Two articles caught my attention yesterday. One was from the Free Beacon, about school shootings-
That count, created by Everytown for Gun Safety, claims there have been 11 school shootings thus far in 2018. However, nearly all of the incidents included alongside the Marshall County shooting bear little or no resemblance to that shooting or other well-publicized school shootings, like those at Sandy Hook Elementary or Columbine High School. None of the other events included in the gun-control group’s count feature more than one injury, most featured no injuries at all, and one involved a BB gun being shot at a school bus window.
Full article, HERE.
Another one is from the NRA, about the VPC-
Last week, the Violence Policy Center shared their analysis of 2016 fatal injury statistics, which are released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and available for public analysis. VPC’s headline: HERE.
The full article HERE, from the NRA.
It’s amazing what happens when you look at ALL the data, not just cherry picking what floats your boat! The left has a habit of skewing data to match their preconceived notion of what ‘they’ believe is the truth. Sadly, very few folks ever look at ALL the data to get an actual (bigger) picture of what the data says. I’m firmly convinced they count on that, especially with the younger generations that do ‘sound bites’, and don’t bother to look beyond the surface.
This is much like the climate debate, where they are trying to skew RAW data, or hide it completely, since it doesn’t match their agenda.
Sigh…
They’ll skew the numbers, cherry-pick their data, or flat-out lie to support their BS. It’s like their theory is “If the facts don’t fit the narrative, get different facts, even if you have to make them up.”
Sometimes I wish we could sue people for “Aggressive Stupidity.”
“especially with the younger generations that do ‘sound bites’”
And THAT’s the crux of the propaganda war. Hardly anyone reads the ‘replies’ in the comments section (if there even is one) that rebut and tear apart the BS in the Headline. The shallow thinkers just run with the original BS and treat it as fact.
Must annoy the propagandists that a few, too few IMO, do drill down and call them on their b.s.
“I read it in the headline. It must be true….”
Actually, I often read a headline looking for the facts to support it in the body, and there is nothing to support it.
Ok, so according to the VPC’s rankings Alaska has the greatest amount of gun violence per capita, while Massachusetts has the least. But, they show they figure this out by taking the number of “gun incidents”, and multiplying by 100,000 and then dividing by the number of folks in that state. Trouble is when you have a small number of folks in that state (Alaska 738 thousand and change) the result will be higher than the result from a state with more folks in it (Massachusetts 6.8+ million). It is the old less dilution, more pollution rule.
And I find it interesting that states like Illinois, Maryland and Michigan, who are in the news ALL the time for gun violence are not in the top five or the bottom five for best/worst states. When was the last time you read/heard about Alaska in the news for gun violence??
Definitely lies, damned lies and statistics. Because in the long run, it is all about feelings…bad, evil, black guns!!
(Wondering if there was an AR in pink or purple or blue, if those are better?)
Interesting how, during the years of dear Leader, the numbers rose instead of dropping precipitously, which you would have thought would be the case, according to their own numbers and rhetoric.
All- Good comments! Suz- That is a damn good question!
Posted from my iPhone.
I have a problem with any study based on government released figures from the 2009-2016 time period. Just look at how skewed the Census was, how unemployment numbers were vastly underreported, how hidden regulations and tariffs increased costs to consumers, how many crimes were committed by Christians vs how many were not committed by Islamic radicalists, the inflation rate and of course GDP.
All of these big statistical compilations were flagrantly manipulated to fit the agenda of the Enlightened One(tm).
Look at the number of deaths by ‘children with guns’ against ‘other children’ really meaning street thugs of mostly one minority shooting other street thugs of the same minority over illegal things and because these thugs are from 16yoa to 25yoa, the statistics show them as ‘children.’
I worked at a police department and saw the ways the crime stats were worked to show certain areas in a much more favorable light than the reality. Murders not being reported as murders to the FBI because the person was alive when they got to the hospital (died afterwards, victim of an assault, in the home, over drugs, what would be called a home invasion murder otherwise.)
Having seen first hand the “sausage making” that goes into studies/polls I don’t trust anything I can’t personally vouch for. And if there is a political aspect to the issue … forget it.
Andrew- Excellent point!
Stretch- Agreed!
OldNFO:
What I suppose surprises me the MOST with those who would seek to make the argument fit their agenda, is that they keep trying to shove that square peg in the round hole, expecting a perfect, air-tight fit, but still they make the attempt.
I guess they expect us to fall fr such tripe?
Funny how the truth keeps proving them wrong at every turn.
Good post and some VERY good comments.
Stay safe out there.
Bob- Thanks!
+1suz