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From: faustus@ucbcad.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.politics
Subject: Re: Re: handgun control
Message-ID: <44@ucbcad.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 3-Jan-85 02:08:55 EST
Article-I.D.: ucbcad.44
Posted: Thu Jan  3 02:08:55 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 4-Jan-85 08:06:44 EST
References: <245@gargoyle.UChicago.UUCP> <268@ccice6.UUCP> <162@mhuxr.UUCP>  <1296@dciem.UUCP> <407@whuxl.UUCP>
Organization: UC Berkeley CAD Group, Berkeley, CA
Lines: 20

> Actually unless you consider death superior to life, guns are worse than
> knives.  You are six times more likely to be killed if assaulted with a
> gun than if assaulted with a knife.  Moreover, since assault with a knife
> generally requires close contact (unless the assailant happens to be
> an expert knife thrower and willing to bet that one throw hits the mark
> and doesn't wind up with the same knife being used by the victim)
> there is a greater chance for struggle and flight.
> If all criminals were armed only with knives there would be a lot more
> victims alive today.

I suspect that many more victims would be seriously injured and maimed
for life if knifing attacks were more common. When you consider the
difference between being shot with a .22, where the bullet probably
passes right though you and mainly causes a lot of bleeding, and having
your stomach ripped open with a 8" knife... With higher caliber guns,
of course, the damage is greater, but since most handguns are things
like .22's and short .38's, it seems that the damage done would be much
less.

	Wayne