I've been told by those who oppose firearm restrictions that if we don't count suicides, gun violence in America is not so high.
As a future public health practitioner, how could I ignore suicide? Moreover, how could I ignore the fact that a gun is an attractive and effective tool for those whose ephemeral urge to end things can easily become permanent?
This writer in the NYT who suffers from periodic bouts of serious depression outlines the point beautifully:
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 38,364 Americans lost that fight in 2010 and committed suicide; 19,392 used a gun. No one ever attempted to break down my door in the early morning again, but I had an episode when my depression did come back in full force in the early winter of 2009... If I had purchased that gun and it had been in my possession, I'm not sure I would have been able to resist and would be here typing these words.
This succinct email was sent from my iPad.
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