Baths kill more Japanese then guns kill Americans

[Pholus]

133. I appreciate your point. This point, not your OP.

Which was hyperbolic in its structure. When I see a post like that, I do admit to trolling back from time to time because usually it can be counted on to lead to some fairly silly discussions.

Your point in this post is good. Perhaps you should have emphasized it more clearly in the OP.

I'll answer your question in the spirit in which it was intended. Given PREVENTABLE deaths (and presuming you weren't telling me I had the cure to cancer sitting in my file cabinet) then yes, firearms deaths are still in the top 10. Definitely below Tobacco, Alcohol and Obesity (one of which I am guilty of) but I think those get a bit more press, lawsuits or regulation right now anyway. The third rail nature of gun regulation makes it a hot topic, regardless of how the actual laws are written. Add to that the absolutism of some gun owners and it becomes easy to pick on them.

When things are this entrenched, reasonable legislation will never occur anyway. I go target shooting with my friends (shocking as no "gun-grabber" should do that) and my state has a "no high capacity magazine" law but face it almost everyone has one, just like fireworks it's a joke cause you just drive across the state line and you can buy one. People see that so even when there ARE effective and reasonable laws you get the perception that the laws are not working. Attempts to add new laws end up entrenched battles where each side takes an extreme position (NEITHER side in the public's best interest) and they fight to win. That ALWAYS leads to a win for us all, right?

The NRA does not help. At one point there were a moderating voice and even a proponent of common sense laws that balanced the needs of sport hunters and people who need a gun for self defense with public safety. Those days are long gone.

Pity.