Category: Uncategorized

China’s Grip Tightens. Makes me sad. 

Read this story: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-40651951

It’s entitled, “Is WhatsApp Being Censored In China?”

I don’t know if it is, and it’s been a couple years since I lived there, but it wouldn’t surprise me. The number of apps, messaging services, and news reports being censored in China has been growing tremendously. 

News that any discussion or mentions of Liu Xiaobo and the darkly shrouded circumstances of his death have been wiped from all media in China too is sad. I love China, but it absolutely is a love-hate relationship because I hate that so much information is being kept from their people. 

Granted, I know the United States keeps a lot of information from its people too. And I know the United States has its share of devious politicians and machinating bureaucrats, but it’s certainly not so blatant. 

I often wonder which is worse: the Chinese government censoring everything and everyone knows it, or the Western governments hiding things from us, but without most people knowing–because of course much is kept from us. Food for thought–because in China, since everything political is censored and free speech doesn’t exist, it means no one ever really has political discussions, so no friendships are lost and rarely do tempers flare over such issues.  So there is a plus side–sort of. 

But truky, the most chilling part of that article I just posted is that apparently China is starting to blocks the VPNs themselves. And worse, is starting to censor the content of private messsages. For the first time, I learned that WeChat (which I use to communicate with all my many friends in China) is unencrypted.  Intuitively, I guess I always knew that, because I knew the Chinese government was always watching us, but I don’t think it hit me as forcefully as it did just today. They are reading all of our messages–and that’s disturbing. 

Please don’t be scared of President Trump: here’s my olive branch.

by Dr. Monroe Mann, PhD, Esq, MBA, LLM, ME

Yes, I voted for Trump.

But today I write this as an American.  Specifically, as an American who knows the pain that half of America is feeling right now.  And as an American who wants to help build across the divide.

I wrote a text to some Hillary supporter friends of mine earlier.  Letting them know I still loved them, and that I was grateful for their friendship.  One was surprised that I wasn’t gloating that Trump had won, because all of his friends on Facebook were shoving it in his face.

This is what I wrote in response: “It’s funny you mention that.  Being off Facebook and Twitter [I deleted my accounts last year] has made me a better man.  It forces me to think more before making jerk reactions (Trump will need to learn that too, and I think his victory speech showed that he is becoming a better man too).  But I thought about gloating.  I really did.  But I realized that Hillary’s supporters are hurting and crying so much.  So painful.  I don’t want to add to that.  Their pain alone is already too much to bear.  And they are so scared that Trump is going to destroy this country and their way of life.  I want to be part of the solution and not the problem.  I reached out and offered my condolences and friendship to those I knew might be feeling pretty low, as I did to you.  I want everyone to give him a chance.  The best way to do that is to be restrained, polite, and empathetic.  Because I know that I would like your support and friendship if Trump had lost.  And he could have.  Up to the 11th hour.  I wouldn’t want to be kicked while I was down.  Maybe ten years ago, I would not have acted this way.  But today, it’s the type of person I tried to be.  We are all Americans.  Democrat and Republican and Independent.”

So today, I want to share three reasons why I believe you should give President-Elect Trump a chance.  I offer these as a measure of true friendship, from one countryman to another, with no agenda whatsoever.  And as sincerely as I possibly can.

