"the US rate of homicide by firearms was 3 per 100,000 people. This was exactly the same as that of Lichtenstein!! "

Just a brief google shows that this statement is more than complacent - it is completely self delusional. The population of Liechtenstein is only 36,000 people. there were no murders in Liechtenstein in 2002. Hence it was the safest country on earth. If there was one murder last year then it comes in at about 3 per 100,000 people. Lies, damn lies and statistics springs to mind. Common sense says you can't compare the stats of a tiny statelet to a massive country of many millions.