Alcohol control vs. Gun control?

Question

Which one should be the more important political topic?

Just for kicks, I decided to look up some statistics about firearm related deaths in the US and compare them to alcohol related deaths in the US.

According to the CDC, alcohol was the contributing factor in almost 76,000 deaths in 2001. 35,000 of those deaths were caused by chronic health related conditions associated with alcohol. That still leaves 41,000 deaths such as DUI related, suicide, and accidents. The Brady Campaign website statistics for 2004 attributed close to 30,000 deaths to firearms.

If alcohol is killing more Americans than guns are, then why don't we hear an outcry for stiffer alcohol laws and enforcement? Why is it that teenagers (or adults, for that matter) can walk in and buy alcohol with little more than a glance at an ID, but I have to have a background check, go through a waiting period, and fill out all kinds of paperwork to purchase a gun?

Does anyone else see the hypocrisy in this?

Answer 1

I have no doubt that what you say is factual, however, Prohibition was tried and didn't work...and guns are a Constitutional right. You could never outlaw alcohol permanently and you could never make it a certainty that bad guys don't have guns. Is it not the enforcement of either gun and alcohol sales that is the issue really. In my state you can't buy alcohol "to go" on Sunday but you can sit in a bar, get pasted and drive your car into oncoming traffic. I would like to see reasonable attempts at legislation to curb the misuse of both, not the outlawing of things that are reasonable human rights

Answer 2

You present a provoking discussion. In my opinion the laws in place for both have hypocrisy when it comes to being enforced.
The trouble I see similar is large amounts of money behind alcohol & cigarette companies and the NRA. Add the influence on politicians paid or otherwise.
Gun laws have been altered alot more in the past several years. That I find disturbing.
Good question, those are my thoughts if they matter :)

Answer 3

The main purpose of guns is to kill, more quickly and efficiently than other weapons. Alcohol is used as a recreational beverage. Many more people consume alcohol on more occasions than people use guns. Your statistics therefore should be adjusted to reflect the more widespread use of alcohol. While I think that alcohol should be regulated and that alcohol-related crimes such as drunk driving should be severely punished, strict gun control is absolutely necessary.

Answer 4

You don't have to guess. Here is what she actually said, extemporaneously: This is from the book Ayn Rand Answers, which covers the Q&A periods after her public speeches. "I do not know enough about [gun control] to have an opinion, except to say that it's not of primary importance. Forbidding guns or registering them is not going to stop criminals from having them; nor is it a great threat to the private, noncriminal citizen if he has to register the fact that he has a gun. It's not an important issue, unless you're ready to begin a private uprising right now, which isn't very practical." (1971) "[Gun control] is a complex, technical issue in the philosophy of law. Handguns are instruments for killing people--they are not carried for hunting animals--and you have no right to kill people. You do have the right to self-defense, however. I don't know how the issue is to be resolved to protect you without giving you the privilege to kill people at whim." (1973) "I have given [gun control] no thought at all and, off-hand, I would say, no, the government shouldn't control guns except in very marginal forms. I don't think it's very important because I don't think it is in physical terms that the decisions and the fate of this country will be determined. If this country falls apart altogether, if the government collapses bankrupt, your having a handgun in your pocket isn't going to save your life. What you would need is ideas and other people who share those ideas and fighting towards a proper civilized government, not handguns for personal protection." (1980) Contrary to the opinion of some, she didn't venture into areas where she judged she didn't know enough.

Answer 5

i was studying about Islam and Muslims, see in their religion it is illegal and forbidden by God that they consume alcohol in any means. And those who consume alcohol and damned by God in the afterworld and in life, their prayers are not accepted for 60 days from the day of alcohol consumption.

and the list goes on, Muslims are pretty strict about consuming alcohol regarding their religion (ISLAM), I think they have a pretty good point there which probably explains why we have so many death related issues from alcohol...

I think we should learn something from the Muslims

Answer 6

For a long time, it was illegal to buy, sell, drink, deliver, alcohol. It didn't work. Alcohol was sold by organized crime. Anybody who wanted a drink of alcohol could easily find it.
Laws are useless unless they can be enforced. If people want alcohol they'll find it - - - law or no law. Same for guns.

Answer 7

I think you put the answer in your question. If we didn't have such strict gun control, we would have many more gun-related deaths.

Answer 8

If alcohol triggers violence, then perhaps alcohol control with also aid gun control.

Answer 9

alcohol killes only kill only one person who drinks but gun my cause hasdards ,even alchole causes problams but alchole controle is must becouse the person who drinks may kill others with the help of gun becouse of his mamory loss so i conclude alcohol is the best politics

Answer 10

Because People Are Dumb. I Agree With You. Definitely Hypocrisy.