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[makingmusic476]

Homicides (vehicular and otherwise) under influence of alcohol is greater than any gun alone could ever dream of. I mean, guns don't have shit on stairs and ledges.

I think a better way to decrease drunk driving would be to discourage driving by strengthening mass transportation

http://www.citylab.com/commute/2014...o-end-drunk-driving-is-to-end-driving/372089/

A friend that spent a few years in Japan attests to this!

 

[Bodacious]

"The US has more people, that's why it won't work for us.", "The US is exceptional, that's why it won't work for us.", etc.

Same shit argument over and over again.

I didn't say it was because the U.S. has a higher population than other developed countries, and I didn't say the U.S. is exceptional . . . well except in that it has a very high per capita rate of worthless, stupid, ignorant, violent pieces of shit with no respect for the lives of others, for a purportedly first world country. People keep bringing up Japan in this thread and citing gun control as the explanation for the low homicide rate. Has nothing to do with it. You can park your motorcycle on the sidewalk here in the middle the city, unlocked with the key in the ignition, leave it for ten years and it'll still be there when you come back. Very rusty and dusty, but still there.

 

[Ke0]

Every time I see someone compare a car to a gun I feel so bad for the other Americans who have to put up with such dumb people.

 

[Gnome Scat]

Tragic

And strange timing:

https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/612437042207834112
https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/612437278019973120

Come on Second Term Obama, pull off one last win.

 

[makingmusic476]

Come on Second Term Obama, pull off one last win.

If only:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/polit...81b-11e5-ab92-c75ae6ab94b5_story.html?hpid=z4

 

[tearsintherain]

After dozens of threads of mass shootings and the constant debate over gun control in America, it really just seems to me that there are 2 cultures in the US. It seems that half the country want to take a more active role is saving people, being kind and intelligent, and just generally joining the 21st century.
The other half wants to stay in the 18th century, kill everybody they deem a threat, and resist any attempt to educate themselves and be rid of their ignorance. (Don't forget the racism as well, good ol' god fearing black hating white man made their country great dag'nabbit!)

Honestly, how do you coexist as a country?

Based on current gallup polls its probably closer to 70% pro-gun ownership and 30% pro gun control.

You won't see much posting from the pro-gun side on gaf since its easy to get heated and banned quickly. I know for a fact any politician who even spoke up about gun control in my state would get recalled out of office almost immediately, and that's true for probably 35-40 out of the 50 states if not honestly all 50.

I'm a pro-gun guy in general, although I'm not a fan of the NRA - I am fine with better background checks, gun locks required for homes, certification for gun ownership ala drivers license, training requirements, etc. I'm not a fan of any sort of registry, since as we have seen with the NSA stuff the government constantly overreaches their authority and the less is stored about me anywhere the happier I am.

What can I say, I think guns are just a tool and like any other tool can be used for good or bad. I am fairly libertarian and don't think its the governments job to babysit me and decide what I want to do with consenting adults - whether that's drugs, marriage, sex, religion, cars, my house, or guns. I live in a western state and gun ownership is very common out here, I've never once heard of any accident from someone I know who owns a gun and I go regularly and shoot at a local range. Taught all my kids how to shoot and proper gun safety from when they were 12.

There is definitely something a bit odder in the US when it comes to guns compared to other countries with high gun ownership rates - probably a combo of social mores, media coverage, attitudes, race, and who knows what else.

 

[Mayyhem]

It's so weird seeing America become the way its become whilst living just above it (Canada). It's almost become a thing where everyone I know is always like "hear what happened in the states yesterday? Insanity" like daily...

 

[Huw_Dawson]

Every time I need some proof of the endless capacity for stupidity, I read a US gun control debate.

Nothing like watching people shriek about their little metal toys not actually being the problem to remind you about why we can't have nice things.

Just to add into the debate:

1. Don't distract the issue by talking about alcohol. All these people are not dying from alcohol.
2. Don't distract the issue by complaining about mental health care. There are crazy people everywhere.
3. Don't distract the issue by saying that the culture is too broken to fix. A lot of people said that about Northern Ireland.

 

[Funky Papa]

Finally someone with a brain. People love to blame the weapon as if it wakes up in the morning thinking, "I'm going to kill some people today". No it's the people with the problem not the guns. Switzerland has many guns and a lot of the their population owns them but you don't see them killing each other all the time right?

Do yourself a favour and educate yourself.

Swiss citizens own plenty of guns, but they are also subject to some regulations that would make American conservatives shit their pants. For starters, all firearms must be stored in a safe, owners must pass stringent evaluation checks, endure proper firearms training and renew their licenses. Weapons are also registered to their owners, who cannot sell them as they please, as transactions are thoroughly documented. You also need to identify yourself when purchasing ammunition. Also, you need a firearms permit in order to purchase ammunition.

All of these policies closely mirror those of the rest of Europe and ensure that it's extremely difficult for criminals and unstable people to get a firearm. They also nip straw sellers at the bud, which are the main source of the firearms used by criminals in the United States.

Furthermore, in the case of state-issued firearms (read: army guns), you are not even allowed to open one of your ammunition tins without approval. Do that and you'll find yourself in deep shit.

Oh, gee. I wonder why the Switzerland's gun crime rates are so low. Maybe it's because THEY HAVE FUCKING SENSIBLE FIREARMS REGULATIONS.

 

[User 479360]

This is sad news, and hopefully those who were unnecessarily harmed will be able to recover well and without much pain. I feel bad for them.

America needs to work on its stupid fucking gun laws, because they're abhorrently ridiculous.