  1. Please click this link:  https://www.donaldjtrump.com/policies/   This is a link to his campaign website’s exhaustive list of every policy he intends to implement.  Please, before you spend another day crying, first go here.  Read the truth about the policies he intends to implement–many may pleasantly surprise you.  You may not agree with all of them, but I have a feeling you will be less scared about what the future holds.  Moving forward knowing the FACTS of what he stands for, rather than speculation, will do a lot to calm your nerves  Do not read the newspapers.  Do not watch Fox News or CNN or MSNBC.  Just click that link above and read the facts from the official website.
  2. Please remember that I (and many other conservative Americans) lost in 2008, and again in 2012.  When Barack Obama was elected the first time, we thought our country was doomed.  When he was elected a second time, we despaired more than ever before.  Barack Obama to us was what Donald Trump is to you: SCARY AND UNFATHOMABLE. (I am merely talking about policies).  And yet, 8 years later… the country is still here.  Republicans are still here.  Democrats are still here.  And you are still here.  It sucks.  I know.  And words mean little right now.  But I want you to know that you will survice, and more importantly, America will survive.  Trump is going to build on what Obama started, and continue to fix America’s healthcare system.  Trump is going to build up our military and destroy ISIS to make our nation safer.  And yes, maybe he will deport some people who are here illegally, and yes, maybe he will build a wall, but he has repeatedly said that if these individuals are non-violent, and agree to promote American values, they can return… legally… through our immigration system.  Sure, some of these things may not be politically appealing to you, but I assure you, he will not destroy the world or cause WWIII.  As I have said to many people, you may think he’s crazy, but if so, then so do our enemies.  And we all know how we act around these types of peopoe: YOU DON’T PROVOKE A CRAZY PERSON.  Do you?  I don’t believe he is crazy, but let’s say he is.  If so, he is probably the safest person to have the nuclear codes because the rest of the world has no idea what he will do if they provoke him… so they won’t.  In some ways I jest, but overall, I’m telling the truth.   Mark my words: Just as I survived 8 years under Obama, you too will survive a mere 4 years under Trump.  And if he doesn’t do a good job, that’s why we have elections.  Don’t be angry at this result; instead, start preparing NOW for Election 2020.  Take your frustration and anger… and channel it into productivity towards the next election.  Because the race has already started.  And you do your party no good if you continue to mope around complaining.  What’s done is done.  He is Mr. President.  But if you work hard, you can put up a fight in 2020 and perhaps be consoling me!

  3. Be inspired.   Be inspired by all of the candidates.  I am totally serious.  Keep reading.I was inspired by Hillary Clinton tonight, as she graciously conceded while at the same time, motivated and inspired young women to realize how far she had come, and how far they can go.  We are going to have a female president in the near future, and why?  Because Hillary Clinton has paved the way.  This defeat for Clinton tonight was–to her–I can only imagine–DEBILITATING.  She has spent the last 30 years of her life working towards this.  And it turned at the 11th hour.  And yet, she gave the most amazing speech of her career.  A speech that showed me how to handle myself publicly when faced with a horrible upset of great magnitude.

    I was also inspired by Barack Obama, who shared the story in his speech of his transition into power in 2008, when George W. Bush graciously shook his hand, and showed him the ropes.  Obama went on to offer (and indeed demand of his staff) the same honorable treatment of Trump, once he begins the transition tomorrow.  Thanks to Obama, Trump has been provided legitimacy from day one.  I have learned from Obama that no matter the disappointment, and no matter the disagreements, there are some things greater than personal bones of contention.  In this case: the peaceful and legitimate transfer of power.  If Obama wanted, he could have made things very difficult and awkward for Trump.  But for the nation, he chose to take the upper hand, and I applaud him for it.  Not coincidentally, I too believe this was one of Obama’s best speeches.

    Not to be outdone, I was greatly inspired by Bernie Sanders, who proved to us all that passion, SINCERITY, and a plan can take you so far in life.  I know how much he cares for Americans, for America, and for the agenda he fought so hard for.  His sincerity won over the American people.  And I hate to admit it, but won me over too.  I would never have voted for him, but I respect the man tremendously.  Hats off to you Mr. Sanders.

