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Community => Society and History => Topic started by: Dakota Bob on December 13, 2013, 06:28:52 pm

Title: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: Dakota Bob on December 13, 2013, 06:28:52 pm
Link (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-25375064)

I'm sure the NRA will have something sensible and well-reasoned to say about this.
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: QueenofHearts on December 13, 2013, 06:31:04 pm
Unless you're thinking of the National Restaurant Association, I don't understand that sentence. "NRA" and "Sensible and well-reasoned" in the same sentence does not computer.
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: Art Vandelay on December 13, 2013, 06:31:50 pm
'Murrika!
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: Igor on December 13, 2013, 06:32:13 pm
I'm sure the NRA will have something sensible and well-reasoned to say about this.
well. (http://thenewcivilrightsmovement.com/1-in-the-middle-of-todays-active-shooting-at-a-colorado-high-school-the-nra-tweets-this/news/2013/12/13/80244#.UquYy-LDtIp)
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: lord gibbon on December 13, 2013, 07:02:57 pm
Sigh, yet another shooting in my state. What is it about Colorado that causes this? The amount of guns? The rural conservatives? Is it people being upset about our new gun control laws?
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: Ironchew on December 13, 2013, 07:26:28 pm
Terrible publicity for tomorrow's "Guns Save Lives Day".

Which already was a terrible idea to begin with.
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: MadCatTLX on December 13, 2013, 07:55:33 pm
I've got a better idea than arguing this argument for the 10th time. How about we find what's causing people to do this. What makes someone think it's a good idea? Last I checked it didn't happen a few decades ago. Is it because of the media's obsession with violence? Is it because there seems to be little other way to solve some problems other than violence? What's changed since the 1980s? It isn't gun laws, those have gotten stricter.
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: Ironchew on December 13, 2013, 08:03:40 pm
I've got a better idea than arguing this argument for the 10th time.

S'okay, you don't have to view this thread. Meanwhile the rest of us can talk about it because it's important to us.

How about we find what's causing people to do this. What makes someone think it's a good idea? Last I checked it didn't happen a few decades ago. Is it because of the media's obsession with violence? Is it because there seems to be little other way to solve some problems other than violence? What's changed since the 1980s? It isn't gun laws, those have gotten stricter.

You can keep discrediting gun control legislation all you want, but the fact is that it's severely reduced gun crimes in just about every other developed nation where it's been tried. As for the laws getting "stricter", I don't buy it. I have to have a license to use just about every other item that has the potential to seriously harm lots of people. Guns are a notorious exception.
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: Witchyjoshy on December 13, 2013, 08:46:06 pm
...What?  You need a license to own a gun where I live.
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: Cerim Treascair on December 13, 2013, 09:43:44 pm
here in New York too.  And Oregon.  And Michigan.  And Washington...

I can keep going.
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: RavynousHunter on December 13, 2013, 09:55:51 pm
I've got a better idea than arguing this argument for the 10th time. How about we find what's causing people to do this. What makes someone think it's a good idea? Last I checked it didn't happen a few decades ago. Is it because of the media's obsession with violence? Is it because there seems to be little other way to solve some problems other than violence? What's changed since the 1980s? It isn't gun laws, those have gotten stricter.

Brother, sorry to burst your bubble, but people have been senselessly killing one another with various weapons since the dawn of humanity, this is by no means anything even remotely in the same universe as a recent development in aberrant human behaviour.

As for attacks on schools, I direct you to the Bath School massacre (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bath_School_disaster), which occurred in 1927; the earliest marketed TV sets hit shelves in the UK in 1928 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_television#Television_sets).  Modern media didn't exist, then, so there's little cause to claim that the two are somehow linked.  Its not that it just started happening suddenly around the 80s, its just that we're exposed to more of it due to the immense breadth of information to which we have access in our times.
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: Ironchew on December 13, 2013, 10:22:15 pm
here in New York too.  And Oregon.  And Michigan.  And Washington...

I can keep going.

Thing is, though, none of those are federal registration mandates (with exceptions such as owning fully automatic weapons). Gun control doesn't mean a whole lot when you can hop across city or state lines and get whatever was restricted in your jurisdiction.
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: Damen on December 14, 2013, 05:03:50 am
Thank the gods the only one reported dead is the shooter.

Quote from: BBC
Two petrol bombs were also found inside the school.

...umhmm. I think we can upgrade this nutbag to "terrorist" now.
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: ironbite on December 14, 2013, 06:46:05 am
Nope.  He was white.

Ironbite-everyone knows terrorists can't be white.
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: starseeker on December 14, 2013, 07:26:38 am
Nope.  He was white.

Ironbite-everyone knows terrorists can't be white.

Unless they're Irish. Or is that only in the UK?
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: chitoryu12 on December 14, 2013, 08:27:40 am
You can keep discrediting gun control legislation all you want, but the fact is that it's severely reduced gun crimes in just about every other developed nation where it's been tried.

Please provide actual evidence that introduction of gun control into a country that lacked it caused a long-term decrease in crime.

And I mean "long-term". A decrease that only lasts a few years is a common sight even when no changes to laws are made, and is essentially statistical fluff.

Quote
As for the laws getting "stricter", I don't buy it.‎

Sorry, but just because you don't believe facts doesn't mean they're not true. California, New York, and other states or cities have maintained the provisions of the 1994 Assault Weapons Ban, a rather silly bill loaded with nigh-useless laws that included attempts to regulate the frightening appearance of certain guns and had virtually zero effect on actual gun crime during its 10 years in service across the nation.
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: Sigmaleph on December 14, 2013, 08:37:42 am
Nope.  He was white.

