Between the years 2000 and 2013 the amount of deaths by guns in America exceeded the amount of deaths caused by AIDS, drugs, wars, and terrorism combined. Even more shocking than this statistic is how unique this issue is to the United States. In the United States there are 29.7 homicides for every 1 million people. Switzerland, with the second highest rate in the world, has only 7.7. It is not that Americans are just more violent individuals, in fact the US ranks far below first for crimes rates other than gun violence (Lopez). The main cause of gun deaths is not even homicide, but rather suicide. With 21,175 deaths by firearm suicides per year in the United States, it is clear that America has an issue with gun mortalities (CDC). However,
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Suicide accounts for 61% of gun deaths, but still many people oppose that suicide is a gun related issue (Lopez). A common argument is that people with depression have many ways in which they can commit suicide, so whether they have a gun or not is irrelevant. The way in which someone attempts suicide is actually quite important though and further emphasizes the need to keep guns away from the mentally ill. An enormous 90% of those who survive suicide attempts do not end up actually taking their lives later on because suicide is an incredibly impulsive act (Adwar). However, suicide attempts involving guns are much more difficult to survive and therefore do not give people a second chance. Because of this, if people with mental illness did not have guns, the 58 suicides by gun that happen in America everyday could be prevented (Lopez). This also explains why it is not a coincidence that of developed countries, the United States ranks as a clear first in suicide rate and gun suicide rate (Masters). It is clear that keeping guns out of the hands of people who suffer from mental illness is important and necessary, but not something that the United States is successfully accomplishing at the moment. The reason for this is that many people oppose restricting the 2nd amendment right of all people, even including the mentally
Suicide accounts for 61% of gun deaths, but still many people oppose that suicide is a gun related issue (Lopez). A common argument is that people with depression have many ways in which they can commit suicide, so whether they have a gun or not is irrelevant. The way in which someone attempts suicide is actually quite important though and further emphasizes the need to keep guns away from the mentally ill. An enormous 90% of those who survive suicide attempts do not end up actually taking their lives later on because suicide is an incredibly impulsive act (Adwar). However, suicide attempts involving guns are much more difficult to survive and therefore do not give people a second chance. Because of this, if people with mental illness did not have guns, the 58 suicides by gun that happen in America everyday could be prevented (Lopez). This also explains why it is not a coincidence that of developed countries, the United States ranks as a clear first in suicide rate and gun suicide rate (Masters). It is clear that keeping guns out of the hands of people who suffer from mental illness is important and necessary, but not something that the United States is successfully accomplishing at the moment. The reason for this is that many people oppose restricting the 2nd amendment right of all people, even including the mentally