I realize this is a divisive issue, but it’s clear that these horrific incidents are going to keep happening with shocking regularity. It seems we’ve all collectively shrugged our shoulders and accepted it as the reality going forward.
I realize this is a divisive issue, but it’s clear that these horrific incidents are going to keep happening with shocking regularity. It seems we’ve all collectively shrugged our shoulders and accepted it as the reality going forward.
No, you have both.
Mental health crisis + no private gun ownership = mass shootings exceptionally rare.
No mental health crisis + private gun ownership = mass shootings exceptionally rare.
Mental health crisis + lots of guns = mass shootings are common.
It’s both factors together that cause the problem. Now the question is, which factor is the easiest to change?
Its not about what’s easiest, its what is needed to make people stop wanting to harm others. A gun is a tool. You can easily make a bomb from supplies from a hardware store if you don’t have access to a firearm
There is a huge difference though.
It’s the same reason why people start flame wars on the internet: it can be done quickly. People used to start arguments over the mail too, but they were much rarer because by the time you’ve written a letter and walked to the mailbox your temper has cooled down and you decide not to do it.
Guns make it really easy to do harm in the heat of the moment. You can flip and immediately go on a rampage. If you have to go to the hardware store, buy shit, drive back home, assemble the bomb, etc. you have plenty of time to think it over and cool down.
This is the very reason there is a waiting period when buying a gun in some states.
deleted by creator
Sure Liam Neeson.
If a crazy guy wants to hurt you or your family owning a gun won’t do you one bit of good. He’s not going to announce his attack in writing 3 weeks in advance. Even if you walk around with a loaded gun 24/7 you won’t be able to react in time for it to make one bit of difference. If you happen to have special forces level training, then maybe you have a tiny chance. Realistically, what are you going to do, never sleep? Turn your house into a fortress and never leave the front door?
The only thing that gun is going to do is introduce a not insignificant chance that you or one of your family members will get hurt by your own gun.
The sad truth is that Americans are clinging to their guns because they are scared little bitches who see danger around every corner. Land of the oppressed, home of the scared.
deleted by creator
even americans like me think you’re an idiot. Guns are too easy to get. period.
deleted by creator
No, I’m saying that if you get attacked by someone with a gun it doesn’t matter if you have one yourself or not. So the argument that you can’t ban guns because you need one for defense is bullshit.
Tell me in the following scenario’s when exactly you are going to grab your gun to defend yourself. I’m going to assume for this that you have a gun on you 24/7 in a holster with the safety on.
Scenario 1: You’re lying in bed sleeping. Suddenly you find yourself at the pearly gates (someone snuck into your house and shot you in your sleep).
Scenario 2: You’re walking down the street. Suddenly you’re facing Saint Peter (someone shot you in the back while you were walking down the street).
Scenario 3: You’re at home, watching TV. It’s dark outside and you have the lights in your living room on. Suddenly you’re sitting on a cloud playing a harp. (Someone shot you through your window)
Scenario 4: You’re in a bar, having a beer. Suddenly you’re sipping bourbon with Jesus. (someone stepped through the door of your favorite bar and emptied his AR-15 into the crowd).
Scenario 5: You’re stopped at a traffic light. Someone knocks on your window and you stare into the barrel of a gun, they tell you to get out of the car. You reach for your gun instead; you’re dead before your hand even gets close to the holster.
If someone is targeting you specifically, you are dead, they will attack at a moment you don’t expect it. You won’t even have time to realize what’s happening. Even if you know you are a target a personal firearm is not going to do you any good, you need a 24/7 security detail and basically live in a bunker.
In the case of a random attack, you’re either too close and get hit before you can respond, or you’re going GTFO and get as far away from the shooter as you can. You may fantasize about being the hero who stopped the shooter, but you know as well as I do that’s not what’s going to happen.
But the real question is: why do you live in constant fear? Why are you so afraid of being attacked? Does this actually happen? How many times in an average week do you need to use your gun in self defense?
deleted by creator
It’s closer to who has to change. The millions of gun owners, or the thousand families at the top of the economy (cause every therapy session boils down to “you need more money”)
So, what’s your suggestion?
None of you ever have a suggestion on how to take away four hundred million guns. And the old argument “We did it in [country]!” falls apart because at no point did you need to take away four hundred million guns from a bunch of armed idiots.
It’s not going to happen overnight, and right now, there are some demographics in the US that are rightfully afraid to give them up, because they literally have no options for defense. We can’t call the cops, because they won’t help, they will only make the problem worse.
Just start taking them away. No, it won’t happen overnight, it may take decades to get rid of the bulk of them. So what? The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago, the second best time is now.
They don’t need any options for defense. They only think they do because they are bombarded with scary stories by the media. The reality is that never in the history of the human race has life been as safe as it is today.
Let’s turn this around: as a European I don’t own a gun. If I were to visit the US on holiday, should I get a gun to be able to stay safe in the US? If so, can I rent one at the airport? How many bullets should I get for a 2 week holiday; how many people should I expect to have to shoot during that time? How often do you use your gun to kill people? What is the procedure after you shoot someone in self defense? Do you need to call it in so the body can be removed or is there a regular daily collection service that removes dead bodies from the streets?
If I have to believe threads like this the US is an absolute shithole of a country where people need to be armed to the teeth to make it through the day alive.
Exactly. “Something” is the answer to “what do we do?” Republicans point out that there’s no way to solve the problem 100%,so it’s obviously not worth trying at all… Fuck that. Even 5% less school shootings is still a win.