    And I am inspired by Donald Trump (and all of America should be too).  Why?  Because he showed us that no matter what people say, no matter how bad the reviews, no matter who is turned against you, no matter how much the ridicule, and no matter WHAT the odds… you can still win.  No.  Matter.  What.  I know half of the country doesn’t like the man.  But I urge you all (as I am) to be inspired by him.  As many of you know, I have a part-time life in show business.  The rejection I have experienced over the last 20 years is simply devastating.  But… IN NO WAY AS HORRIBLE AS WHAT TRUMP HAD TO ENDURE FOR THESE LAST 18 ODD MONTHS.  Just think of all the times he should have, could have, would have quit.  HE NEVER QUIT.  No matter how bad it got.  HE NEVER QUIT.  ALL THE POLLS WERE WRONG.  THE MEDIA WAS ALL WRONG. ALL OF MY SHOWBIZ FRIENDS WERE WRONG.  EVERYONE WAS WRONG.  And you know that everyone told him to quit.  From day one.  But.  He.  Did.  Not.  Quit.  The little engine that could.  “I think I can, I think I can, I think I can.”  And he did.  Thanks to Donald Trump, from this day until the day I die (and maybe not even then), I will make every effort to NEVER ever ever Ever EVER ever EVER again doubt myself.  Remember “Never Trump”?  Now in my mind, it’s the answer to a question.  “Quit?”  “Never. -Trump.”

    ****

    I know the pain is still there.      And as Hillary said, that pain will be there for a while.  But I hope that these words I have shared with you show that we Trumpers aren’t so bad.  And neither is he.  Please give him a chance.  Please visit his website and read his policies.  Please remember that it’s not the end of the world… or the country.  If it’s not the result you wanted, get off you ass now and figure out how to win it next time.  And please remember the most important part of all: be inspired by it all.  By those who won, and yes, even those who lost.  There are valuable life (and patriotic) lessons for us all to learn from it all.

    God bless America.

    P.S. – If you’re a Trump supporter, please forward this to those in mourning.
    P.P.S. – I have been awake for over 36 hours straight and I am exhausted.  Gnight America.  Gnight world.

A 9/11 Story.

by Dr. Monroe Mann, PhD, Esq, MBA
Bronze star nominated Iraq war veteran

Both Clinton and Trump have suspended their political activity for a day, and so today I similarly write to all of you as simply… an American.

While I am an American who was in NYC on 9/11; whose sister was under the towers in a subway car when the planes hit and the towers came down; who donned his US Army uniform and drove into the city with his WWII vet father passing through police road block after police road block that morning to find her; and who proudly deployed overseas as an US Army intelligence officer three years later to fight those sons of bitches head on–that’s not the American I am writing to you as today.  Today, I am simply writing to you… as an American.

Yesterday, I more or less coincidentally saw two movies about airplanes.  The first was “Flight 93”, showing on television, about the daring acts of the “Let’s Roll!” crew in 2001.  The second was “Sully”, showing in theaters, about the miraculously successful landing on the Hudson in 2009.  How I randomly ended up watching two airplane movies, and with totally different outcomes, is rather curious, but somehow, I don’t believe a coincidence.

This is today’s missive: you don’t choose to be a hero. It’s not something you can plan for. And it’s not something you can chase in hopes of finding. You just have to be ready to choose to do what needs to be done when it needs to be done. You don’t have to have a special job. As the heroes of Flight 93 showed us in 2001 and Sully and his team showed us in 2009, “ordinary people” in “ordinary jobs” can end up being America’s greatest heroes.
You don’t have to be a member of SWAT.  Don’t have to  be a NAVY seal. You don’t have to be a police officer or a fireman.  No, you just have to be ready to do what needs to be done and then do it.  Calmly. Coolly. Staying in control.

I realize that none of us should chase heroism. In fact, those that do may never find it.  So if you watch one of these movies and start thinking, “I want to do that!” you may be missing the point.  I did that.  While watching both movies, I thought to myself, “I want to be the hero too!”  But I stopped myself mid-thought.

Why?

It’s simple: I realized last night that heroism is not something people seek and find; it’s rather a life calling already within each of us, waiting for the opportunity to present us with the decision: will we make the brave choice and do what needs to be done?

