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Do we want the answer or not?

BY Dave Ross  on January 17, 2013 @ 6:33 am (Updated: 6:47 am - 1/17/13 )

This was a strange thing to hear the president say Wednesday: "And while year after year, even those who oppose modest gun safety measures have threatened to de-fund scientific or medical research into the causes of gun violence - I will direct the Centers for Disease Control to go ahead and study the best ways to reduce it."

I didn't realize that the gun lobby had worked to cut government funding for research into gun violence. That seems odd. That would be like car companies trying to prohibit research on air bags.

Yet, it turns out that in 1997, Congress imposed a moratorium that forbid the CDC to spend any federal money on research that could be used to "advocate or promote gun control." Because the gun lobby considered these studies propaganda. Even though many gun injuries occur in the families of gun owners - who the gun lobby is supposed to be protecting.

And here's another weird thing, I found that about the same number of Americans die in traffic accidents as by gunfire every year - a little over 30,000. But the number of traffic deaths has been dropping steadily - even as driving has increased - thanks to a lot of government-sponsored safety research.

There was also a dramatic decrease in gun-related deaths too, between 1994 and 1999, when the Brady Bill imposed a five day waiting period on gun purchases. But in 1999, when the waiting period was replaced with an instant background check, the number started creeping up again.

It would be interesting to find out if there's a link. But it was during that same period, Congress cut off the funding for gun research. I guess when you don't want to hear the answer, one solution is to make sure you don't ask the question.

Dave Ross, KIRO Radio Talk Show Host
Dave Ross is co-host of The Ross & Burbank Show on KIRO Radio (weekdays 9-Noon) and never too far from the spotlight.
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Comments (70)


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  • DesertRez wrote...
    If you reduce magazine size
    January 17, 2013 9:34 am
    The person only has 10 tries to wack themselves vs 30. Do it for the kids!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Zoeller wrote...
    I guess Dave and his leftist ilk want the rest of the USA-
    January 17, 2013 9:43 am
    To emulate Chicago (The leftist Utopia) with the strickest gun laws in the nation and 500 murders in 2012. Thanks Dave your gun controls seem to be working out great for America.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Rundee wrote...
    From my cold dead hands!!
    January 17, 2013 9:53 am
    Will it come to the above statement when nothing "substantial" is done "again". All the band-aids in the world won't help if we don't get to the root of the problem. If we don't, it takes away our freedom in the future. It's common sense Obama. Of all the coverage of Obama's speech, I heard very little of monitoring the crazy people (mentally ill) and their caregivers. If we keep the guns out of the crazies hands and get them the help they need, that would curve more gun violence than shortening a magazine's number of shots. Anybody with a couple hours of practice can swap clips in 3 seconds. And as far as banning assault weapons, check online and you can find out how to modify a semi-automatic gun to full auto. So it can, and will, happen again. When are we going to stop blaming everything else (video games, Hollywood, media)and look to the root of the problem? Answer: Never. Because we're all cowards.
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  • HLC wrote...
    If you have a ten round magazine and you want twenty.
    January 17, 2013 10:19 am
    Tape two of them together and if were in viet nam with me I would have shown you how to tape there together. Our mags were twenty rounds at that time.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • irony wrote...
    do you really want truth or just banning of guns
    January 17, 2013 10:20 am
    99.9% of gun owners and uses are for legal law abiding purposes. so why would you take away something from good people for the few crooked people. unless you also think alchohol or pot or cars should also be taken away because each of them kill much more people each year. this is the part where sane people realize that dave is a hypocrite, just like all the liberals in politics or hollywood who have armed protection. BUT NO WE CAN'T HAVE ARMED PROTECTION FOR OUR KIDS BECAUSE THAT WOULD COST TOO MUCH. HEY IT'S FOR THE KIDS FOR CRYIN' OUTLOUD.
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  • Ron_Spins wrote...
    http://www.boston.com/whitecoatnotes/2013/01/16/obama-pledges-funding-for-gun-violence-research-freedom-for-doctors-talking-about-gun-safety/V0URYhb2VwxCrL2jgxTt2H/story.html
    January 17, 2013 10:21 am
    President Obama "pledges" ????? Every "pledge" President Obama has ever made he has broke his words are worthless. The word pledge is for Obamabots to be assured the King is "on the job". Now doctors are prying around about guns I guess it's part of the Obamacare bedside manner.
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  • adkim67 wrote...
    Gun facts are so available, we already know the truth
    January 17, 2013 10:26 am
    You don't need more studies to know something so obvious.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Forrest wrote...
    I'll preface this by saying I'm against gun control. But...
    January 17, 2013 12:44 pm
    If you are really serious about reducing gun violence, then we are talking about the wrong type of gun. Hand guns and not assault rifles, are the primary weapon of mass murderers, muggers, robbers, crimes of passion and suicide victims. The sole purpose and design of a handgun is to take the life of another human being. Banning assault rifles and large capacity clips will do nothing. I'm against gun control including handguns. We really need to focus on treatment for the mentally ill and on meaningful jobs and education for intercity youth.
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  • Rick W7PSK wrote...
    MYNW.com' s Misleading headline
    January 17, 2013 1:00 pm
    Gun lobby operating like car company not interested in airbags
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • cigarfan wrote...
    The Gun lobby not in charge...........
    January 17, 2013 1:27 pm
    Congress is! The sooner we get rid of Assault weapons, the better.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Cigarillo wrote...
    @Cig-Saur
    January 19, 2013 4:17 pm
    Get rid of "assault weapons"?? How the H-E-double toothpicks am I going to mow down the marauding hordes of socialists when they come running down the culdesac for my canned food and women? Seriously, you little "guns are icky" girls should stay out of the gun debate.
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