Ironbite-everyone knows terrorists can't be white.

He also wasn't trying to accomplish any political objective through terror, which seems slightly more relevant.
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: Ironchew on December 14, 2013, 11:43:03 am
Sorry, but just because you don't believe facts doesn't mean they're not true. California, New York, and other states or cities have maintained the provisions of the 1994 Assault Weapons Ban, a rather silly bill loaded with nigh-useless laws that included attempts to regulate the frightening appearance of certain guns and had virtually zero effect on actual gun crime during its 10 years in service across the nation.

You pretty much described the opposite of a "strict" law. That law was just ineffective.

The U.S. Congress is so bought and paid for by the arms manufacturers that, barring public outrage such as we haven't seen after any school shooting, I don't see new federal gun control happening until the arms industry wants to severely restrict 3D-printed guns. I could imagine that legislation passing because 3D printing would cut into their profits.
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: ironbite on December 14, 2013, 03:16:32 pm
Nope.  He was white.

Ironbite-everyone knows terrorists can't be white.

Unless they're Irish. Or is that only in the UK?

No then they're freedom fighters.

Ironbite-cause the United States hates the British.
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: SpaceProg on December 14, 2013, 04:43:13 pm
I don't know... I kind of like those limey bastards.
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: Witchyjoshy on December 14, 2013, 04:54:16 pm
I honestly hate the United States, probably more than anyone here does.

We're a divided country with no real clear lines.  Which is mostly forgivable.  What's not forgivable is what we're divided on.  The right wing is determined to drag us back to the pre-Civil War era, and the left wing is too busy bickering with itself to drag us forward.

It's one of those cases where Britain, with all of its problems, still feels like an improvement over the USA.
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: Beezlebub on December 14, 2013, 05:44:49 pm
Apparently, according to his facebook posts and eyewitness accounts, his views lied on the left, including supporting gun-control laws, ironically enough.

People have already decided to use this as "Proof" that all liberals are evil.
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: SpaceProg on December 14, 2013, 06:11:52 pm
I honestly hate the United States, probably more than anyone here does.

We're a divided country with no real clear lines.  Which is mostly forgivable.  What's not forgivable is what we're divided on.  The right wing is determined to drag us back to the pre-Civil War era, and the left wing is too busy bickering with itself to drag us forward.

It's one of those cases where Britain, with all of its problems, still feels like an improvement over the USA.

I don't hate the US.  It is my home and there are still some things I like about it.   With me, when it comes to the US, I am very, very, disappoint.

Not hate.
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: Witchyjoshy on December 14, 2013, 07:03:26 pm
Well, I have a hard time finding anything to like about this country of entitled old fogies and entitled little brats.
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: SpaceProg on December 14, 2013, 07:05:20 pm
I don't, but different strokes for different folks.
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: Witchyjoshy on December 14, 2013, 07:07:11 pm
Well I was hoping you could tell me what you liked so that maybe I could change my mind, but perhaps I should have said so instead of just expecting you to read my mind :P
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: SpaceProg on December 14, 2013, 07:24:26 pm
Well I kinda expected that you were wondering what, but I was kind of self-conscious about it, as my wants are pretty simple compared to many others. 

The people, the places, the things.   I could go and live in the UK forever, but my home would always be where I am right now.  Unless I were to somehow bring the people, places and things I love here with me, but that wouldn't be cost-effective.   

Maybe when there's nothing tying me here emotionally, like if I was the only surviving member of my family unit... I don't know.   Home will still probably be here.   That's where I stand, at least currently.  I'm disappointed in my country as it's capable of so much more than it's doing now, but I still hold hope that things will eventually get better.   Bad things like this have happened all through the history of the world.  We just know about it all now at once since the advent of the internet.  The world has gotten as small as a little podunk town comparatively, and everyone knows what everyone else is doing.
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: Witchyjoshy on December 14, 2013, 07:31:23 pm
Maybe that's the difference then.

My parents are the only people I really care about in the immediate vicinity, and of the two I'd leave my Dad behind if I could.

Both sides of the family are emotionally distant (or outright abusive) and have basically treated my parents and me as if we were black sheep, afterthoughts.

I have no friends, no real family to speak of because of the aforementioned issues, and the place I live in is pretty damn conservative.  The only thing tying me here is that I have literally no choice in the matter.
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: SpaceProg on December 14, 2013, 07:45:57 pm
The people I care most about are my mother and my aunt.  Oh what the hell, my cats too since they're little ... cat-type-people...

When they're all gone, provided they go before I do, then there may not be anything keeping me here, but I know I would greatly miss the sights, smells, and feels that where I am has given me.

 I don't think the UK could ever hope to grow an apple as good as Mercier Orchards in Blue Ridge, for instance... at least as good to me.   I'd miss the sounds of the animals in the woods near my house at night. The crickets, the cicadas,  the coyotes, the owls, the bobwhites and whip-or-wills.  The smell of the hay and cattle from across the road at the Shield's pasture.  Not to mention the sounds of them, and the bellows when one of them is having a calf.

The smell of oak and pine when the lumber mill up the road is doing its cutting.   The woodsmoke when the neighbors up and down the road have lit their woodstoves and fireplaces. 
There's a lot more than that even, but it'd take forever to relate and I don't want to bore anyone.

Home, to me... is more than just a place.  It's everything you sense and remember. 

