January 23, 2024

CDC Report on Gun Homicide Rate (not what you think)

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an organization that had fervently sought increased taxpayer funding for "gun violence research," has recently published a report that brings forth significant implications. In an unexpected turn of events, the report points to a decrease in firearm-related homicides during the year 2022. This revelation holds particular significance considering that 2022 occurred during the zenith of a 50-month period in which the American public witnessed a substantial surge in firearm purchases, largely attributed to events such as the pandemic and the George Floyd Summer of Love.

The contradiction between this data and the prevalent belief that more firearms translate into a higher mortality rate is nothing short of perplexing. A common argument contends that possessing a firearm in one's home amplifies the probability of self-inflicted harm rather than serving as a means of safeguard against criminal activities. Therefore, the reduction in fatalities comes across as counterintuitive.

This new information should be disheartening for proponents of stricter gun control. The provisional data from the CDC for 2022 reveals a firearm-related death rate of 5.9 per 100,000 people, signifying a 6% decrease compared to 2021. However, it is worth noting that these figures still remain significantly higher than the 2019 rate, which stood at 4.4 deaths per 100,000.

The implications of this data are profound and unfavorable for advocates of stringent gun control measures. The situation is so disconcerting that it has even prompted the White House to try to claim credit for the reduction, an assertion that has been met with more amusement than serious consideration.

Organizations such as Michael Bloomberg's The Trace have attempted to present this information in a different light, yet the underlying message remains disappointing for those on the anti-gun side of the debate.

While several media outlets reluctantly acknowledged the decrease in the gun homicide rate for 2022, they were quick to emphasize that it still exceeded the 2019 levels, a year that precedes the pandemic, the Summer of Love, the ascent of "progressive" prosecutors, the implementation of decarceration policies, and the passage of zero bail laws. This observation raises a pertinent question: How much further could the rate have fallen if the policies and political climate of 2019 were still in effect in 2022?

According to data from the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), Americans purchased at least 16.5 million firearms in 2022, based on their adjusted background check statistics. It is important to note that in over 20 states, individuals with carry permits are exempt from undergoing background checks, suggesting that the actual number of firearms owned by Americans might be even higher. This data lends support to the idea that an increase in firearm ownership coincides with a decrease in crime, a notion that challenges prevailing beliefs.

This correlation is not without precedent. The period spanning from 1994 to 2019 witnessed a substantial decline in homicides and overall violent crime within the United States, even as the number of civilian-owned firearms doubled. This should have, logically, debunked the notion that more firearms result in increased criminal activity and higher mortality rates. However, this message failed to resonate widely, primarily due to the vested interests of the anti-gun lobby and their allies in the media, who are deeply entrenched in the "gun safety" advocacy industry.

Consequently, it is unlikely that the mainstream media will champion the reduction in homicides observed in the previous year. Acknowledging such a trend might briefly prompt the public to question the veracity of the narrative that portrays guns as a menace, as perpetuated by anti-gun activists. Nonetheless, this report raises essential questions that warrant further investigation and reflection.