On this special day, let us remember those who died on 9/11.  Those on Flight 93 who sacrificed their lives to protect ours. The people like Sully and his co-pilot who, instead of following instructions from the tower, bravely chose to “break the rules” and do what they knew was right even if it meant disregarding instructions from the tower.
Some say we all cannot be heroes. In the literal sense, they are right. In fact, most of us will never be a hero in the traditional sense.  But that is not something that should make you sad.  In many ways, I realize that to be a hero means you probably put your life in danger.  And many heroes end up dead in the ‘rescue’.  We should not strive to be heroes in this world.  Like I said, those that pursue a career because they want to be heroic are doing it all for the wrong reasons.  If we do that, we are pursuing vanity and pride and fame; NOT heroism.  Heroism cannot be pursued as a goal.  It can only be recognized in the aftermath.  A key piece of evidence is that most people hailed as heroes… reject the accolades.  Those who are truly heroic… never think of themselves as being heroic.  In their mind, they were simply doing the right thing; doing what needed to be done.
However, that all being said, there is something we all can do if we are inspired to action by watching these two films (and others like them): what we all can do is BE READY to be a hero when and if the hour arrives.  Don’t look for it; just be ready to make the decision to act when it’s against your best interest; when it puts your life in danger; when it is not your responsibility.  A huge part of this is realizing that we don’t need to be in a special “high speed” and “dangerous” profession to find ourselves in circumstances requiring a heroic act. Neither the “Let’s Roll” passengers on Flight 93 nor Sully, his crew, and the NY Waterways boat captains were “seeking heroism”. No, they were just living their lives. But when the time came to make a heroic decision, they did.  And as we all know, none of them ever considered themselves “heroes”. Why? Because they were just doing what they knew was right.
So how can you commemorate those who didn’t make it?  As I have urged in previous years’ 9/11 stories: “Do it for those who can’t.”
What do I mean?
Let’s be honest: we don’t have to pursue our dreams. None of us do.  We also don’t have to be grateful for this life.  We don’t have to be happy and positive people.  We don’t have to be helpful people.  Nor do we even have to be… heroic people.
But… (and it’s a big but) I believe those who died on 9/11 and those on that flight in the Hudson would all agree that if you are somehow still alive on this planet, you should at the very least take advantage of what those who died cannot: life.
I know they are all rooting for you. They all want you to succeed. They wouldn’t want you to live in sadness.  In depression.  In self-pity.  In a sea of loneliness.  In an ocean of regret.  No!
They would want you to live the life that they were not able to live. (9/11).
They want you to take advantage of the life that you have that they nearly lost. (Sully and the 154 others on board).
I remember when I saw the movie Saving Private Ryan.  It was the reason I joined the US Military.  I didn’t do it because I wanted to be a hero and save another “Private Ryan”.  I joined the US Army to say thank you to all of those men who died on the beaches of Normandy.
“By the end of the first day, none of the assault forces had secured their first-day objectives.  Allied casualties on June 6 have been estimated at 10,000 killed, wounded, and missing in action: 6,603 Americans, 2,700 British, and 946 Canadians.
…
The cost of the Normandy campaign was high on both sides.  From D-day through August 21, the Allies landed more than two million men in northern France and suffered more than 226,386 casualties: 72,911 killed/missing and 153,475 wounded.”
Can you imagine the terror and fright as those troops saw the entire boat of men in front of them get slaughtered within seconds?  I can’t.  The closest I have come to that are the daily convoys I went on Iraq, always wondering if today was the day I got shot or blown up.  The tension was there.  Every day.  And I still suffer from the PTSD.  Every time a glass breaks at a restaurant, or I hear fireworks, or a car backfires… I jump.  So scared.  Thinking that I am being attacked by a mortar or a rocket.  The booms in Iraq were incessant.  All throughout the day and night.  Sometimes being woken up in the middle of the night by an explosion so loud you jump out of your bead, sweating, heart beating a mile a minute, reaching for your rifle.  Once, the window next to my bed broke.  While driving here in NY, even today, ten years later, I somehow pick up the scent of gunpowder (from where, I don’t know) and I feel like I’m back in those humvees, looking at every car that passes, wondering if it’s going to blow up and me with it.  And wherever I go, I am always watching my back, looking for snipers on rooftops, and looking for anything that could be a bomb.  Rationally, I know the likelihood is so slim, and yet, I can’t stop.
And yet… all this that I experienced in Iraq was nothing compared to what those men experience on D-Day.  ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.
And guess what?  They all had hopes and dreams too.  Most were young kids in their teens.  Shot dead within minutes.  Shot dead within hours.  Could any of them come home and pursue those dreams?   Their dreams of going to college?  Their dreams of starting a business?  Their dreams of finding a wife?  Their dreams of… becoming an actor?
The answer, we all know, is no.  Because they died fighting for us.  It makes me cry when I saw that movie.  And it made me cry so much back in 1999 that I decided I had no choice: I had to join the military. I had to say thank you to all those who died on the beaches of Normandy so that I could pursue my “stupid” career as an actor.  That’s not a criticism of actors.  It is, rather, a testament to the sacrifice those men made for all of us to pursue our dreams and live in peace.
So yes, I implore you: do it for those who can’t.  If you truly want to memorialize those who died in the revolutionary war, the war of 1812, the civil war, vietnam, korea, iraq, afghanistan, and every other conflict… DO IT FOR THOSE WHO CAN’T.
If you truly want to memorialize those who died on 9/11… DO IT FOR THOSE WHO CAN’T.
If you truly want to memorialize what happened on the Hudson… DO IT FOR THOSE WHO NEARLY LOST EVERYTHING.
Be inspired by the fact that you are still breathing.  If you are still breathing, things can still change.  Your life is not worthless.  You have the capability of helping tens, hundreds, thousands, and millions of people—IF… you get off your ass and take advantage of the life and freedom that you have.  To ignore what I am telling you is an insult to those who didn’t make it.  Because it’s precisely what they would have wanted you to do.  Because it’s precisely what they would have tried to do had they made it home.
So please, figure out what you are meant to do with your life.  And don’t you stop until you get there… or die trying.

