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I'm a gun owner, but not a gun enthusiast. I'm generally supportive of 2nd Amendment rights, but I'm deeply concerned about what seems to be the increasing frequency of horrific gun violence in the US.
So what's the answer? How do we, as a society, get a handle on the senseless shootings while preserving the rights of citizens to bear arms?
I'm asking this in earnest. Please respond without name-calling (eg. libtards, gun-nuts, teabaggers, etc).
It seems to me that more and more of the citizens of this country are embracing evil.
I don't have the actual numbers to back up my guess, but I think it just seems like it's happening more because of social media. 10 years ago, events like these would be a minor blip on the 5:00 evening news.
I think I found the numbers: "Murders committed with a gun dropped 39 percent to 11,101 in 2011, from a high of 18,253 in 1993, according to the report. Other crimes committed with guns were down even more sharply — from 1.53 million in 1993 to 467,300 in 2011, a drop of 70 percent, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics."Quote:
Originally Posted by ITdrummer
http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013...ort-finds?lite
I think it's a multi level problem but most of it boils down to the loss of respect for human life. When I'd get my a$$ kicked as a youngun, it usually ended and was over with. Most times we'd shake hands and go about our business. Now kids want to shoot you for any perceived infraction. The solution to this problem is be at least equally armed if not more so. Notice most of the gun violence is in gun free zones with the exception of Chicago and other large slums.
This chart shows it is increasing, but still not at 1993 levels:
http://www.bloomberg.com/image/icucI_sYACFM.jpg
Yep. We're just more acutely aware of each event like this due to social media prevalence. Also, I would submit that people so inclined to commit such heinous acts as the one in Virginia today know that social media gives them a platform to make their point, whatever it may be.Quote:
Originally Posted by T1
To me, events like the one today just reek of pure selfishness and lack of regard for other people and human life in general. Think back to the kid that shot up the college party. I'm sure there are more just like it I'm not thinking of right now, but the point is, these types of unfathomable acts are committed by people who haven't gotten their way in life and can't reconcile that with it perhaps being, at least partly, their own fault. They perceive that it's always someone else that's responsible for the bad things happening to them. Call it a symptom of a society that gives out participation awards and wants everyone treated like a special f'ing snowflake so no one's feelings get hurt.
When people aren't conditioned to getting their feelings hurt and not getting their way in life, things like today happen. Just my 1/50th of a dollar.
It is violence...period. Labeling it "gun" violence implies the act of violence would not occur if the person had not had a gun. That may be the case in certain situations, but most nut jobs will find a way to act out.Quote:
Originally Posted by Champ967
No solutions. It is the world we live in.
That's a good point. But a bat or even a knife is less likely kill you. Most other lethal weapons require the assailant to be in the victim's immediate proximity. This proximity can allow a victim to dodge or block or run or otherwise defend their person.Quote:
Originally Posted by maddawg
So yes, violent people are going to do violent things. But a ranged weapon, especially one as powerful & accurate as a modern firearm, makes a violent person substantially more likely to KILL you.
That may prove to be the case. But I'm not there yet.Quote:
No solutions. It is the world we live in.
Did this guy actually commit a PC "hate crime"? Is this why Obama and his minions are quiet right now about this one? Yes I know that all crime is a hate crime. And will we actually see more of this as Obama would love nothing more then to use an all out race war as an excuse for a 3rd , 4th and 5th term
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CNXavo4UYAAo6tC.jpg
KILLER WANTED 'RACE WAR'
Danggit Tyler. Could you NOT do that, just once?
Remember that the point of the 2nd is not so I can own a gun, specifically, but to prevent a tyrannical government (in part at least). That must be considered.
Also, in general we have more gun deaths for the same reason we have more automobile deaths: there are more guns and more cars than there used to be, and there are more of them here than in most other countries.
TWSSQuote:
Originally Posted by Champ967
Well played.Quote:
Originally Posted by TYLERTECHSAS
The only reason it was added.Quote:
Originally Posted by Blue Dawg