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When you read similar statistics, it's worthwhile note that while figures don't lie, liars figure. It's easy to skew opinion by a selective presentation of fact. When it comes to gun death numbers, it's good to keep a few things in mind:

1. "Gun deaths" include bad guys justifiably shot. These are improvements to safety and not detrimental to society.

2. Gun death statistics deliberately do not include data on instances where a firearm was used to terminate a crime without any shots being fired. It is similar to trying to demonize automobiles by citing crash deaths without noting that millions of folks use them safely to get to and from work.

3. Criminals use whatever is at hand to commit violence. In places like New York where guns are harder to obtain legally (although easy to get illegally) spontaneous violence is often accomplished with other objects - steak knives, baseball bats, fists, etc. I've never encountered a victim's family who said, "Thank goodness he was only stabbed. After all, he could've been shot." Dead is dead.

I know both New York and Dallas quite well. Both have areas where you'd be taking your life in your hands to enter, but there's little reason for innocent folks to go there voluntarily. While many areas of New York are much safer today than in the early 90's (thanks to Mayor Giuliani, not Bloomberg) I'd take Dallas over New York any day for safety in the areas I'd care to visit.