Do you remember one of the last scenes of Saving Private Ryan?  Tom Hanks and his men died in the process of saving Ryan.  Just before Hanks’ character dies, Private Ryan (Matt Damon) asks, “What can I ever do to thank you for saving my life?”  The response?  “Earn it.”  Earn the life that we can no longer live. (9/11) Earn the life that we sacrificed for yours. (Military/Flight 93)  Recognize the value of the life you have. (Sully)

God bless the families of those who lost loved ones.
God bless America.
God bless each of you reading this today, wherever you may be in the world.
your friend,
-Monroe Mann

Get Your Priorities Straight: Drunk Driving & Depression Worse Than Guns.

by Dr. Monroe Mann, PhD, Esq, MBA, LLM, ME, EMT

Get ready, cause things are about to get saucy, replete with facts, citations, and more facts and citations.  You’re gonna be blown away by what you’re about to discover.  And yup, we’re actually gonna be doing some old fashioned math and see if the numbers actually say what the media says they say.  Guess what?  They don’t.

Here are the statistics of American gun deaths in 2015 spouted by the mass media: http://www.cnn.com/2015/10/03/us/gun-deaths-united-states/

That very CNN article quotes a CDC (Center for Disease Control) statistic that states firearm deaths are just a very close second to motor vehicle deaths.  But those statistics are SO misleading.

That includes ALL deaths by firearm, including the justifiable returning of fire by police on a suspect AND such deaths as black on black and gang death–most of which is due to illegal gun sales.  But are you ready for the real kicker?  You’re not gonna believe this (and NO ONE tells you this):

The cause of the majority of gun deaths per year?  

