A press release and the pdf file of the study is available at.....
http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/press/releases/press2192002.html http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/press/releases/trauma_article.pdf
This study raises a lot of questions that need answering before I would be willing to accept this study as valid for anything other than an attempt for one side of the issue to spin things their way.....
for an alternative spin to this study.....
(I prefer to let folks read each for themselves and make their own decisions - arguing or debating without reading the actual study one's case is being built upon has been my downfall for far too much of my life. I am trying to change.)
I suggest the following.............
http://www.keepandbeararms.com/Oberle/harvard.htm
Whether it's economics, the death of children, or the popularity of a sitting president, cooking the numbers on any side of the issue helps no one in the long run. The belief of the folks who ran the study or promote it may indeed be true, but this study does not provide us with anything approaching clear fact.
I do not like guns, but I am unwilling to support the removal of guns from private ownership. It is a topic that bothers me because the more I read the more I believe that there is no either/or solution to it. I want things to be clear cut. The issue of gun control is anything but.
L.A.
(I am not looking to get into a flame war nor am I wanting to deal with this issue in attack mode for any of the sides one could possibly take. I have more of that then I need on other lists. I simply offer the above in the hopes that some might address the issue from a position that holds the research to a higher standard than emotional approval (or disapproval)).
I reserve the right to change my mind and my life based upon new information presented to which I did not have prior awareness or upon review of previously read information seen in a different light. In other words......I remain open to being wrong about anything I currently now believe. But I need more than this study has provided in order to accept it's opinions without doubt. Hopefully it will promote further evaluation.
The real problem (regardless of my agreement or disagreement with either view expressed in the above links) is that our children are killing and being killed, many times in situations where rage spills over into physical manifestation. Promoting gun education (similar to promoting sex education) is definitely needed. Even more, however, children (and their parents) could benefit by the promotion of teaching folks how to deal with strong emotions through a variety of conflict resolution skills. Something which I believe the US public education system (and some private schools as well) does not do.