I read the (2005) article that the chart was based on. In addition, a moment of thought would show you that less guns doesn’t necessarily mean less suicides, since if this were true the US would be leading the world in per capita suicides, instead of being basically in the middle of the road. Japan, with one of the most restrictive gun regulations and a very low number of guns per capita is the world leader in suicides per capita, so there is something else going on. Also, I DID agree it would (probably) be less deaths with more restrictive gun access in the US, especially initially, I just think that it would be more than the current number of non-gun related suicide…IMHO it would balance somewhere between the non-gun related suicides and the total number of suicides. I seriously doubt anyone would disagree with that, as it would entail thinking that everyone who, today (or in 2005 based on that chart) who committed suicide by gun would not have committed suicide by any other means. That seem unlikely. Do you disagree?
I think they believe (by and large) the statement/assertion, so I don’t think it’s a lie…that is different from being wrong. YMMV, but I try not to accuse others of lying when it’s probable they are just mistaken in their belief. Certainly, I agree with your over all theme, that humans can defend themselves without a gun, though it is certainly easier to do so if one has a gun, and even more so if one is at some great disadvantage physically or otherwise.