa have the highest homicide/mass shooting rates. Some fearful, some would say prudent fellows will rather go on holidays to more sedate places instead of visiting a country where a wrong detour can take you to the wrong neighborhood with deadly consequences. The UK with its strict gun laws had 57 gun deaths in 2006/2007 2. The key is fewer guns and more background checks.
References
1.Chapman, S; , Alpers, P., Agho, K. and Jones, M. "Australia’s 1996 gun law reforms: faster falls in firearm deaths, firearm suicides, and a decade without mass shootings". Injury Prevention 2006; 12:365-372.
2. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/6960431.stm. accessed 14:01PM 16/2/2013.
Competing interests:
No competing interests
17 February 2013
Ugochukwu Vincent Okafor
University lecturer/Consultant
University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu campus
Department of Anaesthesia, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Nigeria, Enugu campus, Nigeria.
My 1998 book on Australia's experience in getting radical new gun laws after the Port Arthur massacre (35 dead) has been re-printed. We have not had a massacre in 16 years. Free download here http://t.co/36U40sUB
Re: Reviving research into US gun violence
The deaths from gun violence in the United States negates part of what is the American dream-liberty and the pursuit of happiness; you are not at liberty to visit some places and relations of victims are traumatized.
The countries with the strictest gun control laws have the lowest homicides 1,2. And the countries with the most liberal gun laws like the USA and South Africa have the highest homicide/mass shooting rates. Some fearful, some would say prudent fellows will rather go on holidays to more sedate places instead of visiting a country where a wrong detour can take you to the wrong neighborhood with deadly consequences. The UK with its strict gun laws had 57 gun deaths in 2006/2007 2. The key is fewer guns and more background checks.
References
1.Chapman, S; , Alpers, P., Agho, K. and Jones, M. "Australia’s 1996 gun law reforms: faster falls in firearm deaths, firearm suicides, and a decade without mass shootings". Injury Prevention 2006; 12:365-372.
2. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/6960431.stm. accessed 14:01PM 16/2/2013.
Competing interests: No competing interests