The Jan. 19 cartoon “A Weapon Guide for the Uninformed” should have been labeled “Misinformation for the Uninformed.” The cartoonist, Michael Ramirez, rightly points out that mass shootings kill few people relative to other causes of death, such as auto accidents. But he sadly picks misinformation over information for the “uninformed” to digest.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, firearms killed 32,163 Americans in 2011, which is about the same as auto accidents. Ramirez focuses on only a subset of firearms deaths, rather than their full number. In addition, he shows automobile deaths as a total, then shows an additional subset of that same data as drunk driving. That is, the cartoonist undercounts deaths from guns, and overcounts deaths for auto accidents.
Comments
The numbers are correct for "homicides", which is what the carton indicates.
Thank you for your letter. That cartoon had left me doubtful--the numbers did not seem to jibe with the kinds of numbers I had come across in news stories and other sources of information. Cartoons are indeed a great way to make a point--but they are only effective when they do rely on true and correct information. I hope the Globe doesn't publish more cartoons by Ramirez.
Ever look at the Globe's Dan Wasserman's political cartoons? His numbers NEVER add up.
You are responsible for how you read it. Obviously you recognized that drunk driving was a "subset" of total auto deaths, you do know what a "subset" is, right" Part of the whole? So you did read it right, why are you beefing?
If we want to show all numbers as you suggest, and then say that things need to be "regulated" because of the number of deaths involved, the conclusion would be that both autos and guns need more regulation.
You missed the point of the cartoon completely, the point is that anti gun nuts are going after an item that has very little impact on homicide rates. Get it now?