Compare and Contrast

An interesting pair of statistics. From the Bellingham Herald:

Homicide drops off US list of top causes of death
For the first time in almost half a century, homicide has fallen off the list of the nation's top 15 causes of death, bumped by a lung illness that often develops in elderly people who have choked on their food.

The 2010 list, released by the government Wednesday, reflects at least two major trends: Murders are down, and deaths from certain diseases are on the rise as the population ages, health authorities said.

Homicide was overtaken at No. 15 by pneumonitis, seen mainly in people 75 and older. It happens when food or vomit goes down the windpipe and causes deadly damage to the lungs.

This is the first time since 1965 that homicide failed to make the list, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

CDC link (PDF document) is here And, from Lew Rockwell:

Gun Ownership Rises to All-Time High, Violent Crime Falls to 35-Year Low
Coinciding with a surge in gun purchases that began shortly before the 2008 elections, violent crime decreased six percent between 2008 and 2009, including an eight percent decrease in murder and a nine percent decrease in robbery. Since 1991, when violent crime peaked, it has decreased 43 percent to a 35-year low. Murder has fallen 49 percent to a 45-year low. At the same time, the number of guns that Americans own has risen by about 90 million. Predictions by gun control supporters, that increasing the number of guns, particularly handguns and so-called �assault weapons,� would cause crime to increase, have been proven profoundly lacking in clairvoyance.

With (of course) lots of links to the facts. As Robert Anson Heinlein said so wonderfully:

An armed society is a polite society.
Manners are good when one may have to back up his acts with his life.