Difference between revisions of "More people are killed by hammers than rifles"
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[[Image:More People Are Killed By Hammers Than Rifles - Facebook.jpg|thumb|256x256px|Facebook argument.]] | [[Image:More People Are Killed By Hammers Than Rifles - Facebook.jpg|thumb|256x256px|Facebook argument.]] | ||
− | '''More people are killed by hammers than rifles''' is an argument frequently used by Americans who disapprove of gun control, specifically the restriction or banning of assault rifles. A graphic with the heading, "Facts gun control advocates don't want you to know" made the rounds on Facebook in 2013, and the argument really became popular when it was taken up by Fox Nation, and posted on Twitter by Republican Greg Abbott, | + | '''More people are killed by hammers than rifles''' is an argument frequently used by Americans who disapprove of [[gun control]], specifically the restriction or banning of assault rifles. A graphic with the heading, "Facts gun control advocates don't want you to know" made the rounds on Facebook in 2013, and the argument really became popular when it was taken up by Fox Nation, and posted on Twitter by Republican Greg Abbott, Attorney General of Texas at the time, who later became the state's Governor.<br clear="all" /> |
[[Image:More People Are Killed By Hammers Than Rifles - Greg Abbot Post.png|thumb|256x256px|Greg Abbot Twitter Post.]] | [[Image:More People Are Killed By Hammers Than Rifles - Greg Abbot Post.png|thumb|256x256px|Greg Abbot Twitter Post.]] | ||
− | Although PolitFact accepts both the [https://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2013/jan/18/facebook-posts/facebook-post-says-more-people-were-murdered-knive | + | Although PolitFact accepts both the [https://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2013/jan/18/facebook-posts/facebook-post-says-more-people-were-murdered-knive Facebook graphic] and [https://www.politifact.com/texas/statements/2013/jan/30/greg-abbott/greg-abbott-says-according-fbi-more-people-are-kil Abbot's Twitter post] as true, I disagree, and find the argument to be misleading, and, depending on how it is phrased, purposely dishonest.<br clear="all" /> |
− | ==How the | + | ==How the argument is dishonest== |
− | ===Murder | + | ===Murder, not death=== |
[[Image:More People Are Killed By Hammers Than Rifles - FBI Chart.png|thumb|256x256px|FBI homicide data for 2011.]] | [[Image:More People Are Killed By Hammers Than Rifles - FBI Chart.png|thumb|256x256px|FBI homicide data for 2011.]] | ||
− | My first problem with the argument is that it is often presented using the word "killed" rather than "murdered." If you take a look at the actual FBI data cited, the chart makes it clear that the numbers are homicides. The Facebook graphic properly uses the term "murder," but Greg Abbot used the term "killed." This may sound like a quibble, but it has big implications. The FBI is not including accidental deaths or suicides. When you take these numbers into account, the values will probably be altered considerably because very few people kill themselves with | + | My first problem with the argument is that it is often presented using the word "killed" rather than "murdered." If you take a look at the actual FBI data cited, the chart makes it clear that the numbers are homicides. The Facebook graphic at the top of this article properly uses the term "murder," but Greg Abbot used the term "killed." This may sound like a quibble, but it has big implications. The FBI is not including accidental deaths or suicides. When you take these numbers into account, the values will probably be altered considerably because very few people purposely kill themselves with hammers or clubs, but suicide by rifle is not uncommon. |
− | ===Blunt | + | ===Blunt objects, not hammers=== |
− | Although both the Facebook graphic and Greg Abbot mention hammers ''and'' clubs, when I hear this argument, the arguer usually only mentions hammers, either way, they're not fully honest because the FBI's data combines all blunt objects into a single group. While this includes hammers, it also includes baseball bats, | + | Although both the Facebook graphic and Greg Abbot mention hammers ''and'' clubs, when I hear this argument, the arguer usually only mentions hammers, either way, they're not being fully honest because the FBI's data combines all blunt objects of any kind into a single group. While this includes hammers, it also includes baseball bats, crowbars, rocks, and so forth. Notice that "firearms" is ''separated'' into five sub-categories, while all "blunt objects" are ''combined'' into one. There could be thousands of categories of blunt objects, each category would surely be smaller than rifles. Even if you were to divide them into five equal sub-categories to match the number of categories for firearms, the average numbers would be smaller than rifles. |
− | ===Unknown | + | ===Unknown firearm type=== |
− | The FBI data includes a sub-category in firearms called "type not stated" in which a person was murdered with a firearm, but the police report didn't include the specific type of the firearm. This number is quite large, more than rifles, shotguns, and other firearms combined, and it probably contains a fair amount rifles which would increase the total numbers. There is also a section on the bottom of the chart called "other weapons, or weapons not stated" which could potentially add more to the total number of rifles. However, to be fair, considering that handguns account for such a high percentage, most of the "type not stated" category | + | The FBI data includes a sub-category in firearms called "type not stated" in which a person was murdered with a firearm, but the police report didn't include the specific type of the firearm. This number is quite large, more than rifles, shotguns, and other firearms combined, and it probably contains a fair amount rifles which would increase the total numbers. There is also a section on the bottom of the chart called "other weapons, or weapons not stated" which could potentially add more to the total number of rifles. However, to be fair, considering that handguns account for such a high percentage, most of guns in the "type not stated" category are probably handguns. |
