Gun Ban

Suicides will drastically decreaseGuns increase the likelyhood for suicide by a large percentage. Harvard studies show that states with higher gun ownership had more sucides (1). Not only that but suicides are usually used by guns. Guns are very easy to use, just put the gun to your head and fire. My opponent will probably bring up the fact that people will find other methods of suicide. While they might find other methods of suicide their chances of killing themselves falls drastically. A gun has a 99 percent chance to kill but using a knife (to slit your throat) only has a 70 percent chance to kill yourself. (2). 70 percent is almost 30 percent higher chance for survival. Guns are a quick painless way out. Take this away and many will be discouraged to find other, probably painful, ways to die.2. It wouldnt affect personal defense situationsNow my opponent will probably use the 800,000-2 million self defense cases each year. Let me just stop you by saying that the person that created that study was biased. John Lott, the director of the Crime Prevention Research Center, is notorious for turning data in the direction of his right wing idealogy (3). Now for real facts, the department of justice released statstics for personal defense situations. Cases in which the defender had a gun was .8 percent. This counters the personal defense arguement. The amount lives saved from suicides and accidents outweighs the .8 percent of situations where guns are used (4).3. AccidentsA gun is a tool used for killing. An accidental brush of the trigger can kill or seriously maim someone. In 2007 there were about 122 fatal gun accidents involving JUST children and there were over 3000 non fatal accidents. 122 children dead because of a gun. Levels have stayed about the same over the years. (5). On a national level guns have claimed the lives of 3800 people throughout the years of 2005-2010. Over 1300 of the victims were under the age of 25 (6).4. HomicidesGuns were used in 11,078 homicides in 2010, comprising of almost 35 percent of all gun deaths and 68 percent of all homicides. (6)Guns are a criminals favorite tool. Take this away and you take away a criminals potential. In a seven year period of the Iraq War over 4400 american soldiers died for there country. That many americans die every seven weeks. Let that sink in. The amount of casualites in the Iraq war happens to our country. Every seven weeks. (6)5. The Concealed Carry arguementMy opponent will probably bring up the fact that CC has lowered homicides rates. However since May of 2007 there have been 29 mass shootings by CC permit holders (6). Almost 3 years ago 20/20, a tv show, tried to see if people having guns could help in a situation of an assailant. Even with warning none of the participants stopped the assailant and most of the participants would have injured themselves and others if they had live ammo. (7). Not only that but concealed carry permit holders have claimed the lives of over 400 civilans and 14 law enforcement officers. (8)Sources:(1). http://www.hsph.harvard.edu...(2)http://www.hsph.harvard.edu...(3)http://mediamatters.org...(4)http://www.bjs.gov...(5)http://pediatrics.about.com...(6)http://smartgunlaws.org...(7) . http://www.huffingtonpost.com...(8)http://www.vpc.org...