Most of the correlation factors that they found across states were not surprising. This particular item is what most people found interesting:
Firearm-related deaths were positively associated with states that voted for McCain (.66) and negatively associated with states that voted for Obama (-.66). … Partisan affiliations alone cannot explain them; most likely they stem from two broader, underlying factors – the economic and employment makeup of the states and their policies toward guns and gun ownership.
via The Geography of Gun Deaths – Richard Florida – National – The Atlantic
Along with the initial wave of mass finger pointing, I’ve seen some interesting and well thought out discussion about mental health, gun control, the power of words, and community after the shootings in Tucson. It remains to be seen if this will translate into real actions and long lasting change.
It would be a national shame if we did not learn significant lessons from this tragedy. We should expect those in government leadership, those that are seeking for it, and every day average citizens to be better tomorrow than they were yesterday.