Meh, I'm a sentimental fool, I know. :p
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: Mantorok on December 14, 2013, 07:59:03 pm
Please provide actual evidence that introduction of gun control into a country that lacked it caused a long-term decrease in crime.
Why would anyone bother? Every time Australia is mentioned as an example of gun control successfully reducing violent crime, the gun nuts just stick their fingers in their ears and go "LALALA I CAN'T HEAR YOU".
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: Barbarella on December 14, 2013, 08:52:05 pm
I think the answer to all this is both gun safety regulations AND improvements to the mental health system. Otherwise, it's just a band-aid.
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: Barbarella on December 14, 2013, 09:38:07 pm
Apparently this whole thing happened because this kid had a beef with the school librarian.

Which makes me ask. Why not "talk it out"?

A lot of this stuff could be avoided if they just "talked it out".

But noooooo....THESE ARE "MEN" AND TALKING IS FOR SISSIES AND IT'S BETTER TO DO I THE "MAN WAY" & BLOW STUFF UP! BLAMO BLAMO! YEEEEEEEEHHHHAAAAH!

Why will these insecure boys ever learn that it's okay to see the Guidance Counselors & therapists?! I HATE THIS MACHO CULTURE!!!

Another frustrating thing....why do they always kill themselves? We can't question or learn from them! Is that the reason? To annoy us & make us live with a mystery & riddles? If they're angry about life and want to kill, why don't they just kill themselves only?
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: chitoryu12 on December 14, 2013, 10:26:33 pm
Please provide actual evidence that introduction of gun control into a country that lacked it caused a long-term decrease in crime.
Why would anyone bother? Every time Australia is mentioned as an example of gun control successfully reducing violent crime, the gun nuts just stick their fingers in their ears and go "LALALA I CAN'T HEAR YOU".

That's because it's barely even evidence. The first restrictive gun laws came into place in 1996 (less than 20 years ago), and new laws in 2002 (barely over 10 years ago). Not only is it almost impossible to actually prove that these laws caused a drop in violent crime, violent crime rates in many countries are known to have noticeable fluctuations over a 10 year period even when no new gun laws are introduced. For all we know, it's statistical fluff that's being falsely correlated with the new laws.

To make it even worse as "evidence", Australia historically had low levels of violent crime and the laws were introduced during a sudden short-term upsurge. It's extremely possible that the rise in violent crime was unrelated to firearms laws or availability whatsoever and would have simply gone down on its own without the new laws.
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: Mantorok on December 14, 2013, 10:32:57 pm
In other words:
LALALA I CAN'T HEAR YOU
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: rageaholic on December 14, 2013, 10:42:40 pm
You know, I really hate this world some times. 
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: chitoryu12 on December 14, 2013, 10:45:51 pm
In other words:
LALALA I CAN'T HEAR YOU

.....wait, hang on.

You literally just did the "LALALA I CAN'T HEAR YOU" tactic yourself by accusing me of doing it to you.

What the fuck?
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: Cerim Treascair on December 14, 2013, 11:06:15 pm
In other words:
LALALA I CAN'T HEAR YOU

.....wait, hang on.

You literally just did the "LALALA I CAN'T HEAR YOU" tactic yourself by accusing me of doing it to you.

What the fuck?

Wait a tic, Chit, I think Mantorok meant that anybody that might claim that it's statistical 'proof' one way or the other, fuzzy as it might be considering the short time span, is that the detractor's reactions are the "I can't hear you" tactic.
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: QueenofHearts on December 14, 2013, 11:24:33 pm
Kind of, Chit asked for one specific example, was given a very solid one, and then came up with a bunch of ad hoc "problems" with the case study. That is the problem with case studies, anyone can say "but-for this element, the result would be different, it proves nothing" no matter how strong the link is, anyone can create an ad hoc problem.

In other words, Mant could post anything and Chit would find a problem with it. Such are the rules of the board. That isn't examining the evidence objectively, that's "I want my penis compensators and will manipulate the facts I accept to get the result I wish."
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: chitoryu12 on December 14, 2013, 11:29:54 pm
Kind of, Chit asked for one specific example, was given a very solid one, and then came up with a bunch of ad hoc "problems" with the case study. That is the problem with case studies, anyone can say "but-for this element, the result would be different, it proves nothing" no matter how strong the link is, anyone can create an ad hoc problem.

In other words, Mant could post anything and Chit would find a problem with it. Such are the rules of the board. That isn't examining the evidence objectively, that's "I want my penis compensators and will manipulate the facts I accept to get the result I wish."

All of the things I pointed out are why it's NOT solid evidence. There's a huge amount of glaring flaws with using Australia as an example of successful implementation of gun control; if I point out flaws in the evidence, the burden of proof is on THEM to patch up the holes. You can't simply ignore flaws in evidence by just handwaving them away as "ad hoc problems" and accusing anyone who points out the flaws of just being obtuse.

When it comes to actually determining the effects laws have on crime, proving that the laws actually had the effect being touted is the MOST IMPORTANT PART.
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: The Illusive Man on December 15, 2013, 12:14:39 am
I've got a better idea than arguing this argument for the 10th time. How about we find what's causing people to do this. What makes someone think it's a good idea?
Lol, look at this deflection complete with ignorance of biopsychosocial causes. The best part is the assumption that there are rational motives. Here let me summarize this for you:

PSYCHOPATHS ARE DETACHED FROM REALITY. Empathic dysfunction cannot be taught, it has biological causes such as amygdale abnormalities. Such biological causes alter a person’s ability to cognate, learn and communicate. Psychosis cannot be cured because medical technology cannot perform drastic brain reconstruction. Thank the Republicans for holding back avenues of research that could accomplish this.


