Guns not needed; Greenways a safe place for Ozarks' trail walkers - News-Leader.com

[WhiteBlaze]

<table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7><tr><td valign=top class=j><font style="font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serif"><br><div style="padding-top:0.8em;"><img alt="" height="1" width="1"></div><div class=lh><a href="http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=T&ct=us/1-0&fd=R&url=http://www.news-leader.com/article/20090111/OPINIONS/901110310&cid=0&ei=HbxpSc77HZCAQ9HNzcUL&usg=AFQjCNFtL4ZqQ2LTT1vn1sVYqjoX4RN1Ww">Guns not needed; Greenways a safe place for Ozarks&#39; <b>trail</b> walkers</a><br><font size=-1><font color=#6f6f6f>News-Leader.com,&nbsp;MO&nbsp;-</font> <nobr>25 minutes ago</nobr></font><br><font size=-1>For example, research shows that a backpacker on the <b>Appalachian Trail</b> is 190 times more likely to die in a car crash driving to the <b>trail</b> than actually <b>...</b></font></div></font></td></tr></table>

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[Sly]

Yup, a frying pan has more uses.

[buckwheat]

Interesting editorial opinion. The writer's opinion is partly based on this quoted statistic:

"Research shows that a backpacker on the Appalachian Trail is 190 times more likely to die in a car crash driving to the trail than actually hiking the trail."

This is what they call in the editorial opinion writing game a "straw man" argument. The fact that people don't usually die while hiking says nothing about whether the trail would be safer from crime if the criminals could be certain that some people were carrying concealed weapons.

Lots of crimes, after all, do not result in death. Rape is a good example.

The quoted statistic compares hiking deaths to automobile deaths in a meaningless way, since more people drive more miles than people hike miles. Most editorial writers are so uneducated in statistical analysis that they really can't spot a red herring of this sort, so they fall for it.

It says something about them.

[Rockhound]

Here we go again. If you are registered and can carry a concealed weapon legally, and if you really feel the need to do so, then go right ahead. Personally I don't have the desire and don't see the need. Keep in mind there are areas of the trail where the laws regarding this differ. You will have to find a gun shop to mail your gun ahead or home. A P.O. wont do it. As a gun owner You should know the laws of each state. Imagine hiking in MA and getting searched for whatever reason only to have your trip cut short because you have to spend a year in jail. After you've studied the laws of each state and calculated the risk factor (somewhere between slim and none) and you still feel the need to carry 3-5 pounds of extra weight go ahead. Also keep in mind that carrying a gun actually results in the deduction of 5 manpoints.

[Rockhound]

Interesting editorial opinion. The writer's opinion is partly based on this quoted statistic:

"Research shows that a backpacker on the Appalachian Trail is 190 times more likely to die in a car crash driving to the trail than actually hiking the trail."

This is what they call in the editorial opinion writing game a "straw man" argument. The fact that people don't usually die while hiking says nothing about whether the trail would be safer from crime if the criminals could be certain that some people were carrying concealed weapons.

Lots of crimes, after all, do not result in death. Rape is a good example.

The quoted statistic compares hiking deaths to automobile deaths in a meaningless way, since more people drive more miles than people hike miles. Most editorial writers are so uneducated in statistical analysis that they really can't spot a red herring of this sort, so they fall for it.

It says something about them.
95% of all statistics are false

[waywardfool]

Ah, one good quote in the article...something that the antigunners ought to at least see as a good use for guns:


I have a solution -- shoot the television