SUICIDES.  More than 64% according to–TA DA–the CDC.

https://everytownresearch.org/gun-violence-by-the-numbers/

Want the actual CDC stats by state on gun violence on that?   Yeah, I found those too. Here:

http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/pressroom/sosmap/firearm.htm

Want the actual CDC suicide stats, and particularly by gun?  Voila:

http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/suicide.htm

Only 33% of gun deaths each year are due to homicide.  And only 3% due to accident!  Less than 3% are due to accidents.  READ THAT AGAIN: less than 3%.

I now urge you to pay close attention to how many of those deaths each year are from gun-inflicted suicide.  What’s the number I’m seeing?  I’m seeing 41,000 suicide deaths each year.  How many by gun?  21,000!  TWENTY ONE THOUSAND!   Over half the suicides each year in the USA are by gun, and that magic (actually tragic) number is 21,000.

Now wait.  According to the CDC, how many TOTAL gun deaths are there each year?  Just go back to that very same CNN study I mention above at the beginning of this article.  The magic number?  33,636.

Let’s now do some simple math:
Total gun deaths per year MINUS
Total gun suicides each year =
Total accidental deaths or murders by gun each year.

Using the numbers we arrived at above (straight from the CDC), that is:
33,636 – 21,000 = 12,636.

So no we know that each year, 12,636 people die from either accidental discharge or intention murder by gun.  That’s a lot less than the media wants you to know.

But wait, there’s even more to the story.  Go here:

http://webappa.cdc.gov/sasweb/ncipc/nfirates2001.html

It’s the part of the entire searchable CDC database.  Scroll down and select “Firearm”.  Request the report.  It will show you the yearly number of firearm injuries for the year 2014.  What did you get?  I got this number: 81,034.

But… (see statistics are always misleading if you’re not careful) if you use an additional filter to remove ALL instances of self-harm (i.e. suicide attempts), the number drops to (wait for it) a mind blowingly LOW number.  What’s the number? 3,320.  That’s IT.  The number of yearly non-suicide related gun injuries each year by firearm is just 3,320.  (Note: Even 3,320 is too many, so I say “just” with tragedy written all over it.)

Well, now we finally have some accurate data to work with, all of which we have already calculated above:
a) the number of people who die from accidental discharge OR murder by gun per year in the USA is about 12,636 people
b) the number of non-fatal injuries by gun discharge, not including those caused by suicide is about 3,320 people.

These numbers are a lot less scary now, aren’t they?  Suddenly, you’re not so scared for your children to end up dead because of gun deaths.  Suddenly, you realize that all this talk about how guns are the scourge of the earth and the cause of most of our lack of safety… is debunked.

But guess what folks?  We’re not even close to done.  Now let’s turn our head to drunk driving.

Check out this article in Forbes:

http://www.forbes.com/sites/dandiamond/2015/08/26/americas-gun-violence-problem-in-three-charts/#137008c458b7

This author cites further statistics that today, in the USA, gun deaths outweigh motor vehicle deaths.  But again, so misleading, because when used properly, a car doesn’t kill someone; when used properly, a gun does kill someone.  That’s what it’s used for.  These statistics also–like most of these stories–leave out the suicides and suicide attempts.  The truth is, most of these motor vehicle deaths are caused not by INTENTIONAL murder attempts, but by sheer negligence caused by people being stupid, driving dangerously, or very very commonly (see below), driving DRUNK.  Remember, above, however that the number of accidental gun deaths each year (according to the CDC) is less than 3%.  Yet the MAJORITY of accidental motor vehicle deaths each year are accidental.  Do you see the difference?

Before I go on, let’s first look at some other statistics, this time from MADD and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration at http://www.madd.org/drunk-driving/about/drunk-driving-statistics.html

EVERY TWO MINUTES, A PERSON IS INJURED IN A DRUNK DRIVING CRASH
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. “The Economic and Societal Impact Of Motor Vehicle Crashes, 2010.” National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, May 2014, DOT HS 812 013. http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/812013.pdf.