Last I checked it didn't happen a few decades ago. Is it because of the media's obsession with violence? Is it because there seems to be little other way to solve some problems other than violence? What's changed since the 1980s? It isn't gun laws, those have gotten stricter.
You just willfully ignored Columbine, a textbook example of 'psychopath shoots up a school'.
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: Mantorok on December 15, 2013, 12:34:05 am
In the last major gun debate thread, chitoryu12 was the one who posted the NRA propaganda video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OyS3CEIbpJo) from 2000 that declared the 1996 gun reforms a failure due to a spike in violence in 1997-98. So two years was long enough for him to declare gun control a failure, but 17 years is too short to declare it a success. This is the kind of bullshit we used to call skyfire out on.
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: Cerim Treascair on December 15, 2013, 12:45:52 am
In the last major gun debate thread, chitoryu12 was the one who posted the NRA propaganda video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OyS3CEIbpJo) from 2000 that declared the 1996 gun reforms a failure due to a spike in violence in 1997-98. So two years was long enough for him to declare gun control a failure, but 17 years is too short to declare it a success. This is the kind of bullshit we used to call skyfire out on.

On an unrelated note, good to see you back, Mant.  You've been missed.  How have you been?
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: Stormwarden on December 15, 2013, 01:15:07 am
*sighs* Here we go again.

You wanna know why he did what he did? Because he was benched. He was a member of the debate team, and he was gunning for his debate coach, proving that he was a failure at debate. Is it a stupid motive? Absolutely, but I've seen dumber motives for criminal acts.

My source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2523676/Arapahoe-High-School-yoga-class-interrupted-girl-15-injured-shooter-Karl-Pierson.html

Gotta ask Illusive (when he isn't being a husk, anyway) : Were there any prior actions of his that would indicate a psychological break? Was there cause to believe he'd be this stupid?

We act all too often on the assumption that people know what's going on when they don't. Wish he didn't take himself out, but glad so few people got hurt for his stupidity.

And also, you guys need to calm the fuck down. If I were you, I'd be asking how he got the gun, because 99 times out of 100 for crimes like this, it was stolen or otherwise obtained illegally. Beyond this, I'll wait for more facts to come out, lest I get dragged into this flamefest.

By all means, continue said flamefest, my smores aren't ready yet.
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: kefkaownsall on December 15, 2013, 01:31:45 am
pops in im just gonna say for once tim is right since there are cases of people who just are bad they lack the ability to feel empathy trying to teach empathy actually is BAD since it makes the psychopath more manipulative
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: chitoryu12 on December 15, 2013, 09:02:10 am
In the last major gun debate thread, chitoryu12 was the one who posted the NRA propaganda video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OyS3CEIbpJo) from 2000 that declared the 1996 gun reforms a failure due to a spike in violence in 1997-98. So two years was long enough for him to declare gun control a failure, but 17 years is too short to declare it a success. This is the kind of bullshit we used to call skyfire out on.

I'm no longer using that video as evidence, as I looked closer at it and saw the mistakes (willful or otherwise) that were made in producing the video.
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: Sleepy on December 15, 2013, 10:18:43 am
The gun and ammunition were both legally purchased by the shooter.

http://news.yahoo.com/colorado-school-rampage-lasted-less-2-minutes-004000907.html (http://news.yahoo.com/colorado-school-rampage-lasted-less-2-minutes-004000907.html)
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: Canadian Mojo on December 15, 2013, 11:49:41 am
Please provide actual evidence that introduction of gun control into a country that lacked it caused a long-term decrease in crime.
Why would anyone bother? Every time Australia is mentioned as an example of gun control successfully reducing violent crime, the gun nuts just stick their fingers in their ears and go "LALALA I CAN'T HEAR YOU".
Kind of like how the anti-gun nuts stick their fingers in their ears when asked if it would even be  (physically) possible to implement and enforce such draconian legislation in the U.S. or if there would even be any appreciable benefit given the huge number of guns already floating around the U.S.

Honestly, have you even looked at the Aussie laws? They make the Canadian registration days look like the wild, wild west by comparison. Anything above a bolt action rimfire or break barrel shotgun requires a 'need'  before you can acquire the permits necessary to buy one. That's just for a bolt action center fire rifle, the restrictions get even tougher for things like pumps shotguns and semiauto weapons. 
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: QueenofHearts on December 15, 2013, 11:59:31 am
Please provide actual evidence that introduction of gun control into a country that lacked it caused a long-term decrease in crime.
Why would anyone bother? Every time Australia is mentioned as an example of gun control successfully reducing violent crime, the gun nuts just stick their fingers in their ears and go "LALALA I CAN'T HEAR YOU".
Kind of like how the anti-gun nuts stick their fingers in their ears when asked if it would even be  (physically) possible to implement and enforce such draconian legislation in the U.S. or if there would even be any appreciable benefit given the huge number of guns already floating around the U.S.

Honestly, have you even looked at the Aussie laws? They make the Canadian registration days look like the wild, wild west by comparison. Anything above a bolt action rimfire or break barrel shotgun requires a 'need'  before you can acquire the permits necessary to buy one. That's just for a bolt action center fire rifle, the restrictions get even tougher for things like pumps shotguns and semiauto weapons.

Or like how any time gun control is brought up, gun humpers stick their fingers in their ears and yell "mental health" which is a red herring that seeks only to play on our prejudices and emotions. They shout this red herring to make us afraid of the mentally ill who may have guns (ignoring that the mentally ill are more likely to be victims of guns) and then try to make us sympathetic, like, "oh, those poor individuals..." so that our attention is diverted from the man behind the curtain to a different issue entirely.

