Posted on 04/19/2023 5:09:32 AM PDT by rellimpank
But it is also a fundamentally disingenuous statistic that, rather than illuminating, obscures the problem of firearm deaths in those under 20.
Put simply, virtually no study on any scientific issue considers the broad grouping of ages 1-19 a single cohort. This grouping encompasses toddlers, preschoolers, elementary school children, adolescents and young adults. Is there any logic in combining those too young to walk with those learning to ride a bicycle with those who are driving cars? Unfortunately, this is how the CDC has defined children, thereby conflating vastly different circumstances. The CDC cherry-picking of who is considered a child extends even further because infants under one year of age have been excluded. The causes of death in the “under 1 age group” have little to do with firearms and their inclusion would disrupt the narrative.
The differences matter. Combining such different age groups makes for a heart wrenching headline but is not especially good science. True, every death has guns in common, but the circumstances in the various age groups are vastly different (as are the guns involved in these deaths.)
In the younger groups, with the exception of a relatively small (but still terrible) number of accidental deaths, firearms are not a particularly significant factor. Once children become pre-teens, suicide by gun begins to show up as a more important cause of death, but there are still considerably fewer deaths than caused by accidents and motor vehicles. It is teenage homicides that comprise 60% of all the firearm deaths, and this accounts for the “leading cause in ages 1-19” statistic. Moreover, if the disproportionately high number of gun deaths in 18 and 19-year-olds is considered separately, the meme that “guns are the leading cause of death in our children” is no longer true.
(Excerpt) Read more at johnkassnews.com ...
Definitely. Plus, who calls 18 and 19 year olds “children”? Ridiculous.
People who cannot define what a “woman” is, cannot define what a “child” is, either.
Words have meanings, that up until fairly recently, there was little question about any ambiguity of that meaning. But destroying language, introducing a baffling new set of “pronouns”, and being harshly combative when the wrong “pronoun” is used, or anything about “gender” is challenged, is just picking a cause for fight where none none existed before.
The same with the definition regarding the age of the “child”. in some interpretations, this may include an offspring still living in parents’ basement, up to the age of 26, clearly a distortion of what is meant by “child”.
Many more than at all necessary are retreating into the cozy comfort of “child” when the real problem is failure to launch. There is a fine art to determining the point at which a “launch” should take place, and not enough parents pay attention to the technique.
Sometimes the guidance is not at all clear.
Deep within a forest, a little turtle began to climb a tree. After hours of effort, he reached the top, jumped into the air waving his front legs, and crashed to the ground.
After recovering, he slowly climbed the tree again, jumped, and fell to the ground. The turtle tried again and again while a couple of birds sitting on a branch watched his sad efforts.
Finally, the female bird turned to her mate. “Dear,” she chirped, “I think it’s time to tell him he’s adopted.”
Someone who can be in a shelter in the mountains of Afghanistan with a sniper rifle is, probably, not a child.
18/19 year-olds are legal adults. Really? They don’t know much of anything. One at that age who commits murder is a ‘teenager’ in the MSM’s eyes. Their naiveté gets taken advantage of in business-too easily led.
My idea: Make adulthood start at 20. That means no voting. The only exceptions are those teenagers serving their country in the military. Their ultimate(potential) sacrifice makes them responsible adults.
I might even include those few that get married-all those responsibilities.
The fact is life is like baking bread in the oven. The time is up but the bread is not fully baked.
When my father was 18, he left military school, and began college, where he met my mother. When he was sent away to fight (WWII) they quickly married, and in the year after, became parents.
When my FIL was 17, he became a young lieutenant leading a group of men older than he was who didn’t have the military training he had received in military school. He fought in trenches and had malaria 6 times before he was sent home for good, where he met his wife, my MIL.
When I turned 18, I was allowed to vote and to drink alcohol. I was considered a young adult, and I acted that way. I was off on my own as soon as I went away to college, only to return to visit between quarters.
When my kids were 18, they were allowed to vote, but the drinking age had been raised to 21. Only one of the three lived at home after leaving high school, and then only until he was 21. He boomeranged a year later, but then moved out for good when he was 23. It was hard for him, but he figured it out.
These days there are a lot of people who are young adults until they’re 25 or 26. Society is delaying allowing our kids to mature. They are delaying marriage and the responsibilities of adulthood.
I cannot and will not call 18-26 year olds “children”. They are young adults. We need to stop using the wrong terns so that they can learn responsibility. Life isn’t a free ride, but we’re trying to protect our offspring from bumps and bruises they need to get so that they can grow up and become productive adults.
I agree. See my post 6 about my father and father in law.
Great post.
And the politically incorrect fact, is that a big number of “teenagers” involved in so called gun violence, are in criminal gangs. They gloss over the criminal behavior and talk of them as if they are school age children.
Oh yes, that’s another thing they do to twist the numbers.
Military service isnt the only way, however I understand the sentiment.
Had a fake (paper) ID at 14 that got me a job in a plant driving a forklift and operating machinery. Contributed to the household and basically supported myself from then on.
Wife graduated at 17 and was working with people ten years her senior within a month.
Society has lowered their expectations too much but it’s not universal.
It’s all a communist plot. Think about it.
Keeping people out of the work force so that there’s less competition for unions and government jobs. Park your rear end for 4(to 6) years at a university and avoid work. Raise the minimum wage so young folks remain unemployed. 52 weeks of unemployment insurance? Come on.
Parents health care until age 26. Pretty smart I’d say.
Those statistics could probably be broken down even farther.
if they want to glass over the murder of three white "teens" then the perps of a different color are called "boys"...."these boys"...
*Society has lowered their expectations too much but it’s not universal.*
You’re on to something. How about allowing teenagers to take the GED test and leave school if they pass? Whoever said K-12 has to take 12 years? Law school is 3 years then the BAR exam. One can home school and if they pass the BAR they can practice law.
Why is a diploma better than a GED? Think of all those ‘graduates’ out there that can’t read. If one passes the GED you can be sure they can read.
Agree 100%
My youngest was reading at 10th grade elvel at age 6
The last few years of high school for me was a total waste and a repeat of stuff I had learned in a better environment.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.