Incalculable Harm

While I strongly endorse the Poodle’s premise that there are too many gun deaths in the United States, the subtitle “United States Has the Highest Rate of Gun Deaths on the Planet” is not correct. The U.S. leads only developed countries in firearm deaths, not less developed ones.

In public health, firearm deaths include homicides, suicides, and accidental gun discharges. In terms of firearm death rates (per 100,000 people), the United States isn’t even in the top 10. El Salvador, Venezuela, Guatemala, Greenland (territory), and Colombia lead that list.

In terms of total deaths, six countries in the Americas account for half of the world’s firearm deaths. In terms of total deaths, the United States is second to Brazil. he U.S. leads only developed countries in firearm deaths, not less developed ones.

People interested in fleeing to countries with the lowest rates should go to Singapore (safest in the world), China, Oman, Japan, or Taiwan.

The United States needs to act, but gun violence is one of the greatest public health crises of our time in many countries of the world.