Nicely put. My numbers in a previous post were incomplete. Half of handgun deaths are suicides. This country has two orders of magnitude more gun deaths than most European countries. I’m not against gun ownership - but I am against stupid gun ownership.
The comic paints a pretty accurate and succinct picture of the situation, so I like it. As motive says, I’m not particularly against gun ownership, but let’s not kid ourselves about what they really offer.
I’m not here to tell you what to do with your toys, but I’ll just tell you a story here. In 2007, I hit a really bad depression and attempted suicide (dombest thing I ever done in my life). I took loads of pills because they were there and ended up at the hospital. What if there has been a gun nearby?
I would have probably used it and wouldn’t be there typing on this d@mn slow computer right now.
Ah - Folks - suicide by pills, knife, and by automobile, are ALL more frequent in the US than suicide by handguns - are we going to ban pills, knives and cars, or are we going to treat depression? Me, I favor treating the disease of depression.
WillBerry – I don’t know where you’re getting your data, but NIMH disagrees. Firearms is the #1 form of suicide in the US, with suffocation and poisoning following. With women the order is different from men, but while firearms are #2 (32% versus 38% for poisoning), 57% of men use a firearm and four times as many men commit suicide, so overall far more people commit suicide via firearms – mostly handguns, of course.
http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/suicide-in-the-us-statistics-and-prevention/index.shtml
Oh, I should have added - as a psychologist (researcher, not clinician or therapist), I certainly agree with treating depression, but this absolutist approach to gun ownership is extremely irritating, when it seems to be applied to nothing else. Why issue driver’s licenses? For the public safety. For something designed to kill people, I think some restrictions are reasonable! And before the Church of the 2nd Amendment jumps in, I point out two things: (1) why don’t they suppor the First Amendment this way?, and (2) the exact text distributed to the states is “A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the People to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.” There is an implicit limitation here, is there not?
In the not too distance past Australia made it’s citizens surrender 640,381 firearms and since then homicide by guns are up 3.2%, armed robberies are up 44% and homicides by firearms in one district are up 300%.
USSR levied gun control in 1929. Between 1929 and 1953, 20 million people exterminated.
Turkey levied gun control in 1911. Between 1915 and 1917, 1.5 million people exterminated.
Germany levied gun control in 1938. Between 1939 and 1945, 13 million people exterminated.
China levied gun control in 1935. Between 1948 and 1952, 20 million people exterminated.
Guatemala levied gun control in 1964. Between 1964 and 1981, 100,000 people exterminated.
Uganda levied gun control in 1970. Between 1971 and 1979, 300,000 people exterminated.
Cambodia levied gun control in 1956. Between 1975 and 1977, 1 million people exterminated.
Not true. Assuming that all judges base rulings upon party lines and not established law is short sighted. Funny that is the same concern that conservatives have with the gun control laws but you dismiss that as settled. I see a bigger push to try to outlaw guns than I see making abortion illegal at the present moment. They are both there and both possible to overturn from previous law.
I agree with Cor frog- I like the ‘Toon, Bennett seems to excel or his style lends itself to dramatically simple-meaningful presentations. Motive Magus again with the incrementalism…I do not own a gun and have traditionally been adverse to lethal weapons. Recently though i have studied them alot and would rather the individual American’s right to own a weapon for self defense and sport is not compromised…The rules most states enforce (except for Illinois ) seem to be appropriate. But why all the interest by Lib groups in limiting firearms? Again the states seem to have addressed the needs of their citizens in this area…This is another case of busy-body Libs looking for power and using subterfuge and manipulation to get it. We have enough problems to deal with even if you don’t count the latest trumped-up crises.
hungryraptor, you have an interesting view of history - which is not the same as accurate, mind you. You could make a better case for the taking away of free speech in most of those cases.
Liberals fear law-abiding citizens with guns…but worry about a criminal’s constitutional right to be”comfortable” in jail.
http://www.gocomics.com/joelpett/2009/03/23/
Motivemagus about 15 years ago
Nicely put. My numbers in a previous post were incomplete. Half of handgun deaths are suicides. This country has two orders of magnitude more gun deaths than most European countries. I’m not against gun ownership - but I am against stupid gun ownership.
Simon_Jester about 15 years ago
I wanna do you a favor, ANandy.
A little something to ease your burden.
Next time you feel like posting comments here, just copy and paste these words…
OBAMA AND THE IDIOT-CONGRESS ARE TO BLAME FOR EHHHHHHH-VERYTHING THAT’S WRONG WITH THE WORLD, BECAUSE I SAID SO!
I mean, if you’re gonna say the same thing every time you make a comment here, you might as well go whole-hog.
cdward about 15 years ago
The comic paints a pretty accurate and succinct picture of the situation, so I like it. As motive says, I’m not particularly against gun ownership, but let’s not kid ourselves about what they really offer.
CorosiveFrog Premium Member about 15 years ago
Very good toon, very clever.
