Quick statistics I found indicate the following: All Deaths in the 15-24 age group 1979 114.8 per 100,000 1996 89.6 per 100,000
Deaths due to Homicide and legal intervention (I assume that this means being shot by police) in the 15-24 age group 1979 14.5 per 100,000 1996 18.1 per 100,000 * note: In every other age category the death rates were lower in 1996 than in 1979! Accidents and adverse affects (includes automobile accidents) in the 15-24 age group 1979 62.6 per 100,000 1996 38.1 per 100,000 Accidents and adverse affects (NOT including automobile accidents, but should include accidental shootings) in the 15-24 age group 1979 17 per 100,000 1996 8.9 per 100,000 Reference: http://www.disastercenter.com/cdc/allcause.html Statistics show that kids are safer than when I was a kid. Perhaps the effects you are seeing are more related to environmental vs cultural. I have to admit that 6 is a lot. I only knew 1 friend who died in that age group, and he drowned (1981). This from a rural upbringing. I was raised to fear guns as well, and I treat them with the utmost respect. I do not own a gun, but I do not support gun control. I feel as well, that there are other reasons for gun-related murders than just availability. Nerd From Hell > -----Original Message----- > From: Dan Minette [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] > Sent: Friday, May 24, 2002 7:23 AM > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: Increase risk to kids > > > I got local news that I can never remember hearing growing > up. I should > start by saying that my daughter, Beth, has gone to more funeral > parlors/funerals than her mother and I have. I think that > she's gone to > funerals for seven schoolmates over the last four years. > > And then, around 6:30 last night, I got a call from a friend > from church > saying that he could not make a church meeting I was > chairing. It turns out > that late yesterday afternoon, at a pool party across the > street, a 17 year > old senior boy that Beth knows fairly well shot a senior girl > who I had in > my Girl Scout troop in the face. She's clinging to life now > in critical > condition. > > Details are not available, but the boy has been charged. > > Talking with my wife last night, I tried to understand why things have > changed. Even though I favor gun control, it can't just be > the availability > of guns. Where I grew up, lots of kids had guns for hunting. > I think it > may be involved with the fact that most people now have guns > for protection > instead of hunting. Plus, instead of gun safety almost being > a religion, > the gun is just bought and put in a drawer for just in case. > > Back in my day, kids who owned/used guns use to tell stories > about how their > dads really got upset with them when they violated a gun > safety rule. Those > stories encapsulated the importance of treating guns with > respect. Now, > guns are just there, just in case. The area is awash with > guns casually > bought, and intended for use on humans "just in case." My > guess is that > this has something to do with the unreality of a gun and its > use at pool > parties. > > But, dammit anyways, 18 year olds shouldn't have to go to > this many funerals > for people they know. They don't have to think about a > friend of theirs > being a murderer. The big risk at a teenage pool party should > not be being > shot. > > Dan M. > >
