Friday, July 27, 2012

Just Not Bothering

Kevin D. Williamson:
A little perspective on the gun-control debate: According U.N. data, the number of homicides committed with firearms in the United States runs typically between 9,000 and 10,000 a year, with the numbers going:

2009: 9,146
2008: 9,484
2007: 10,129
2006: 10,225
2005: 10,158
2004: 9,385
2003: 9,659
2002: 9,369
2001: 8,890
1999: 8,259*
1998: 9,257

According to the Journal of American Medicine, the number of deaths caused by U.S. cardiac patients’ not bothering to refill their heart-disease prescriptions is about 113,000 per year. (The cost of filling prescriptions is of course a factor, but not the only factor. More from Ezra Klein’s Wonkblog here.) In one category of disease, skipping meds causes about eleven times as many deaths in this country each year as all firearms murders combined. One of these things is treated by liberals as a national emergency, the other is not. This is a curious thing for people proclaiming themselves to be empirical, evidence-driven rationalists.
In a classic case of putting the punchline before the pantomime horse, the item is entitled
Laziness Is 11 Times More Dangerous than Guns
...

DEATH UPDATE!

Where is the liberal outrage?

12 comments:

zombie rotten mcdonald said...

I am glad old Kev agrees with me that required meds should be inexpensive or free.

So if we make heart disease meds free and delivered to the front door, he will refocus on doing something about the unconscionable numbers of murder weapons in this country?

Substance McGravitas said...

When the teacher confronted me about not doing my homework I said "Look at the starving kids in Africa! Millions of them aren't doing homework either!" And I never had to do homework again! And then I woke up.

mikey said...

Guns?

What about traffic fatalities?

Where is the liberal outrage????

mikey said...

On the other hand, terror attacks killed 9 Americans in 2009. 15 more perished at the hands of the evil-doers in 2010. Fortunately, between funding Homeland Security and global Counter Terrorist operations, we spend close to a trillion dollars a year to prevent these atrocities. The right wing knows very well where to spend money to get the best results...

zombie rotten mcdonald said...

Number one cause of death in the world: BEING BORN.

Nobody has EVER recovered. Somebody address THAT and then we can look at guns.

zombie rotten mcdonald said...

Now that I review the plans, I suggest you don't need to bother. You're all scheduled to be eaten by zombies if you survive anyways.

Hamish Mack said...

The scorpions done it.

Big Bad Bald Bastard said...

I demand the right to bear scorpions!

tigris said...

Bear-scorpions sound AWESOME.

M. Bouffant said...

Hell, I'm outraged by automobiles & traffic in general; not just the immediate fatalities but the long-term damage caused by breathing all that shit.

Outraged, do you hear?

Dr.KennethNoisewater said...

I just want you all to know that unti the scourge ol genital mutilation in Africa is addressed uppity American women are not allowed to discuss any issue affecting women! Got that?!

ifthethunderdontgetya™³²®© said...

Did somebody say Scorpions?
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