[News] American mass shootings

[PILTDOWN MAN]

This is the argument Americans give all the time. Criminals are criminals and if they have no guns, they’ll just use knives, trucks, IEDs, bazookas, nukes, whatever they can get their hands on.

But it’s a false assumption. In every country that has introduced tighter controls, the net murder rate has dropped significantly. I guess it‘a something to do with a lot of gun murders being spur of the moment and far more likely to be fatal.

Any prick can pull a trigger and then be full of regret, but to shank someone repeatedly whilst they try to flee / fight back is probably far more challenging.

I agree, I'm not saying knife crime will go through the roof but it will increase. We're often shocked, rightly, at the amount of knife crime in this country. It is already 7.5 times worse in the USA.

We know we're a relatively safe country compared to many others and indeed the USA is compared to others. I have worked in USA a long time ago and witnessed a few things which were shocking, so glad I'm no longer have to go there.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

I may have confused you. You're 45 times more likely to be killed by a gun and 7.5 more likely by a knife compared to the UK. The figure I had originally (which was wrong) suggested there were 30% more deaths (by knife) per capita in the USA than the UK, it turns out it's far more.

Well...at the end of the day, I feel safer in the UK, and I'd rather be British than American. Other preferences are of course available

 

[herecomesaregular]

This is the argument Americans give all the time. Criminals are criminals and if they have no guns, they’ll just use knives, trucks, IEDs, bazookas, nukes, whatever they can get their hands on.

But it’s a false assumption. In every country that has introduced tighter controls, the net murder rate has dropped significantly. I guess it‘a something to do with a lot of gun murders being spur of the moment and far more likely to be fatal.

Any prick can pull a trigger and then be full of regret, but to shank someone repeatedly whilst they try to flee / fight back is probably far more challenging.

Reminds me of a clip from the horse prison movie "The Mustang" where murderers have a group anger management session in the prison and they're asked how long, for their crime, was the gap between the "rage" rising and the act of murder. Most answers of, course, just a second or seconds and then, as you say, a life of regret. When fire arms are on you or nearby then it's very easy to kill in that second(s). Which is why guns should not be freely available. Now, yes, some would say the same about knives and for some murders that is true but I agree again with you - you stab someone you have to get much closer, much bloodier and often stab repeatedly. Americans do seem a population with real anger management issues. Add guns on hips and no surprise in the result.
The barber photo above is shocking. Never seen an "old western" with a barber with a gun on his hip. Progress eh.

edit - I will add, I had an American gf back in Uni in the early 90s. She was from Slidell and went to Uni in Baton Rouge, knew New Orleans quite well. She was terrified of NO at night and wouldn't let me stay out after dark. Also even in Baton Rouge when she was at Uni and I went out on a roam around by public bus she went mental when I got back and she'd heard what I'd done and where I went (I went to a couple of huge thrift depots looking for interesting vinyl). I found it totally bizarre.

 

[herecomesaregular]

Think I've said before but I was interested in American's obsession with guns and why they won't give them up. I'd never seen or touched one but loved an old war movie and had family all over the world fighting in WW2. So a few years back I went with friends to a gun range in Warsaw (brilliant city), fired a Tommy gun, ak47, mp5, glock pistol. To my surprise, while somewhat terrified, I absolutely f***ing loved it and scored v highly with the mp5. Brilliant experience. This was enough to explain to me on a personal level both why guns are loved and why they should not be allowed outside of law enforcement and the armed forces. Too powerful to the ego, too enticing, provocative, too sexy, too corrupting to the human spirit. Americans hide behind their out dated Constitution with it's Amendments (that cannot be Amended apparently, despite their name doh) not because they believe in it but purely because their love of firing a gun is greater than any feelings they have over the innocent deaths of (other people's) children. Pure selfishness of the highest degree.

 

[Motogull]

What I find interesting is the countries like Germany and particularly Switzerland with high gun ownership but relatively little crime attached to them.

History and culture? Germany has fought wars on its own territory and Switzerland has seen the same nearby, whereas America has not and they have the 'American dream' rammed down their throat all the time to justify pretty much anything.