USA! USA! We're #1 in Firearms Homicides!

Like most Americans, we're proud of our country. We like to crow about the American spirit—proud, strong, independent and energetic.

But here's one U.S. statistic we're rather not claim on behalf of Americans: firearms homicides. As we have noted on this site in earlier posts, the culture of gun violence in America has had disturbing effects. But even we were shocked to find these statistics about gun homicides, courtesy of the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Policy and Research.

According to the Center, "the rate of firearms homicide in the United States is nineteen times higher than that of 35 other high-income countries combined."

Here's a recent (and troubling) breakdown of the numbers for firearms homicides in selected countries:

Ireland 54
Japan 83
Sweden 183
Great Britain 197
Australia 334
Canada 1,034
United States 30,419

Nothing much to crow about in these figures.