To anyone claiming gun control reduces death or crime, explain this:

If you compare the FBI Uniform Crime Report murder rate for each state and the Brady Campaign rank for each state, there is no relation between Brady rank and murder rate.

Do it yourself at http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/ucr/crime-in-the-u.s/2011/crime-in-the-u.s.-2011/tables/table-4 and at http://www.bradycampaign.org/xshare/stateleg/scorecard/2011/2011_Brady_Campaign_State_Scorecard_Rankings.pdf

The 10 states tied at 39th by Brady rank have murder rates from 2.5 to 7.5 per 100,000. For comparison, the national average is 4.7. California, rated best for gun control, has a murder rate of 4.8, more than double of worst-rated Utah’s 1.9. Number one Brady state California is 32nd for murder rate. Dead last Brady state Utah is seventh best for murder rate. The Brady rank and murder rate just don’t match.

If gun control works, it should save lives and reduce crime. If anyone can reliably evaluate a state’s gun control, the Brady Campaign should be able to. If anyone can provide useful murder rates, the FBI should be able to. Using what should be reliable numbers, a state’s gun control doesn’t seem to have any relation to murder rate. If it doesn’t reduce murder, should we be considering gun control?

Ed Crowell

Cedar Rapids