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Forget the Flu: Guns Cause Far More Deaths

As Americans load up on Tamiflu, shootings draw little notice

By Katherine Thompson,  Newser Staff

Posted Apr 29, 2009 8:56 AM CDT
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(Newser) – In the US and Mexico, a plague much more widespread than swine flu continues to pick off its victims, regardless of age, health, or hometown. "While federal and state authorities are preoccupied with preventing a swine flu pandemic from overwhelming the United States, the epidemic of gun violence rages on, unabated and little noted," writes Cynthia Tucker in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

"We have an odd way of assessing risks," Tucker writes: even in Mexico, swine flu deaths are a tiny blip compared with the toll of gun violence. But as "the news media have hurriedly produced new catchphrases for their round-the-clock swine flu reportage," the public makes a run on pharmacies. "If only we could muster half that hysteria over gun deaths."

Photos of the five Lupoe children are displayed during a memorial service for the family on Thursday, Feb. 5, 2009. Ervin Lupoe, 40, shot his wife Ana, and their children on Jan. 26.
Photos of the five Lupoe children are displayed during a memorial service for the family on Thursday, Feb. 5, 2009. Ervin Lupoe, 40, shot his wife Ana, and their children on Jan. 26.   (AP Photo/Jason Redmond)
A Sig Sauer 9mm pistol, a very popular gun used by Mexican drug cartels, is displayed at a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives' news conference Tuesday, April 28, 2009.
A Sig Sauer 9mm pistol, a very popular gun used by Mexican drug cartels, is displayed at a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives' news conference Tuesday, April 28, 2009.   (AP Photo/Pat Sullivan)
A member of Oakland Police Honor Guard stands at his post near the four caskets of the Oakland Police fficers shot in the line of duty Saturday, March 21, 2009.
A member of Oakland Police Honor Guard stands at his post near the four caskets of the Oakland Police fficers shot in the line of duty Saturday, March 21, 2009.   (AP Photo/Tony Avelar, Pool)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 5 comments
Robert_Dada
Apr 29, 2009 3:29 AM CDT
But the guns certainly help to project the bullets.
Mad
Apr 29, 2009 3:27 AM CDT
I, too, am continually amazed how little American's care about gun violence. I've thought about this many times. I've concluded America was born of the gun, and raised with the gun. From Colonial times, to routing out the indians, to kicking ass in WWII to becoming the world's watchdog, to starting unnecessary wars, America LOVES her guns. Yet, during your lunch hour, three times more Americans will die from guns than have died from swine flu in the past year. That's over 80 American's a DAY are killed by guns. Why is this meaningless to you?!?
Fondue
Apr 29, 2009 2:34 AM CDT
Exactly

Gun violence has become part of culture
Florida Times-Union

Guns make violence too easy
New York Times

America dangerously numb to violence
US News & World Report

 
Mexico • gun control • United States • drug cartel • shooting • deaths • gun violence • swine flu

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