/THREAD/
Ok, a few words on guns. Let’s just start with the obvious. There are an insane amount of guns floating around the US. And yes I mean insane literally. It is at levels that should be treated as the result of some kind of pathology.
Ok, a few words on guns. Let’s just start with the obvious. There are an insane amount of guns floating around the US. And yes I mean insane literally. It is at levels that should be treated as the result of some kind of pathology.
1/ Now there are third world war zones where the numbers are not exactly reliable that probably beat the US there. But the numbers are solid for anything in the developed world which is the comparison point for the US.
2/ Americans stockpile weaponry like nobody else. Because it makes you safe! It protects your family! You have to be able to defend yourself! Guns are necessary!!!
Yeah, that’s not working out so well.
Yeah, that’s not working out so well.
3/ Now some gun folks see that and they try to flip it around. “Yes! The US is dangerous and violent…. THEREFORE WE NEED LOTS OF GUNS!” First, I refer you back to the graph in post 1. Second, let’s just talk through that shall we?
5/ Having a gun in the home increases the odds someone in that home is going to die by suicide. It increases the odds someone is going to be killed in an accident. AND it increases the odds you will be the victim of a homicide.
6/ “Well, I would responsibly lock my guns in a safe and that takes care of most of that!” say a lot of gun owners. Well then in the immortal words of Jim Jeffries…. “THEN THEY’RE NOT FOR F$!&ING PROTECTION!” They’re collectible toys.
7/ Having a gun in the home also increases odds of women being the victim of domestic abuse. Because of there is an abusive home and there’s a gun in it guess who is controlling access to that gun and can use it as a threat, or more?
9/ Now along comes “I’m trained law enforcement/military who is extremely psychologically stable with a loving family and etc...” well congratulations on being the exception that proves the rule. But anecdotes don’t trump statistical data.
10/ Ok, well maybe it’s being out in the scary outside world where guns make you safer? Muggers! Rapists! Murderers! Terrorists!
Yeah, again…. Not so much. I refer you to post 2 and homicide rates.
Yeah, again…. Not so much. I refer you to post 2 and homicide rates.
11/ There is a reason for this. Lots of reasons actually. First of all guns escalate otherwise non-fatal encounters into life or death struggles. Maybe your mugger was just going to take your wallet but panicked when you grabbed for a gun and shot you.
12/ Or he didn’t have a gun, you grabbed for yours, there was a struggle, and you end up shot with YOUR OWN gun when no gun would have been involved otherwise.
13/ Or you’re stopped by the police, they see a gun, yelling, screaming... police shooting. And sorry MAGA people but the odds of this happening DO go up drastically inversely proportional to your tendency to sunburn at the beach.
14/ If anyone feels like arguing a “don’t be unfair to the police they have a hard job” point here feel free. They do have a hard job. The biggest reason? EVERYONE HAS FREAKING GUNS. There is also a reason for this:
15/ In most countries every time a cop pulls over a car or approaches a subject on the street there is a background awareness that yes they may be dangerous. There is NOT the ever present certainty that guns are freaking EVERYWHERE however.
16/ That drastically alters the mindset of the police officer. US police often train like they’re in an urban combat environment. Which sometimes they kind of are. But that causes SERIOUS problems when they are supposed to be cops, not soldiers.
17/ Soldiers aren’t big on waiting to see if the other guy shoots first for one thing. They’re not (well, often not) policing, they’re FIGHTING. But when “the enemy” is any random person on the street who might have a gun that is an issue.
18/ But try asking US cops not to train for that with all these guns everywhere. Good luck. And on a certain level it’s hard to blame them. Having tons of guns out in the street makes EVERY SITUATION more dangerous. Potentially fatal.
19/ Moving on to the next excuse…. The FOUNDERS wanted us all to have guns to prevent the government from turning tyrant and enslaving us all!!!!!
Again. No. Popular conservative fairytale, but no.
Again. No. Popular conservative fairytale, but no.
20/ The founders wanted everyone* to have guns because everyone* was supposed to make up the militia. (*Not counted in everyone: Women…. Slaves, etc…).
And the way the militia prevented tyranny wasn’t by threatening the government with their guns.
And the way the militia prevented tyranny wasn’t by threatening the government with their guns.
21/ The militia prevented tyranny by being the PRIMARY military force available to that government. Instead of a professional standing army.
22/ The reasoning being if the only armed forces the government could use to oppress the people WERE the people they weren’t getting far.
Think that’s holding up these days? I refer you to the US military. Enjoy bringing your rifle to a carrier battle group fight.
Think that’s holding up these days? I refer you to the US military. Enjoy bringing your rifle to a carrier battle group fight.
23/ (And that was only a backup protection against tyranny. The primary protection has never failed…. Yet…
REQUIRED REGULAR ELECTIONS.)
REQUIRED REGULAR ELECTIONS.)
24/ Somehow other free developed nations have managed to get along just fine without dictators overthrowing their democratic institutions left and right due to the lack of ridiculous numbers of gun wielding citizens. The US would too.
25/ I haven’t mentioned mass shootings, school shootings…
They are horrific tragedies with a serious impact. But they tend to attract attention out of proportion to how deadly they are in context of the overall gun carnage in the US
They are horrific tragedies with a serious impact. But they tend to attract attention out of proportion to how deadly they are in context of the overall gun carnage in the US
26/ Mass shootings kill hundreds of people a year in the US. Guns kill over 30,000 a year. Mass shootings are scary, and dramatic, and impactful. The one woman shot at home by her abusive boyfriend doesn’t get the same news headlines.
27/ If you want to solve the real gun problem in the US, just figuring out how to stop mass shootings isn’t getting the job close to done.
28/ Which brings us to the real reason many US gun owners really want them.
They’re cool and they like them and they make them feel powerful.
And you know what. I get it. But it sucks as a justification for 30,000 dead Americans a year.
They’re cool and they like them and they make them feel powerful.
And you know what. I get it. But it sucks as a justification for 30,000 dead Americans a year.
29/ Now I’m not calling for the total disarmament of Americans. I again refer you to the graph in post 1. Lots of safe civilized nations up there with gun ownership numbers nowhere near zero.
30/ But they all treat guns as weapons. They regulate them strictly. They restrict how they may be owner and used RATIONALLY.
The US far too often treats them as toys, fashion accessories, etc…
The US far too often treats them as toys, fashion accessories, etc…
31/ So basically? That needs to stop. If someone wants a gun they should show a real need. They should pass a check. They should undergo REAL training. They should be registered. They should be held responsible for that weapon. Etc.
END/ And how is that going to happen? Well, unfortunately, considering widespread attitudes the only way may be to just put enough pressure on that you force a large number of people to grow the fuck up.
Oh, and demonize the damn NRA. They deserve it. Every Day.
Oh, and demonize the damn NRA. They deserve it. Every Day.
