The debate about gun violence in our country has been largely ideological. However, to understand the nature of the problem we face, it is necessary to examine the statistical data regarding firearms ownership and firearms-related deaths.
Americans own about 90 firearms per 100 people, while the world average is about 14 per 100. Per capita gun ownership for members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development is generally much lower than that in the United States. For example, Switzerland has about 45 firearms per 100 people, Germany about 30, Spain about 10, and Japan less than one gun per 100 people.
The firearm-related death rate in the U.S. in 2010 was about 10 per 100,000 of population. In Germany, it was about 1.1. In Spain, it was about 0.63.
This data shows that higher gun ownership rates lead to higher death rates. Moreover, within the United States, regions and states with higher rates of firearm ownership have significantly higher firearm-related death rates.
Some less-developed countries have lower gun ownership rates, yet higher firearm-related death rates than the United States. El Salvador, Honduras, Mexico and Colombia have lower gun ownership rates and higher firearm-related death rates than the United States. However, should we be using these countries as our standard with regard to gun violence?
While desirable, restrictions on weapon and ammunition type and better enforcement of existing laws will only have minor effects on gun violence because we are facing an epidemiological problem: We have too many "vectors" (firearms).
As a nation, we should be asking ourselves some fundamental questions: Do we wish to remain the most violent developed country? Do we value our guns more than the lives of our citizens?
We own too many guns, and unless we are willing to undergo a major cultural shift in our attitude toward gun ownership we will not significantly reduce gun violence in our country.
Don Steiner
Schenectady