Excellent overview of why we are in the mess we are, with the highest gun homicide rate among the rich, developed countries of the world, and why we don't even have a clear picture of the underlying dynamics of the problem. Diaz skillfully lays out the unholy marriage between the weapons industry and the NRA and their combined and successful attempts to hide much of the data that would be useful in analyzing our gun violence problem from a public health perspective. An important priority for solving our gun violence problem is to free up the data needed to address the problem, which should include a national database on gun related violence. Seems like such a database should already exist, but sadly it does not.

Diaz also points out some other interesting facts, such as that gun sales, in spite of the hype surrounding the industry, are actually on the decline, which is part of the reason the gun industry is so opposed to bans on any kind of gun or gun accessory that might cut into their gradually dwindling profit potential. Also, a careful analysis of elections over the past 20 years shows that, contrary to the political power the NRA gives the impression of possessing, the NRA has had almost no real effect on the outcome of elections. This means that politicians don't need to fear crossing the NRA as much as they have tended to.

Diaz also makes the much needed point that the majority of deaths from guns are from suicides and that public health studies have shown a clear link between guns and elevated suicide rates. Suicide by gun is another public health issue that needs more study so that more such suicides may potentially be prevented. ( )

The NRA won't like this but rational people will. It breaks down the statistics on fatalities and injuries sustained by guns and the costs society absorbs because of the reckless use of such weapons in American society. Also shows how the gun lobby manipulates such statistics and exert influence well out of proportion to their actual numbers. Unfortunately, too many elected officials and judges are beholden to such pressure groups. The chapter on gun manufacturers and their advertising schemes are detrimental to society. They are also merchants of death as they supply unsavory groups such as Mexican drug lords with an arsenal. Heavily laden with data but still valuable. ( )