The death stats you list are GUN death stats. Of course places with more guns will have more gun related deaths. Those numbers aren't even homicides. They are total death rates including accidents and suicides. Not to mention the data is ridiculously out of date. The Canada data is from 1992 which is before most Canadian gun legislation was even in place. So basically your numbers have nothing to do with the rest of your post.
Gun laws are so varied in the states that it doesn't make any sense to compare at the national level. If you look at the state by state breakdown, the states with the most restrictive gun laws are also the ones with the highest murder rates. The District of Columbia completely banned handguns until 2008, but had the highest murder rate by a lot. To the tune of 46.4 per 100,000 in 2004.
Compare that to the states with the loosest gun laws and you'll see they often have rates in the 1 or 2 per 100,000 range.
I have absolutely no problem with using this technology at our borders, scanning cars parked on the departures curb at the airport, etc. I wouldn't want it roving through my neighborhood, though, and it probably won't because good luck prosecuting anything uncovered by this under normal circumstances (i.e. where Kyllo applies).
I would be all for it if it actually meant AT THE BORDER. The problem lies in "at the border" being legally defined as "within 100 miles of the border". According to the ACLU, two thirds of US citizens live within that range.
Slashdot Mirror
The death stats you list are GUN death stats. Of course places with more guns will have more gun related deaths. Those numbers aren't even homicides. They are total death rates including accidents and suicides. Not to mention the data is ridiculously out of date. The Canada data is from 1992 which is before most Canadian gun legislation was even in place. So basically your numbers have nothing to do with the rest of your post.
Gun laws are so varied in the states that it doesn't make any sense to compare at the national level. If you look at the state by state breakdown, the states with the most restrictive gun laws are also the ones with the highest murder rates. The District of Columbia completely banned handguns until 2008, but had the highest murder rate by a lot. To the tune of 46.4 per 100,000 in 2004.
Compare that to the states with the loosest gun laws and you'll see they often have rates in the 1 or 2 per 100,000 range.
Source
Sounds like you're part of the problem...
I have absolutely no problem with using this technology at our borders, scanning cars parked on the departures curb at the airport, etc. I wouldn't want it roving through my neighborhood, though, and it probably won't because good luck prosecuting anything uncovered by this under normal circumstances (i.e. where Kyllo applies).
I would be all for it if it actually meant AT THE BORDER. The problem lies in "at the border" being legally defined as "within 100 miles of the border". According to the ACLU, two thirds of US citizens live within that range.