I’m not here to tell you what to do with your toys, but I’ll just tell you a story here. In 2007, I hit a really bad depression and attempted suicide (dombest thing I ever done in my life). I took loads of pills because they were there and ended up at the hospital. What if there has been a gun nearby?
I would have probably used it and wouldn’t be there typing on this d@mn slow computer right now.
believecommonsense about 15 years ago
Cf, I too am very glad your attempt did not succeed, and hope you never feel that hopeless again. xoxox
HUMPHRIES about 15 years ago
Ms Frog, ya make me do a back-flip now n’ then … but that’s the fun in having you on board. Glad you stuck around.
keyhole about 15 years ago
just opinions………..
CorosiveFrog Premium Member about 15 years ago
And my little Sooky would have ended up at the humane society! :(
deadheadzan about 15 years ago
CF, really glad you are still alive and kicken’. Impulsive suicide attempts can be much more lethal if a gun is involved.
WillBerry about 15 years ago
Ah - Folks - suicide by pills, knife, and by automobile, are ALL more frequent in the US than suicide by handguns - are we going to ban pills, knives and cars, or are we going to treat depression? Me, I favor treating the disease of depression.
Motivemagus about 15 years ago
WillBerry – I don’t know where you’re getting your data, but NIMH disagrees. Firearms is the #1 form of suicide in the US, with suffocation and poisoning following. With women the order is different from men, but while firearms are #2 (32% versus 38% for poisoning), 57% of men use a firearm and four times as many men commit suicide, so overall far more people commit suicide via firearms – mostly handguns, of course. http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/suicide-in-the-us-statistics-and-prevention/index.shtml
Motivemagus about 15 years ago
Oh, I should have added - as a psychologist (researcher, not clinician or therapist), I certainly agree with treating depression, but this absolutist approach to gun ownership is extremely irritating, when it seems to be applied to nothing else. Why issue driver’s licenses? For the public safety. For something designed to kill people, I think some restrictions are reasonable! And before the Church of the 2nd Amendment jumps in, I point out two things: (1) why don’t they suppor the First Amendment this way?, and (2) the exact text distributed to the states is “A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the People to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.” There is an implicit limitation here, is there not?
hungryraptor about 15 years ago
In the not too distance past Australia made it’s citizens surrender 640,381 firearms and since then homicide by guns are up 3.2%, armed robberies are up 44% and homicides by firearms in one district are up 300%.
USSR levied gun control in 1929. Between 1929 and 1953, 20 million people exterminated.
Turkey levied gun control in 1911. Between 1915 and 1917, 1.5 million people exterminated.
Germany levied gun control in 1938. Between 1939 and 1945, 13 million people exterminated.
China levied gun control in 1935. Between 1948 and 1952, 20 million people exterminated.
Guatemala levied gun control in 1964. Between 1964 and 1981, 100,000 people exterminated.
Uganda levied gun control in 1970. Between 1971 and 1979, 300,000 people exterminated.
Cambodia levied gun control in 1956. Between 1975 and 1977, 1 million people exterminated.
Yep, gun control works like a charm!
hungryraptor about 15 years ago
Then why do Dems use abortion as a hot button issue when that is also legal?
hungryraptor about 15 years ago
Not true. Assuming that all judges base rulings upon party lines and not established law is short sighted. Funny that is the same concern that conservatives have with the gun control laws but you dismiss that as settled. I see a bigger push to try to outlaw guns than I see making abortion illegal at the present moment. They are both there and both possible to overturn from previous law.
NoFearPup about 15 years ago
I agree with Cor frog- I like the ‘Toon, Bennett seems to excel or his style lends itself to dramatically simple-meaningful presentations. Motive Magus again with the incrementalism…I do not own a gun and have traditionally been adverse to lethal weapons. Recently though i have studied them alot and would rather the individual American’s right to own a weapon for self defense and sport is not compromised…The rules most states enforce (except for Illinois ) seem to be appropriate. But why all the interest by Lib groups in limiting firearms? Again the states seem to have addressed the needs of their citizens in this area…This is another case of busy-body Libs looking for power and using subterfuge and manipulation to get it. We have enough problems to deal with even if you don’t count the latest trumped-up crises.
claudermilk about 15 years ago
senorbullwinklePro says: GUN CONTROL is off the table. the SUPREME COURT has said, everyone has the right to own a gun.
Not to disagree, but I thought the Constitution said so, you know, the 2nd amendment? ;)
Motivemagus about 15 years ago
hungryraptor, you have an interesting view of history - which is not the same as accurate, mind you. You could make a better case for the taking away of free speech in most of those cases.
hungryraptor about 15 years ago
motivemagus what is not accurate? All dates and numbers along with timelines are very accurate. Taking away free speech by extermination?
NoFearPup about 15 years ago
Liberals fear law-abiding citizens with guns…but worry about a criminal’s constitutional right to be”comfortable” in jail. http://www.gocomics.com/joelpett/2009/03/23/
believecommonsense about 15 years ago
AdmiralHappyPants - I Outrank You All!, are you the newest version of puppy?