Mental health has nothing to do with most gun deaths. On the other hand, neither do semi-automatic weapons with large clips. Mental health and semi-automatics just get more press. Most gun killings are by completely sane individuals with hand guns.
I never understood the concept of punishing everyone for the sins of a few. Reminds me of the teachers that used to punish the whole class because a few kids acted up.
No – it is pervasive in both parties – the TSA as a response to terrorism comes to mind. I bristle at that crack organization every time I have to fly – which I definitely try to avoid.
Most homicides in the U.S. ARE the result of handguns, and NOT folks with actual mental illnesses diagnosed, but I wouldn’t say they were exactly influenced by a “sane” cultural environment either. The HUGE number of easily accessed firearms, IS the real cause of the problem, because just as a screwdriver is a TOOL to “fix things”, America IS the place where folks can readily get that firearm “tool” to “fix” things.
Which, why has, the National RIFLE Association, spent most of its time in the last four decades defending HAND GUNS, and more recently smaller, more concealable “rifles” and machine pistols? (Yes it’s a lot easier to conceal an AR-15 or M-4 than a Ruger M-77 or long barreled shotgun when out to “do the wrong thing”)
Yes our “culture” of adoration for the gun IS a large part of the problem, but it is the GUN that is the tool used for most of the killing, and don’t forget all those thousands of shooting that do NOT end fatally. Just as our “defense” spending is greater than the 17 next largest budgets for other nations, so do does our homicide rate exceed that in those other nations, even ones WITH guns, that are REGULATED!
Could we get a show of hands of those who want to raise their taxes enough to actually boost the number of school psychologists and public mental health facilities to a level that would be able to impact this problem?
And, now, the people who honestly would like to take all the CSI and Law and Order shows off the air, burn the Tom Clancy novels and do away with James Bond movies?
Uh-huh. Okay, those who say it but don’t mean it, put your hands back down.
That certainly is true. All the black youths killing other black youths in Chicago (550+/2012) are followers of the Reverend Wright. Ditto DC, Detroit, Trenton etc.
I’m interested in hearing SOLUTIONS to this problem from each side of the argument. Pro-gun folks – what is a intelligent workable solution to bad folks getting guns? Anti-gun folks – if you were king, how would you solve this problem within the confines of the constitution. Discuss.
Here’s something you might find interesting — I got it from an article on the Chinese physicist and human rights activist Fang Lizhi (New York Review, May 10, 2012, p. 65):
“In an essay in these pages, he named five axioms of science that had led him toward human rights: 1. “Science begins with doubt,” whereas in Mao’s China students were taught to begin with fixed beliefs. 2. Science stresses independence of judgment, not conformity to the judgment of others. 3. “Science is egalitarian”; so non one’s subjective view starts ahead of anyone else’s in the pursuit of objective truth. 4. Science needs a free flow of information and cannot thrive in a system that restricts access to information. 5. Scientific truths, like human rights principles, are universal; they do not change when one crosses a political border."
pdchapin over 11 years ago
Mental health has nothing to do with most gun deaths. On the other hand, neither do semi-automatic weapons with large clips. Mental health and semi-automatics just get more press. Most gun killings are by completely sane individuals with hand guns.
gordrogb Premium Member over 11 years ago
I never understood the concept of punishing everyone for the sins of a few. Reminds me of the teachers that used to punish the whole class because a few kids acted up.
gordrogb Premium Member over 11 years ago
No – it is pervasive in both parties – the TSA as a response to terrorism comes to mind. I bristle at that crack organization every time I have to fly – which I definitely try to avoid.
Dtroutma over 11 years ago
Most homicides in the U.S. ARE the result of handguns, and NOT folks with actual mental illnesses diagnosed, but I wouldn’t say they were exactly influenced by a “sane” cultural environment either. The HUGE number of easily accessed firearms, IS the real cause of the problem, because just as a screwdriver is a TOOL to “fix things”, America IS the place where folks can readily get that firearm “tool” to “fix” things.
Which, why has, the National RIFLE Association, spent most of its time in the last four decades defending HAND GUNS, and more recently smaller, more concealable “rifles” and machine pistols? (Yes it’s a lot easier to conceal an AR-15 or M-4 than a Ruger M-77 or long barreled shotgun when out to “do the wrong thing”)
Yes our “culture” of adoration for the gun IS a large part of the problem, but it is the GUN that is the tool used for most of the killing, and don’t forget all those thousands of shooting that do NOT end fatally. Just as our “defense” spending is greater than the 17 next largest budgets for other nations, so do does our homicide rate exceed that in those other nations, even ones WITH guns, that are REGULATED!
Tue Elung-Jensen over 11 years ago
Was any of those cases a school shooting with beforementioned weapons? If not then you are missing the point.
Michael Peterson Premium Member over 11 years ago
Could we get a show of hands of those who want to raise their taxes enough to actually boost the number of school psychologists and public mental health facilities to a level that would be able to impact this problem?
And, now, the people who honestly would like to take all the CSI and Law and Order shows off the air, burn the Tom Clancy novels and do away with James Bond movies?
Uh-huh. Okay, those who say it but don’t mean it, put your hands back down.
Yeah, that’s what I thought.
Libertarian1 over 11 years ago
That certainly is true. All the black youths killing other black youths in Chicago (550+/2012) are followers of the Reverend Wright. Ditto DC, Detroit, Trenton etc.
gordrogb Premium Member over 11 years ago
I’m interested in hearing SOLUTIONS to this problem from each side of the argument. Pro-gun folks – what is a intelligent workable solution to bad folks getting guns? Anti-gun folks – if you were king, how would you solve this problem within the confines of the constitution. Discuss.
zekedog55 over 11 years ago
Well at least we get to watch live NHL again!;(Absolutely off topic, I feel like “Ima-Howie”…)
gordrogb Premium Member over 11 years ago
I’m a bit disappointed – your posts are always passionate and intelligent. I was hoping to hear some good ideas. Lord knows I don’t have any.
lonecat over 11 years ago
Here’s something you might find interesting — I got it from an article on the Chinese physicist and human rights activist Fang Lizhi (New York Review, May 10, 2012, p. 65):
“In an essay in these pages, he named five axioms of science that had led him toward human rights: 1. “Science begins with doubt,” whereas in Mao’s China students were taught to begin with fixed beliefs. 2. Science stresses independence of judgment, not conformity to the judgment of others. 3. “Science is egalitarian”; so non one’s subjective view starts ahead of anyone else’s in the pursuit of objective truth. 4. Science needs a free flow of information and cannot thrive in a system that restricts access to information. 5. Scientific truths, like human rights principles, are universal; they do not change when one crosses a political border."
remrafdn over 11 years ago
Better than most of the cartoons on this site