Misleading letter on guns in homes

Regarding the letter by Thomas Mannard in the Nov. 17 Fence Post, his citation of the statistical danger of firearms in the home is wrong.

He states that a firearm in the home is more likely to be used in a suicide or unintentional shooting than self-defense. He cites no study as his authority for his assertion. The actual study that his interpretation is based on (by a gun control group), found that a resident is more likely to be killed than an intruder. This is clearly not the same thing.

How many civilians are trained to shoot to kill? The vast majority of self-defense uses of firearms do not involve death, many do not involve injury and a large number do not even involve the firing of the firearm. Accidental deaths by firearm are at a per capita low, according to the National Safety Council. The fact is, firearms are used far more often for self-defense (per researcher Gary Kleck, University of Florida).

Mr. Mannard should stop, intentionally or unintentionally, misleading people.

Ernie Knight

Plainfield