Over at the Angry Clam (the guy who commented a bunch at my Patriot watch site, and seems to think that as a GOP delegate his opinion counts more than that of millions of average California Republican voters in the gub. primary... immature elitist nonsense in TFM's opinion), we find a link to a story on an armed standoff (avec hostages) situation in Canada.

Chowder seems to be suggesting that this one incident has macro-implications on the gun-control lobby's case in general. His words:

GUN CONTROL WORKS!... We all know that America's love affair with guns is responsible for many many violent deaths. Unlike, say, Canada.

Oh really? To the numbers! (courtesy Bob Herbert of the NYT):

The statistics are mind-boggling. Handgun Control, a lobbying organization in Washington, tells us, for example, that in 1996, handguns were used to murder 2 people in New Zealand, 15 in Japan, 30 in Great Britain, 106 in Canada, 213 in Germany and 9,390 in the United States. (emphases added)

Any questions?

Furthermore, I'm currently living in Isla Vista, and as you may remember, a little over a year ago, a crazy fellow named David Attias sped through the streets of IV, proclaiming himself to be the angel of death, and killing a number of people. That constitutes no more of a pattern here than the standoff does in Canada.