ON AVERAGE, TWO IN THREE PEOPLE WILL BE INVOLVED IN A DRUNK DRIVING CRASH IN THEIR LIFETIME.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. “The Economic and Societal Impact Of Motor Vehicle Crashes, 2010.” National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, May 2014, DOT HS 812 013. http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/812013.pdf.

IN 2013, 28.7 MILLION PEOPLE ADMITTED TO DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL – THAT’S MORE THAN THE POPULATION OF TEXAS.
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Results from the 2013 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: Summary of National Findings. Rockville, MD: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2014. http://www.samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/NSDUHresultsPDFWHTML2013/Web/NSDUHresults2013.pdf

EVERY DAY IN AMERICA, ANOTHER 27 PEOPLE DIE AS A RESULT OF DRUNK DRIVING CRASHES
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. “Traffic Safety Facts 2014: Alcohol-Impaired Driving.” Washington DC: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 2016. http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/812231.pdf

ADULTS DRANK TOO MUCH AND DROVE ABOUT 121 MILLION TIMES PER YEAR – OVER 300,000 INCIDENTS OF DRINKING AND DRIVING A DAY.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Alcohol-Impaired Driving Among Adults — United States, 2012.” Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. August 7, 2015 / 64(30);814-817. http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6430a2.htm

IN 2014, 9,967 PEOPLE DIED IN DRUNK DRIVING CRASHES – ONE EVERY 53 MINUTES – AND 290,000 WERE INJURED IN DRUNK DRIVING CRASHES.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. “Traffic Safety Facts 2014: Alcohol-Impaired Driving.” Washington DC: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 2016. http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/812231.pdf

Did you get that last statistic?  In 2014–the same year of the CDC statistics I cited above–there were 12,636 people killed due to accidental discharge OR murder by gun per year in the USA and 3,320 people injured by gun discharge, again excluding suicide attempts butttttt–in that very same year, 9,967 people were killed by drunk drivers and (are you ready) 290,000 were injured by drunk drivers.  TWO HUNDRED AND NINETY THOUSAND PEOPLE PER YEAR.

Let me present this in a nice little comparison chart:

2014 DEATHS BY GUN DISCHARGE (non-suicide): 12,636
2014 DEATHS BY DRUNK DRIVING: 9,967

2014 INJURIES BY GUN DISCHARGE (non-suicide): 3,320
2014 INJURIES BY DRUNK DRIVING: 290,000

And yet, everyone is worried about gun violence, the majority of deaths of which are caused by suicide?  (Note: suicide is horrible and I’m going to address that below).

But do you see my point?  There is a far FAR greater likelihood of you or a friend dying from a drunk driving incident or from self-inflicted suicide than from gun violence.  Why?   With drunk driving, the ‘weapons’ are ALL AROUND YOU.  However, you are probably not often in an environment every day that puts you in the presence of someone with a loaded gun (unless you’re in law enforcement or have a gun in the home).  And yet, every week when you drive, the odds are that you are driving on the road with someone who is drinking and driving, or just as bad, texting and driving.  And if you decide to let your depression or that of a friend go unchecked, guess what: there is a higher likelihood of you ending up dead due to that than gun violence.

DON’T YOU REALIZE THIS?  Doesn’t America realize this?

Why is everyone fighting so hard to destroy the second amendment when guns cause SO MANY FEWER INJURIES THAN DRUNK DRIVING?  And why, when the number of deaths by drunk drivers per year is nearly exactly the same as intentional/accidental gun deaths, does the media and it seems everyone on the left decry gun deaths, but say nothing of suicide (which causes most of those gun deaths) or drunk driving (which causes nearly as many non-suicide related deaths as guns)?

