Lament of the Mind

Conservative Twitter gets angry when Neil deGrasse Tyson tweets out gun statistics

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Neil deGrasse Tyson is an incredibly popular Twitter user and often offends conservatives with his beliefs on religion and evolution. Imagine how they felt when he tweeted gun statistics this past Monday.

According to Tyson, the number Americans killed by terrorism since 2001 is equal to the number of Americans killed by household firearms in just five weeks — a disturbing statistic which did not sit well with gun advocates.

3,400: Americans who died by Terrorism since 2001 3,400: Americans who died by household Firearms since five weeks ago.

— Neil deGrasse Tyson (@neiltyson) November 9, 2015

Most of the responses simply tried to draw attention away from the gun statistics, and point to other fatality numbers that were higher than Tyson’s statistics. One user shared a picture that compared automatic rifle deaths to medical malpractice cases, concluding that you are more likely to die from Obamacare than a gun.

@neiltyson @LinderellaMan Please look at the bigger picture.pic.twitter.com/hsHvYnLhw2

— Adam Stiles (@AdamStiles7) November 10, 2015

Most of the statistics posted were cherry-picked and misleading, and cited shady statistics that only looked at deaths from a certain type of gun — some only used the number of shotgun deaths, while totally ignoring deaths caused by handguns, which are by far the most prevalent. One of the most repeated statistics is that “hammers kill more than guns,” a statement that is easily debunked.

Tyson tweeted two more gun violence comparisons in addition to terrorism comparison:

400,000: Americans who died fighting in World War II. 400,000: Americans who died by household Firearms since 2001

— Neil deGrasse Tyson (@neiltyson) November 9, 2015

1.4 Million: Americans who died in all Wars fought since 1776. 1.4 Million: Americans who died via household Guns since 1968

— Neil deGrasse Tyson (@neiltyson) November 9, 2015

[source]

As a criminologist, I cannot express in words how happy it makes me that Neil deGrasse Tyson did this.

Conversely, I also cannot express in words how deeply, deeply, DEEPLY depressed it makes me that it has to come to this. 😭

Come on America.

It’s time to make the changes to your gun laws that will save you from yourselves.