Also ignores that most people who play this trope are adamantly against doing ANYTHING to improve the health care in this country, but at least they can keep their guns.
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: Askold on December 15, 2013, 12:01:51 pm
Please provide actual evidence that introduction of gun control into a country that lacked it caused a long-term decrease in crime.
Why would anyone bother? Every time Australia is mentioned as an example of gun control successfully reducing violent crime, the gun nuts just stick their fingers in their ears and go "LALALA I CAN'T HEAR YOU".
Kind of like how the anti-gun nuts stick their fingers in their ears when asked if it would even be  (physically) possible to implement and enforce such draconian legislation in the U.S. or if there would even be any appreciable benefit given the huge number of guns already floating around the U.S.

Honestly, have you even looked at the Aussie laws? They make the Canadian registration days look like the wild, wild west by comparison. Anything above a bolt action rimfire or break barrel shotgun requires a 'need'  before you can acquire the permits necessary to buy one. That's just for a bolt action center fire rifle, the restrictions get even tougher for things like pumps shotguns and semiauto weapons. 

Finnish law is kinda like that except that you need a license for ALL firearms. The only things exempt are bows and airguns. (Depending how you read the law airsoft guns, bb-guns and metal pipes would also require a lincese to own. It is not a very well written law.)
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: The Illusive Man on December 15, 2013, 12:46:27 pm
Gotta ask Illusive (when he isn't being a husk, anyway) : Were there any prior actions of his that would indicate a psychological break? Was there cause to believe he'd be this stupid?
I will put this in simple terms for you:
Stupidity is not similar or equal to a psychotic break. In order to equate the two you literally have to ignore the biopsychosocial causes of psychosis. Arguing from ignorance is bad and you should feel bad.

In order to predict when a psychotic break will occur broad, invasive monitoring is needed. Even if everyone in a school is sent regularly to a counselor this cannot overcome participant bias. You have learned nothing from Columbine. High functioning psychopaths and sociopaths are insanely difficult to detect because they actively deceive and blend in with society despite differences in cognition.


Gotta If I were you, I'd be asking how he got the gun, because 99 times out of 100 for crimes like this, it was stolen or otherwise obtained illegally.
[citation needed]
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: ironbite on December 15, 2013, 03:06:48 pm
*pops more popcorn*
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: Stormwarden on December 15, 2013, 09:18:48 pm
Illusive: Bullshit. I've learned plenty from Columbine and every other act of school violence up to and including the 1927 Bath School massacre. Don't go all Nancy Grace/armchair shrink on me. All I ask is evidence. And you've only given me conjecture.

Truth is, I'm all out of patience with seeing the same tired bullshit arguments every time something like this comes up.

I will, however, address Sleepy, since she actually mentioned something relevant. He was 18, and showed no indication of a mental illness prior to when he acquired the weapon. He made no effort to hide his weapons.

He had no right to put his classmates through this. No gunowner has that right. So TIM, spare me the moral outrage, you fucking hypocrite.
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: QueenofHearts on December 15, 2013, 09:24:53 pm
Moments like this make me wonder, "why are guns legal, but pot is illegal?"
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: Damen on December 15, 2013, 10:20:03 pm
To the thread in general, I'm just gonna go ahead and quote myself from last month.

I'm pretty sure I've said this before but I'll say it again: this is one of those topics that everyone's already picked out their sides on the issue and they have no intention of changing their minds so all this "debate" boils down to is a thinly veiled "You're an asshole" statement. Nothing ever changes except for the resentment that comes from it so it's one of those things just best left alone unless you're actively seeking a drama-fest.
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: Mantorok on December 15, 2013, 10:32:08 pm
I'm no longer using that video as evidence, as I looked closer at it and saw the mistakes (willful or otherwise) that were made in producing the video.
Sure, but by using that video you tacitly endorsed Australia as a case study for gun control. You had absolutely no qualms when you thought the facts supported your beliefs. Now that you know they don't, you make excuses for why Australia can't be used. A classic example of fundie behaviour.

It's time to face facts, you're wrong about gun control in Australia. You don't need to admit to me and the forum, you need to admit it to yourself.


Kind of like how the anti-gun nuts stick their fingers in their ears when asked if it would even be  (physically) possible to implement and enforce such draconian legislation in the U.S. or if there would even be any appreciable benefit given the huge number of guns already floating around the U.S.
Oh look, it's the good old "The USA is a special snowflake" argument. Do you employ this same argument when discussing the prospect of the US adopting a single-payer, socialised heath care system?

Here, I can write that post for you:
Quote
Kind of like how the socialists stick their fingers in their ears when asked if it would even be  (physically) possible to implement and enforce such draconian legislation in the U.S. or if there would even be any appreciable benefit given the huge number of sick people already floating around the U.S.
See how stupid that looks?

Piss-weak effort, guys. I suggest you both take a break from debating the issue until you can come up with a worthwhile argument.
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: dpareja on December 15, 2013, 10:52:03 pm
To the thread in general, I'm just gonna go ahead and quote myself from last month.

I'm pretty sure I've said this before but I'll say it again: this is one of those topics that everyone's already picked out their sides on the issue and they have no intention of changing their minds so all this "debate" boils down to is a thinly veiled "You're an asshole" statement. Nothing ever changes except for the resentment that comes from it so it's one of those things just best left alone unless you're actively seeking a drama-fest.

There are many things regarding this debate on which I do not agree with you, but in this I agree with you fully.
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: The Right Honourable Mlle Antéchrist on December 16, 2013, 06:16:34 am
Lol, look at this deflection complete with ignorance of biopsychosocial causes. The best part is the assumption that there are rational motives. Here let me summarize this for you:

PSYCHOPATHS ARE DETACHED FROM REALITY. Empathic dysfunction cannot be taught, it has biological causes such as amygdale abnormalities. Such biological causes alter a person’s ability to cognate, learn and communicate. Psychosis cannot be cured because medical technology cannot perform drastic brain reconstruction. Thank the Republicans for holding back avenues of research that could accomplish this.