Why aren’t we fighting to stop drunk driving?  Why aren’t we putting these people behind bars and keeping them there?  As a public defender, I represented SO MANY drunk drivers.  It disgusted me.  Not so much that they were arrested in the first place for drunk driving, but because they were REPEAT OFFENDERS.  Three, four, five times.  Why are these people even allowed on the streets?  They have fired a loaded weapon (the moving car while under the influence) three, four, five times and yet we keep giving them probation which has no effect.  We keep suspending their license, but most of them don’t care, and decide that driving is their fundamental right, so they drive again, and drunk, and again ended up as my client.  We keep putting them in jail for 1 year, or 2, and they get out and guess what?  Do it again, because they’re still drunks.

Worse: so many of these people arrested for drunk driving… are NOT drunks.  They are ‘normal’ ‘good’ people.  But you know what?   &*(^ that argument.  They are NOT good people.  They are irresponsible people who should never again be able to drive.  If you get arrested (and convicted) even ONCE of drunk driving, you should lose your license for live.  If you are ever again caught driving, life imprisonment.

People balk when I say this, yet, the gun laws (which cause fewer injuries than drunk driving) are more strict than the current drunk driving laws.  Why?  Answer me this: why is someone immediately convicted of a felony (usually with imprisonment for at least three years) for illegally carrying a loaded gun in New York City without even firing it, but if you get pulled over for drunk driving in New York City (essentially firing a loaded weapon) you probably just get probation and at worst a temporary suspension?  ARE THESE LAWMAKERS AND POLITICIANS IDIOTS?  Answer: yes.   On any given day in the United States, you are infinitely more likely to be hit by a drunk driver than you are shot by someone with a gun, and yet, the gun laws are ten times more strict than the drunk driving laws.  Why, why, WHY?!

It all makes me so angry.  If you combine deaths and injuries, there is no dispute that drunk driving is ultimately far more dangerous than guns.

And yet, the fight on the forefront of politics is to destroy the guns and the law abiding gun owners instead of targeting the pieces of s*** who think it’s okay to drive drunk; that it’s okay to drive buzzed.  If you can’t control yourself, DO NOT DRINK AT ALL.  That is called responsible.  But no, let’s not focus on the over 200,000 injuries per year caused by drunk driving.  Let’s instead focus on the guns that cause about 3000 injuries per year.  Let’s focus on the guns that cause about 12,000 deaths per year, but let’s basically ignore the 9,000 deaths caused each year by drunk driving.  What is wrong with everyone?   Are they mad?  No, I think a) they are stupid and simply like to believe what their idiot friend “the media” tells them, b) they are lazy and refuse to do their own research outside of their ‘go to’ sources, and c) they are power hungry and realize that by perpetuating the lies by hiding the truth, they can amass votes from the useful idiots who vote based on heart, not on facts.

As for suicide (I didn’t forget)–why are the anti-gun people not railing against suicide?  Why don’t they even CARE that most of the gun deaths are due to suicide?  Why do most Americans not know this?  Why isn’t THIS plastered across CNN & FOXNews?  Why don’t we know this?  Why?  Because it’s all political.  They don’t care about the facts.  They care about politics.

Me?  I care about the average of 22 fellow service members who kill themselves every day.  Visit http://www.22kill.com for more info.   I assure you: the gun is not the cause of their suicide.  It’s merely the tool, and if not a gun, there are many other ways of making it happen that are just as quick and effective.  Guns don’t cause suicide: DEPRESSION DOES.  And yet, who do you hear in politics railing against depression?  No one, because it’s not political.

Well wake up people and stop being so stupid as to believe everything your idiot friend tells you.  Do some research.  It took me a mere three hours of research to get to the bottom of this controversy, and I’ve proven—beyond a reasonable doubt—that the argument against guns is so misleading.  Do I think gun deaths and injuries are horrible?  Absolutely, without question.  Is it something to focus on?  Of course.  But why focus on the small potato when we could focus on the far bigger one:

If we simply stop drunk driving and stop depression, we will save more lives and reduce injuries exponentially more than if we stop gun sales.  

What I have proven is that guns are not the problem; politics is.

So for all your anti-gun friend: send them the link to this post.  Let them see for themselves the DIVISIVE TRUTH of the matter.