Guns don't kill people, football kills people

created by CentrX

(idea) by CentrX (7.9 mon) (print) ? (I like it!) 1 C! Sat Jun 30 2001 at 19:35:55

According to the National School Safety Center, there were approximately fifteen 'school-associated deaths' caused by violent crime--including guns--during the 1999-2000 school year. That number is unchanged from the 1998-1999 school year, when fifteen students were killed by guns, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

By comparison, fifteen high school football players died during regular season and playoff games in 1999, according to the National Federation of State High School Associations.

Why no calls for 'reasonable' football control laws? Why no saturated media coverage as dead football players are carried off the field in stretchers? Why no class-action lawsuits against Spalding for manufacturing cheap Saturday Night Special footballs? Doing so would be no more silly than attacking the right to bear arms, which is a civil right explicitly protected in the Constitution.

(idea) by NSA (4.1 y) (print) ? (I like it!) Sat Jun 30 2001 at 20:20:55

I'll leave the issue of the "right to bear arms" (cough*in a well-regulated militia*cough) alone for now, though you have a point. Football does have rules: you can't just yank another player's mask, or pull them around by their testicles or whatever. Picture what would happen if high school football was regulated with regards to the amount of physical contact, making it less "violent". The sport is all about testosterone, men being men, and boys showing that they're turning into men. That's what the players seem to want , and it's what the audience wants. As I recall, it was a major argument against girls playing football: the boys would feel compelled to "pull their punches" so as not to hurt them (as well as some diversionary tactics involving the cost of extra locker rooms). Anyway, my point, and I do have one, is that so far at least, these 15 deaths per year are seemingly considered to be "acceptable losses", to ensure that the American institution of Manly Football continues uninterrupted and unadulterated.

As a Canadian, I'd like to point out that up here, we have parents who physically assault referees at their 8-year-old's hockey game. We can be just as bad.

(idea) by tongpoo (2.8 mon) (print) ? (I like it!) 1 C! Sat Jun 30 2001 at 23:09:37

CentrX says:

fifteen students were killed by guns, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. By comparison, fifteen high school football players died during regular season and playoff games in 1999

Actually, 15 deaths per year is a pretty high homicide rate considerning that this is happening at schools. In the age group of 15-19 in the United States, accident is the leading cause of death, followed by homicide. Of which, 82% of homicide involves firearms! If homicide rate is just as high as accidental death rate, I would be very worried.

1998 United States
TOP 2 LEADING CAUSES OF DEATH
Ages 15-19, All Races, Both Sexes

National Center for Injury Prevention and Control (http://webapp.cdc.gov/)

Unintentional Injuries and Adverse Effects
MV Traffic                         5,060   76.8%
not MV traffic related             1,530   23.2%
Total Deaths                       6,590
Homicide and Legal Intervention
Firearm                            1,898   82.1%
not firearm related                  413   17.9%
Total Deaths                       2,311

Death by firearms is a greater cause of death than non-MV related accidental injuries.

Statistics aside, homicide is intentional and malicious. These are kids who can't even legally consent, lurking around in schools with guns, never mind if they have a license or not. I haven't heard of any murderer use the self defense plea after school shootings. The proliferation and easy access to firearms is alarming, and that's why the papers are selling.

printable version
chaos

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