Gun Control

[Adam]

A bunch of parentless (in reality and virtually) kids growing up with a bunch of other parentless kids in a society that tells them their value is in the type and amount of stuff that they own. I think that is pretty relevant. 

Edited December 4, 2015 by Adam

[nate]

Mass shootings are up, but overall gun violence is down since the 1990's.  Why is that?  Could it be a societal thing that is unique to the US?  24 hour cable news that feeds off and promotes big events like this?  An entertainment industry that celebrates violence in movies and music?

 

I don't know the answer, but those seem like they would be big components. 

 

Gun violence is down while gun control has increased.  Hmm...

[Angelsjunky]

A bunch of parentless (in reality and virtually) kids growing up with a bunch of other parentless kids in a society that tells them their value is in the type and amount of stuff that they own. I think that is pretty relevant. 

 

Hippy.

[Spirit]

Gun violence is down while gun control has increased.  Hmm...

 

 

So more gun control laws and we're good then?  Seems easy enough.

[nate]

It sure does

[Adam]

Hippy.

 

Don't tell anyone

[Amazing Larry]

It sure does

 

No amount of regulation can prevent a situation like what happened in San Bernardino. If a couple of nuts want to kill a lot of people, they'll find a way.

 

I'm all for closing the gun show loophole though.

[Spirit]

So again, back to my point:  why are mass shootings up when overall gun violence is down?

[Adam]

Why do you think, Geoffrey?

[nate]

You are probably right about news sensationalizing them.  The Columbine guys are revered by gothic weirdo kids that listen to Tool and My Chemical Romance while jerking off into a trench coat.

 

Why are we only talking about mass shootings?  Isn't the goal to reduce all gun deaths?

[Spirit]

I brought it up because it seems to be the area of gun deaths that's up.  Sorry if it's off topic.  

 

Carry on.

[yvangelfan]

I don 't think ISIS is aware of Ca's gun laws.

 

How about this idea:

 

All retired police (and possibly firefighters) all over the country who have permits for concealed firearms should arm themselves at all times.

 

Kind of a citizen army to protect the population.

[Blarg]

That would certainly up the Cops Are Great thread count.

[Thomas]

There is this.

[Thomas]

Wouldn't it be weird if they discovered that Korans are all made from lead and that's been the problem the whole time?

 

Well yes I suppose if they were found people licking the holy text.

[ABC]

Switzerland was used to refute the often implied correlation of higher gun ownership automatically leading to high homicide rate. Why would the affluence of the country or the manner the weapons were acquired disqualify it from disproving a correlation? Of course there are more relevant factors specific to each country that deserve consideration before the obviously flawed high gun ownership/ high homicide rate correlation. That was the point.

Low gun ownership- low homicide rate (eg. Japan)

Low gun ownership- high homicide rate (eg. Mexico)

High gun ownership- low homicide rate ( eg. Switzerland)

High gun ownership- high homicide rate (eg. USA*)

Not a reliable correlation.

 

Just because I mentioned prohibition of drugs and the high crime rate that goes with it does not imply that it is the only or even most important factor leading to homicide rate. Countries like Japan and South Korea (often labelled "shame societies" by cultural anthropologists) are very different culturally than most other places in the world. Crime that is much more tolerated elsewhere is shunned in those countries and the perpetrator is made to feel shame and dishonor. On the downside, they also have a much higher suicide rate.

 

I mentioned the repeal of drug prohibition because it would be a lot easier to implement than trying to change the culture among the most violent offenders. The "war on drugs" didn't work (or perhaps worked exactly as intended).

 

 

There is so much wrong with this post that I don't even know where to start: causation/correlation, flawed logic, cherry picking, conspiracy theory, etc.

[Jay]

There is so much wrong with this post that I don't even know where to start: causation/correlation, flawed logic, cherry picking, conspiracy theory, etc.

 

Pretty much describes the anti-gun argument.

[ABC]

Mass shootings are up, but overall gun violence is down since the 1990's.  Why is that?  Could it be a societal thing that is unique to the US?  24 hour cable news that feeds off and promotes big events like this?  An entertainment industry that celebrates violence in movies and music?

 

I don't know the answer, but those seem like they would be big components. 

 

 

 

I'll go with the news. Entertainment has been debunked, IMO. There have been studies and theories that state if you publicize an act it can create a cluster of copycats. These mass shooting like SB, Sandy Hook, etc. all seem like a form of suicide.

[ABC]

Pretty much describes the anti-gun argument.

 

Both sides, actually.

[Jay]

Both sides, actually.

 

Agree.

[Tank]

okay, i'm going to offer an unpopular opinion that i don't think has much scientific evidence.

 

i think the proliferation of video games that emphasize killing your enemy has an effect on how people problem solve, especially with kids. There's someone in your way in the game of life? kill them and move on. You obviously aren't going to sell many games that ask kids to stop in the middle of a confrontation and talk about their feelings or come to a peaceful resolution. Because of their lack of life experience in dealing with conflict plus their emotional immaturity, there are many who see the only/best way to resolve conflict to be where you dispose of your enemy.

 

games like this don't have nearly the same effect with adults, but a kids mind is a lot different from an adults mind in a whole host of ways. being around 12 year olds for 32 years has shown me this time and time again.

 

please be kind in piling on your hate to me. thanks.

[Blarg]

Frogger was just a game about suicidal tendencies.

[ABC]

okay, i'm going to offer an unpopular opinion that i don't think has much scientific evidence.

 

i think the proliferation of video games that emphasize killing your enemy has an effect on how people problem solve, especially with kids. There's someone in your way in the game of life? kill them and move on. You obviously aren't going to sell many games that ask kids to stop in the middle of a confrontation and talk about their feelings or come to a peaceful resolution. Because of their lack of life experience in dealing with conflict plus their emotional immaturity, there are many who see the only/best way to resolve conflict to be where you dispose of your enemy.

 

games like this don't have nearly the same effect with adults, but a kids mind is a lot different from an adults mind in a whole host of ways. being around 12 year olds for 32 years has shown me this time and time again.

 

please be kind in piling on your hate to me. thanks.

 

There are lots of studies regarding this. GTS and come to your own conclusions.

 

Gun violence was worse before violent video games and before the proliferation that guns are a cool toy that many now have.

[Tank]

while i won't try to dispute your assertion about gun violence prior to video games, i wonder if the age at which kids resort to using guns to solve conflicts has stayed the same or dropped to younger and younger ages. i'm guessing the latter in this day and age.

[Crampknees]

I saw Chuck over Thanksgiving and he was having his own gun control issues.