Statistics are a particular way of looking at a set of figures, and they can suggest an interpretation of the facts that may or may not be true. Although facts are facts, and they are unchangeable, perspectives on the facts can be as varied as the number of people interpreting them. As Mark Twain said, "Facts are stubborn, but statistics are more pliable" (DeMaria, 2008, p. 1430). The following five subjects can each be viewed from a perspective that either helps or hurts the people involved. The visuals suggested for each could be in the form of bar graphs, pie charts, or even photographs with statistics superimposed over them.
To support the cause of immigrants seeking asylum in the United States, for example, a visual showing statistics of the low income and living standards in the immigrants' native country might be used. Statistics on the relative lack of medical care, the number of mothers dying in childbirth, and the average low lifespan there could attract sympathy for the plight of the immigrants. On the other hand, statistics showing the percentage of immigrants that have committed violent crimes, become involved in terrorism, or become mentally ill would tend to convince people that immigrants should not be admitted to the United States.
Although disabled veterans were once honored as the heroes of our country for risking death and suffering disability to protect the freedoms of the rest of the population, statistics can work either for or against them also. A visual of statistics showing the freedoms that Americans enjoy as compared with citizens of other countries, the numbers of disabled veterans losing one or more body parts, and the numbers of disabled veterans no longer able to walk or work could raise sympathy for the veterans' plight. However, statistics showing the costs to taxpayers of paying for veterans' healthcare or the number of disabled veterans that are insane or violent ...