If you're going to be a condescending dick, you might want to be careful not to confuse psychosis with psychopathy.
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: Ironchew on December 16, 2013, 03:43:35 pm
To the thread in general, I'm just gonna go ahead and quote myself from last month.

I'm pretty sure I've said this before but I'll say it again: this is one of those topics that everyone's already picked out their sides on the issue and they have no intention of changing their minds so all this "debate" boils down to is a thinly veiled "You're an asshole" statement. Nothing ever changes except for the resentment that comes from it so it's one of those things just best left alone unless you're actively seeking a drama-fest.
There are many things regarding this debate on which I do not agree with you, but in this I agree with you fully.

I personally enjoy the discussion, and I find it highly condescending when people claim we should shut up about gun control debates. It fits into the taboo narrative.
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: mellenORL on December 16, 2013, 04:58:42 pm
If only some of the debaters would refrain from using thinly veiled, passive aggressive pseudo "hypothetical" terms of personal insult it would be more readable, at least. Once the name calling starts, I groan and leave off reading the thread (like now, when I hit the post button)....
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: SpaceProg on December 16, 2013, 05:49:07 pm
If y'all want to personally attack each other instead of debating each other's ideas or viewpoints, then take it to flame and burn, please.  Y'all know who you are.
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: Barbarella on December 16, 2013, 06:13:19 pm
If y'all want to personally attack each other instead of debating each other's ideas or viewpoints, then take it to flame and burn, please.  Y'all know who you are.

THANK YOU! This flaming, raving, drooling & screaming is getting ridiculous!
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: chitoryu12 on December 16, 2013, 06:30:11 pm
Sure, but by using that video you tacitly endorsed Australia as a case study for gun control. You had absolutely no qualms when you thought the facts supported your beliefs. Now that you know they don't, you make excuses for why Australia can't be used. A classic example of fundie behaviour.

It's time to face facts, you're wrong about gun control in Australia. You don't need to admit to me and the forum, you need to admit it to yourself.

In other words, "I don't care if you've disavowed evidence that you've admitted is incorrect, because I still think that you're an extremist." You'd be one hell of a shitty scientist with that kind of thinking.

I've pointed out the problems with using Australia as an example of "good gun control." Either respond to the actual problems with your evidence or don't use it in the debate. Don't just ignore all of the flaws and call me a fundie when I call you out on them.

Quote
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: kefkaownsall on December 16, 2013, 06:40:55 pm
Pops in http://www.forwardprogressives.com/gun-rights-activist-on-fox-news-makes-appalling-claim-about-the-mentally-ill/
pops out
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: davedan on December 16, 2013, 06:52:54 pm
The thing that gets me is that people who are against gun control in the US aren't even prepared to try reforms like the Australian reforms. To me it always seems like they would rather people get shot than that they lose their toys.

Then they say I need it for self-defence. Which apart from sounding like bullshit to me, seriously how often have you needed a gun to defend yourself, says that your life is more important than other peoples.

But seriously no one in the US is living in the wild wild west anymore.

But for the sake of argument let's take a look at two very similar countries with different availabilities of firearms. Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands. PNG has huge numbers of guns, lots of them flooding in from Indonesian West Papua (or Irian Jaya). They have vicious tribal fighting and a huge problem with gangs. You cant walk the streets and basically drive with armed guards from enclosed compound to enclosed compound. Regular extreme tribal fighting resulting in regular deaths.

Solomon Islands not many guns at all, no military, an occasionally armed police force. No gun violence. Occasional sporadic tribal fighting rarely resulting in deaths. You can walk the street night and day quite safely (at least as a man and in company as a woman at night but without armed guard).

The vast majority of the society is the same. Tribal. Predominantly Melanesian. Former Colonies. Yet one has lots of guns and serious gun problems and the other does not.

But what am I thinking, it is definitely more important for you to be able to enjoy your toys than for other people to live without fear of gun violence.
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: QueenofHearts on December 16, 2013, 07:55:10 pm
To the thread in general, I'm just gonna go ahead and quote myself from last month.

I'm pretty sure I've said this before but I'll say it again: this is one of those topics that everyone's already picked out their sides on the issue and they have no intention of changing their minds so all this "debate" boils down to is a thinly veiled "You're an asshole" statement. Nothing ever changes except for the resentment that comes from it so it's one of those things just best left alone unless you're actively seeking a drama-fest.
There are many things regarding this debate on which I do not agree with you, but in this I agree with you fully.

I personally enjoy the discussion, and I find it highly condescending when people claim we should shut up about gun control debates. It fits into the taboo narrative.

I have to agree with the Doge, again.

Every time guns come up we hear the same trope from the gun humpers "now is too emotional a time to have this discussion." This trope is so mainstream, it has even been stated here by Rookie and either Stormwarden or Damen. Now that 1 year has passed since 20 kids were savagely murdered, now can we have a discussion about whether society really needs these senseless weapons?

To not have such a discussion is reckless of us as a society.

ETA2: Because I know people will misinterpret it, when I say "gun humpers," I specifically refer to the NRA and other gun-humping talking heads in the media and the republican party. Hence why I qualify it with "it's so mainstream it has shown up here." Because I know someone will try to read me calling Storm, Rookie, and Damen "gun-humpers" which I am not doing...

ETA:
If y'all want to personally attack each other instead of debating each other's ideas or viewpoints, then take it to flame and burn, please.  Y'all know who you are.

THANK YOU! This flaming, raving, drooling & screaming is getting ridiculous!

