Gun Control

[Minish]

I think that if you ban guns in fear of people killing each other, than you need to eliminate all other sources of injury (knives, ropes, cars, matches, bottles, rocks, scissors, glass, clubs, sharp sticks, HANDS, ect.), which would be ridiculous.

The thing is, none of those things have the primary use of hurting other people, do they?

 

[sovram]

I think that if you ban guns in fear of people killing each other, than you need to eliminate all other sources of injury (knives, ropes, cars, matches, bottles, rocks, scissors, glass, clubs, sharp sticks, HANDS, ect.), which would be ridiculous. Guns are a part of American history, so why elimiate them?

please take a moment to step back and look at what you posted

also take a moment to think about the basically weekly mass shootings we have in the US including the one today in Connecticut where something like twenty innocent children were killed

and compare that to whatever sentimental "historical" value you might have in mind

and just think about it.

 

[Tailsy]

ps there have been 31 school shootings in the US since columbine

the rest of the world combined has had 14. let that siiiink in

 

[Superbird]

Guns are a part of American history, so why elimiate them?

Things like this can happen more easily.

 

[Autumn]

fuck america
seriously
fuck us to hell
today's incident made me so angry you don't even

 

[Ether's Bane]

Things like this can happen more easily.

Goddamn.

Well, I guess this (as in gun control) is one of the rare instances in which my country has got it right.

fuck america
seriously
fuck us to hell
today's incident made me so angry you don't even

protip: emigrate

 

[Autumn]

protip: emigrate

want to
no cash
in uni :/

 

[Datura]

protip: emigrate

Other countries aren't exactly bastions of peace and justice, you know. :/

 

[Ether's Bane]

want to
no cash
in uni :/

Just wondering - where do you hope to emigrate to?

 

[Teh Ebil Snorlax]

My response to what happened in Connecticut.

 

[Autumn]

Just wondering - where do you hope to emigrate to?

canada

 

[Tailsy]

Uh, 'gun crime' is used for people causing injury using air rifles, also! Air rifles are not as restricted as proper guns. That may also have contributed to the increase?

Also, gun crime in Scotland is dropping significantly. Just a heads-up on the UK thing, because it's not true everywhere!

 

[Dannichu]

Guns are a part of American history, so why elimiate them?

Slavery is a part of American history. You guys always seem pretty embarrassed by it, though. What I don't understand is why you're not more embarrassed by these mass shootings happening all the time. The rest of the world is looking on and going "this is sad and terrible and all, but if you don't restrict guns, what did you think would happen?".

As for the UK, I agree with what Lorem said. What gun crime there is exists in very localised, inner-city areas (Nottingham, I'm looking at you) with a strong gang culture. This is interesting, though, because I think there are more guns in the country than in urban areas - guns are extremely hard to get, but if you're prepared to deal with a ton of paperwork and hoop-jumping, you can get hunting rifles, which people do actually use (to hunt animals, rather than gun down innocent civilians).

Fear of people coming at me with guns ranks astronomically low on my mental list of things I worry about on a day-to-day basis.

 

[Aisling]

ps there have been 31 school shootings in the US since columbine

the rest of the world combined has had 14. let that siiiink in

Here I counted 58 to 18 since 1996, if anyone wanted a specific source or something

I agree with whoever's said the problem is that it's so ingrained in the culture. I think that's a big part of it. Trying to ban guns in the US would almost definitely cause some violent uprising. Hell, people are already complaining about gun control while absolutely nothing is really being done. People are calling the shooting in Connecticut a false flag, like they're saying it's been staged by politicians to try to start a movement to ban guns. That's just. Deplorable. and not even true.

It's definitely a problem but there's no easy solution. I suppose there never is when it comes to this place.

 

[Adriane]

I still remember Erfurt like it was yesterday. This is beyond heartbreaking.

It is truly unreal how easy it is to procure weapons in states like mine.

 

[Edoc'sil]

Other arguments include "If you outlaw guns, then outlaws will have guns."
And "These guys want every wacko and his cousin to have guns. It's just not smart."
"It doesn't matter if every wacko and his cousin have guns. Because then you and your cousin will also have guns to defend yourself with."
"But if no one has guns, there will be no need for defending yourself!" (the conversation went on, I just forget the rest.)

....but seriously. Many studies have shown, there isn't really a difference in crime rate in places where guns are outlawed and where you have 'right to carry' laws in place. The only time it significantly lowers is where there are no guns available in the first place, and because of that it is what I support.

 

[ultraviolet]

....but seriously. Many studies have shown,

such as? Please don't cite studies without pointing to any source in particular.

there isn't really a difference in crime rate in places where guns are outlawed and where you have 'right to carry' laws in place. The only time it significantly lowers is where there are no guns available in the first place, and because of that it is what I support.

I dunno, gun laws here in Australia used to be less strict and things have kind of changed dramatically:

Between 1991 and 2001, the number of firearm-related deaths in Australia declined 47%.[25] According to a 2011 report from the Australian government, "...the number of victims of homicide has been in decline since 1996. In 1996, there were 354 victims of homicide in Australia compared with 260 in 2010. This is a decrease of 27 percent." And furthermore, "The proportion of homicide victims killed by offenders using firearms in 2009–10 represented a decrease of 18 percentage points from the peak of 31 percent in 1995–96 (the year in which the Port Arthur massacre occurred with the death of 35 people, which subsequently led to the introduction of stringent firearms legislation)." [3]

I don't think people are claiming here that more enforced gun laws will reduce the crime rate overall, but it's kind of undeniable that stricter gun laws = less gun crime, if only because there are less guns.

 

[Edoc'sil]

First I'll provide maps;Florida right to carry laws,http://www.neighborhoodscout.com/ak/crime/]Alaska right to carry laws, Connecticut very strict gun laws, New York very strict gun laws. They're all around the same crime rate. there's not really a discernible difference.

Crime rate for England and Wales.
England and Wales had less than half as many crimes then the USA. They do not make guns available.


I probably should have provided these in the first place, like you pointed out. Thanks for that.

 

[sovram]

Crime rate for England and Wales.
England and Wales had less than half as many crimes then the USA. They do not make guns available.

something to note: population difference. though I'm sure you could scale the rates up appropriately and still see a significant difference

 

[Adriane]

Also of note is urban vs. rural ratios; urban crime is far less likely to occur in... not-urban areas, as a lot of US southerners gleefully tend to ignore.

The US is screwed either way because of the sheer volume of guns -- at least one per person. And due to the size of the infrastructure (as well as the relative unpopularity of gun control, esp. compared to e.g. Austrailia), control measures at this point are likely to be too little, too late. It is far too easy to smuggle guns from the south into states with stricter gun control.

Did you know you can buy guns in my state with no license or background checks? The wonders of gun/knife shows.