© 2012
Michael Swickard, Ph.D. Data
does not lie. It is exactly what it is regardless of political implications people
would like the data to support. Data is numbers and words and graphs from which
we can argue conclusions. Data is just data in and of itself. People can use data
to make decisions. That is the textbook way we in our society are supposed to
make decisions. We should look at the data and then proceed as the data
suggests.
While data does not take a side in a debate, people have wants and cares and desires which they argue for and sometimes try to use data to convince others as to the validity of their viewpoint. Data may be neutral, but people lie and misuse data. People use data for purposes not supported by the data. Worse, Americans have great debates without ever looking at the data.
In our society there is a great debate, no, that is not right. No one is debating, everyone is just emoting their feelings about guns without regard for data. Even though there may be data, most often it is ignored if it does not help make their desired political point. Our news media does not present balanced reports; it generally looks for stories that support their political agenda. They ignore data that does not support their views.
You do not believe such a thing? Here is proof: in all of the stories about gun violence, have you seen any stories about when having and using a gun is good? People use guns to make things better every day and the mainstream media does not cover the good use of guns. But they are quick to shout when guns are used for bad purposes.
Our society is not really having a discussion about firearms as much as a shouting match. Some people think there is a legislative way to have a society without any violence if guns are banned. That is not supported by data from other countries. More so, we do not parse our gun data to see which uses of guns fall in several categories. There is gang on gang gun violence that no amount of laws will change since gangs do not follow laws. In Mexico all guns are banned and there is more gun violence that anywhere else in North America.
There is also types of violence where if a gun is not handy, a knife will be used. What we really want for data is the attacks on citizens that might have been either prevented or made better if the victims were armed. We are not having that dialog because the mainstream media already has decided that America must be disarmed to be made safe.
So what we need for our debate are the positives and negatives of guns in our society from the neutral data. This seems a simple quest because we have so much data. We need a clear-eyed look at guns in the hands of citizens since the only people that more gun laws will actually effect are the law abiding citizens. They follow laws and the law-breakers, well, break laws. We are not enforcing the gun laws now for the law-breakers. How stupid is it to make more laws when we are not enforcing the laws we have on the books?
It is a tough debate because we believe our beliefs about guns much like whether we believe in Global Warming or our belief that aliens landed in Roswell. Just beliefs, do not try to use data points because we are dealing with beliefs.
And for Americans who want to be defenseless, I am all for them meeting their fate as they so wish to meet it, eyes open and fully aware. Me, I wish to fight back if I am attacked. The sticking point is that some people want me defenseless and that is what I cannot abide.
What I am willing to do is to have an unbiased look at the data. I would like to start with the questions rather than starting with the answers that fit a political agenda. Let us endeavor to use the data rather than emotions as we debate gun control.
Dr. Michael Swickard is co-host of radio talk show News
New Mexico 6 to 9 a.m. Monday - Friday on a number of New Mexico radio
stations and through streaming. Email: michael@swickard.com