Wait, what did I miss? I'm confused...
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: Witchyjoshy on December 16, 2013, 08:06:42 pm
ETA2: Because I know people will misinterpret it, when I say "gun humpers," I specifically refer to the NRA and other gun-humping talking heads in the media and the republican party. Hence why I qualify it with "it's so mainstream it has shown up here." Because I know someone will try to read me calling Storm, Rookie, and Damen "gun-humpers" which I am not doing...

Wait, the NRA and the Republican party have really been blaming it on mental illness?

That's new, they generally try to pretend it doesn't exist.  More hypocrisy from the right, I guess.
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: QueenofHearts on December 16, 2013, 08:16:45 pm
ETA2: Because I know people will misinterpret it, when I say "gun humpers," I specifically refer to the NRA and other gun-humping talking heads in the media and the republican party. Hence why I qualify it with "it's so mainstream it has shown up here." Because I know someone will try to read me calling Storm, Rookie, and Damen "gun-humpers" which I am not doing...

Wait, the NRA and the Republican party have really been blaming it on mental illness?

That's new, they generally try to pretend it doesn't exist.  More hypocrisy from the right, I guess.

I fail to see your point... Did you misinterpret mine?

Because I said on the previous page that "the mental illness card is a trope to play on prejudices and passions and distract us from the real issue." But, on this page and in the post you quoted, I'm saying, "we always hear the meme that 'now is too emotional a time' after every shooting. So why not discuss it now, 1 year removed from such carnage?"
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: Witchyjoshy on December 16, 2013, 08:18:51 pm
...?

My point is that the Republican party only seems to acknowledge mental illness when it benefits them.

Which was a response to your second ETA
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: RavynousHunter on December 16, 2013, 08:23:22 pm
Didn't miss much, Queen; Chit and Mant are berating one another.

As for the "US is a special snowflake," it kinda is, in this regard.  Each nation is unique, you can't just apply the laws of one nation to another, it won't work unless the laws are incredibly narrow in scope and small in effect.  The US is, first and foremost, a huge country, in terms of pure land mass.  We're around 25% larger (the US clocks in at 9,826,675 sq. km, whereas Australia is 7,692,024 sq. km), and that's not an insignificant size difference.  That's a LOT of area to police, and also a LOT of area in which to hide from the police.  Hell, we've still got reasonably successful moonshine (illegal liquor) operations going on, nowadays.

America has a population of approximately 317,000,000 people.  If 1% of the population were part of a dedicated anti-gun taskforce, that'd 3,170,000 people spread out across 9,826,675 square kilometers, or one man patrolling an area of around 3.1 square kilometers; not an insignificant area for a single person to attempt to control.  That's just the patrolmen; this isn't taking account to the people needed to get the necessary supplies to the patrolmen like food and water, the people needed to keep all their equipment running, the team (or teams) of people coordinating all the necessary logistics, communication personnel, and so on.  It'd be a huge undertaking.

The gun laws we have work reasonably well when adequately enforced.  We do not need legislation like Australia or the UK.  What we need is better enforcement, and for loopholes in unlicensed gun acquisition to be closed.  This is far, FAR simpler and doesn't tread on not just an amendment to the Constitution, and by extension the Constitution itself, but the Bill of Rights, something many people consider to be a document of almost equal importance to the Bible.  To enforce near-draconian gun control legislation would require the removal of one of the founding rights of our nation, something that's been backed up by generation after generation of legal precedent.  Again, that's only if you could find a way to adequately enforce it, which would be a logistical nightmare.

In short, we don't need your laws.  We need better enforcement of the ones we've already go in place.
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: Cerim Treascair on December 16, 2013, 08:27:01 pm
ETA2: Because I know people will misinterpret it, when I say "gun humpers," I specifically refer to the NRA and other gun-humping talking heads in the media and the republican party. Hence why I qualify it with "it's so mainstream it has shown up here." Because I know someone will try to read me calling Storm, Rookie, and Damen "gun-humpers" which I am not doing...

Wait, the NRA and the Republican party have really been blaming it on mental illness?

That's new, they generally try to pretend it doesn't exist.  More hypocrisy from the right, I guess.

to wit:  http://www.forwardprogressives.com/gun-rights-activist-on-fox-news-makes-appalling-claim-about-the-mentally-ill/
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: QueenofHearts on December 16, 2013, 08:28:29 pm
...?

My point is that the Republican party only seems to acknowledge mental illness when it benefits them.

Which was a response to your second ETA

My prior point is the the mental illness card is a complete red herring that is intended to either play on our fear "the mentally ill have guns and are scary*" or our sympathies "those poor mentally ill just need the proper mental health care." And while we are paranoid of the mentally ill or contemplating proper mental health care, we get off the topic of gun control. The media has not ignored this point. I've heard Rush Limbaugh, I've heard Wayne La Pierre, I've heard Fox news play this card 11 months ago. And the reason we continue to hear this point is because it gets our attention off the point that the more guns a society has the more dangerous it is. (http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/09/17/223508595/around-the-world-gun-ownership-and-firearms-deaths-go-together) Not to mention the obvious, the easier it is for ANYONE to get a gun (thanks America) the easier it is for dangerous individuals to get guns.

*Which ignores that the mentally ill are about 2.5 times as likely as the lay-person to be victims of gun violence. So, if self-defense means anything, shouldn't we arm them?

Also, Ravy, Australia has a lower population density than America. Thus, the notion that "America is unique due to its population and density" is inconsistent with the Australian case study.
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: RavynousHunter on December 16, 2013, 08:33:55 pm
@Queen: Perhaps, but we still have, what...200 years of legal precedent going the opposite direction of countries like Australia?