− | ==How | + | ==How to make it honest== |
− | In order for the argument to stated | + | In order for the argument to stated honestly, it must be re-worded to something like, "According to FBI data, fewer people are murdered by rifles (excluding all other types of firearms, including when it's unspecified in a police report) in America than by all blunt objects combined." An argument worded in that manner is true, but it certainly doesn't have the thrust of the dishonest soundbite. However, now that it is true, we can address it. |
− | ==The | + | ==The point of the argument== |
− | I can think of two primary ways to interpret | + | The point of the argument isn't explicitly stated, but I can think of two primary ways to interpret it. |
− | ===Using | + | ===Using murder rate as a metric for what to restrict=== |
− | This is a straight forward look at the argument. It asks, why are lawmakers | + | This is a straight forward look at the argument. It asks, why are lawmakers trying to restrict rifles when they only account for a fraction of murders in this country? In this case, the argument implies that lawmakers should focus their energy on those murder weapons that account for the most murders. If this is the point of someone using this argument, and they don't like gun control, their argument backfires since the weapon most commonly used for murders, by far, is handguns. |
− | Another question to ask is, why did the FBI sub-divide firearm related murders? I doubt it's because they believe that rifles and shotguns are as fundamentally different as | + | Another question to ask is, why did the FBI sub-divide firearm related murders? I doubt it's because they believe that rifles and shotguns are as fundamentally different as murder by fire or drowning. I think a more reasonable answer is that the FBI is more interested in firearm-related murders because they are, by far, the most common way people are murdered in the USA — more than all other methods of homicide ''combined''. In fact, hand guns alone account for half of all murders in the USA. When a person looks at all the data, it shows clearly that firearms are the go-to weapon for murderers. |
− | + | Using the total number of murders attributed to a weapon to decide what should be restricted also creates an unintended side-effect. In the past 50 years, not a single person was killed by a nuclear bomb and only a handful were killed by extremely potent neurotoxins. So, if we're only interested in how many people are killed by a specific weapon, doesn't that mean we should eliminate all restrictions on nuclear bombs and weaponized neurotoxins since they're so safe? Of course, despite their low body count, it is still logical to keep such devastating weapons restricted because, while they may not have many total murders, they have enormous potential for mass murder. Similarly, while rifles may not murder as many people as handguns, their potential for mass murder is greater, this is demonstrated by the fact that the mass murders in the USA with the highest body counts were all committed by people with rifles not handguns. | |
− | ===Pointing | + | ===Pointing out the folly of using murder rate=== |
− | I think the primary intent by the people employing this argument is to say, | + | I think the primary intent by the people employing this argument is to say, anything can be used as a murder weapon, and, since we can't ban everything, there is no sense in banning anything. |
− | This is | + | This argument rightly points out that controlling dangerous weapons is a [[gradient paradox]]: anything can be used as a weapon from spoons to nuclear bombs, so, no matter where we draw the line, it's usually for an arbitrary reason. However, this argument ignores the fact that, even if the lines are arbitrary, they still have to be drawn. In this case, societies have to restrict extremely dangerous things if they want their society to continue to exist. A society in which everyone has unrestricted access to nuclear bombs would very quickly annihilate itself. |
− | However, when | + | However, when we compare assault rifles and hammers, there is a non-arbitrary distinction to be made. While both can be used as a murder weapon, only assault rifles are specifically designed to kill humans. You could argue that an assault rifle is designed to frighten people, but the only reason people are frightened of them is because they can so easily kill people. |
==Links== | ==Links== |
Latest revision as of 17:01, 8 June 2023
More people are killed by hammers than rifles is an argument frequently used by Americans who disapprove of gun control, specifically the restriction or banning of assault rifles. A graphic with the heading, "Facts gun control advocates don't want you to know" made the rounds on Facebook in 2013, and the argument really became popular when it was taken up by Fox Nation, and posted on Twitter by Republican Greg Abbott, Attorney General of Texas at the time, who later became the state's Governor.
Although PolitFact accepts both the Facebook graphic and Abbot's Twitter post as true, I disagree, and find the argument to be misleading, and, depending on how it is phrased, purposely dishonest.
Contents
How the argument is dishonest
Murder, not death
My first problem with the argument is that it is often presented using the word "killed" rather than "murdered." If you take a look at the actual FBI data cited, the chart makes it clear that the numbers are homicides. The Facebook graphic at the top of this article properly uses the term "murder," but Greg Abbot used the term "killed." This may sound like a quibble, but it has big implications. The FBI is not including accidental deaths or suicides. When you take these numbers into account, the values will probably be altered considerably because very few people purposely kill themselves with hammers or clubs, but suicide by rifle is not uncommon.
Blunt objects, not hammers
Although both the Facebook graphic and Greg Abbot mention hammers and clubs, when I hear this argument, the arguer usually only mentions hammers, either way, they're not being fully honest because the FBI's data combines all blunt objects of any kind into a single group. While this includes hammers, it also includes baseball bats, crowbars, rocks, and so forth. Notice that "firearms" is separated into five sub-categories, while all "blunt objects" are combined into one. There could be thousands of categories of blunt objects, each category would surely be smaller than rifles. Even if you were to divide them into five equal sub-categories to match the number of categories for firearms, the average numbers would be smaller than rifles.
Unknown firearm type
The FBI data includes a sub-category in firearms called "type not stated" in which a person was murdered with a firearm, but the police report didn't include the specific type of the firearm. This number is quite large, more than rifles, shotguns, and other firearms combined, and it probably contains a fair amount rifles which would increase the total numbers. There is also a section on the bottom of the chart called "other weapons, or weapons not stated" which could potentially add more to the total number of rifles. However, to be fair, considering that handguns account for such a high percentage, most of guns in the "type not stated" category are probably handguns.
How to make it honest
In order for the argument to stated honestly, it must be re-worded to something like, "According to FBI data, fewer people are murdered by rifles (excluding all other types of firearms, including when it's unspecified in a police report) in America than by all blunt objects combined." An argument worded in that manner is true, but it certainly doesn't have the thrust of the dishonest soundbite. However, now that it is true, we can address it.
The point of the argument
The point of the argument isn't explicitly stated, but I can think of two primary ways to interpret it.
Using murder rate as a metric for what to restrict
This is a straight forward look at the argument. It asks, why are lawmakers trying to restrict rifles when they only account for a fraction of murders in this country? In this case, the argument implies that lawmakers should focus their energy on those murder weapons that account for the most murders. If this is the point of someone using this argument, and they don't like gun control, their argument backfires since the weapon most commonly used for murders, by far, is handguns.
Another question to ask is, why did the FBI sub-divide firearm related murders? I doubt it's because they believe that rifles and shotguns are as fundamentally different as murder by fire or drowning. I think a more reasonable answer is that the FBI is more interested in firearm-related murders because they are, by far, the most common way people are murdered in the USA — more than all other methods of homicide combined. In fact, hand guns alone account for half of all murders in the USA. When a person looks at all the data, it shows clearly that firearms are the go-to weapon for murderers.
Using the total number of murders attributed to a weapon to decide what should be restricted also creates an unintended side-effect. In the past 50 years, not a single person was killed by a nuclear bomb and only a handful were killed by extremely potent neurotoxins. So, if we're only interested in how many people are killed by a specific weapon, doesn't that mean we should eliminate all restrictions on nuclear bombs and weaponized neurotoxins since they're so safe? Of course, despite their low body count, it is still logical to keep such devastating weapons restricted because, while they may not have many total murders, they have enormous potential for mass murder. Similarly, while rifles may not murder as many people as handguns, their potential for mass murder is greater, this is demonstrated by the fact that the mass murders in the USA with the highest body counts were all committed by people with rifles not handguns.
Pointing out the folly of using murder rate
I think the primary intent by the people employing this argument is to say, anything can be used as a murder weapon, and, since we can't ban everything, there is no sense in banning anything.
This argument rightly points out that controlling dangerous weapons is a gradient paradox: anything can be used as a weapon from spoons to nuclear bombs, so, no matter where we draw the line, it's usually for an arbitrary reason. However, this argument ignores the fact that, even if the lines are arbitrary, they still have to be drawn. In this case, societies have to restrict extremely dangerous things if they want their society to continue to exist. A society in which everyone has unrestricted access to nuclear bombs would very quickly annihilate itself.
However, when we compare assault rifles and hammers, there is a non-arbitrary distinction to be made. While both can be used as a murder weapon, only assault rifles are specifically designed to kill humans. You could argue that an assault rifle is designed to frighten people, but the only reason people are frightened of them is because they can so easily kill people.