Again, even with the density, the undertaking would be of a colossal scale.  We're already fighting a completely pointless and futile "War on Drugs," we don't need another completely pointless and futile "War on Guns."  Simply saying we should adopt another country's laws on such a huge matter is oversimplifying the matter to a rather disturbing degree.
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: Sleepy on December 16, 2013, 08:37:46 pm
I'm not especially familiar with laws in individual states regarding purchase of guns, but I think at the very least, we need to tighten some restrictions. For instance, I believe Colorado specifically banned registration of firearms, which I don't agree with.
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: RavynousHunter on December 16, 2013, 08:40:08 pm
Precisely.  Our enforcement is uneven, and controlled too much by state-level government as opposed to federal government.  Once our enforcement is evened out, and we've had the proper time to suss out some good data, then we can see whether or not more drastic measures need to be taken.
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: QueenofHearts on December 16, 2013, 08:41:54 pm
But Ravy, we register cars and other vehicles. Maybe I'm optimistic, but if we and our low population density can successfully register vehicles, I don't know why we can't do so with guns.

And when Canada had a gun registry (they being far less dense as a society) they had results around 75% compliance (which is misleadingly low because a lot of registration was done at the last minute and late. So some of the last minute registrations and all of the late registrations are included in the "non-compliance" section).
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: Sleepy on December 16, 2013, 08:53:41 pm
The difference in US size, population, and culture shouldn't prevent us from beneficial reform, kinda like what Mant said about healthcare reform. Obviously we can't reverse thousands of laws overnight, but that's not how we would begin implementation, anyway.
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: RavynousHunter on December 16, 2013, 08:56:56 pm
But Ravy, we register cars and other vehicles. Maybe I'm optimistic, but if we and our low population density can successfully register vehicles, I don't know why we can't do so with guns.

And when Canada had a gun registry (they being far less dense as a society) they had results around 75% compliance (which is misleadingly low because a lot of registration was done at the last minute and late. So some of the last minute registrations and all of the late registrations are included in the "non-compliance" section).

I...never said I was against registration.  That's actually a good idea.

I'm confused now, were we talking about just registration, or the idea of a gun ban of some sorts?  If its the former, then that, in my eyes, poses no problems outside bitchy right-wingers being their typical, petulant, childish selves.
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: Ironchew on December 16, 2013, 09:12:15 pm
Didn't miss much, Queen; Chit and Mant are berating one another.

As for the "US is a special snowflake," it kinda is, in this regard.  Each nation is unique, you can't just apply the laws of one nation to another, it won't work unless the laws are incredibly narrow in scope and small in effect.  The US is, first and foremost, a huge country, in terms of pure land mass.  We're around 25% larger (the US clocks in at 9,826,675 sq. km, whereas Australia is 7,692,024 sq. km), and that's not an insignificant size difference.  That's a LOT of area to police, and also a LOT of area in which to hide from the police.  Hell, we've still got reasonably successful moonshine (illegal liquor) operations going on, nowadays.

America has a population of approximately 317,000,000 people.  If 1% of the population were part of a dedicated anti-gun taskforce, that'd 3,170,000 people spread out across 9,826,675 square kilometers, or one man patrolling an area of around 3.1 square kilometers; not an insignificant area for a single person to attempt to control.  That's just the patrolmen; this isn't taking account to the people needed to get the necessary supplies to the patrolmen like food and water, the people needed to keep all their equipment running, the team (or teams) of people coordinating all the necessary logistics, communication personnel, and so on.  It'd be a huge undertaking.

Policing in the United States is a huge undertaking, I agree. We still manage to get it done for enforcing all sorts of other laws, though. Try broadcasting a pirate station and see how fast it takes for the FCC to come knocking.

The gun laws we have work reasonably well when adequately enforced.  We do not need legislation like Australia or the UK.  What we need is better enforcement, and for loopholes in unlicensed gun acquisition to be closed.  This is far, FAR simpler and doesn't tread on not just an amendment to the Constitution, and by extension the Constitution itself, but the Bill of Rights, something many people consider to be a document of almost equal importance to the Bible.  To enforce near-draconian gun control legislation would require the removal of one of the founding rights of our nation, something that's been backed up by generation after generation of legal precedent.  Again, that's only if you could find a way to adequately enforce it, which would be a logistical nightmare.

In short, we don't need your laws.  We need better enforcement of the ones we've already go in place.

We've passed gun control legislation before in this country (federal registration for owning fully automatic weapons, etc.) without the 2nd amendment fundies raising too much of a ruckus, and I don't see any constitutional objections to passing more of it. What we have standing in the way of meaningful reform is, as usual, the arms manufacturers. A fundamentalist interpretation of the 2nd amendment is highly profitable for their industry. They will eventually pass their own gun control legislation outlawing 3D printed guns (yes, it's not that difficult to make guns with machine tools, but far more people will be 3D printing them and it will cut into arms manufacturers' profits), exposing them as filthy hypocrites if the media doesn't decide to play along. It would be trivial to pass gun control legislation without a tiny fraction of industry lobbyists being a spanner in the works.
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: The Right Honourable Mlle Antéchrist on December 16, 2013, 11:12:12 pm
If y'all want to personally attack each other instead of debating each other's ideas or viewpoints, then take it to flame and burn, please.  Y'all know who you are.

Does this apply to my post as well? 'cause I don't think that pointing out that his condescension was unnecessary, as well as ironic, is a personal attack.
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: Witchyjoshy on December 16, 2013, 11:55:08 pm
...?

My point is that the Republican party only seems to acknowledge mental illness when it benefits them.

Which was a response to your second ETA

My prior point is the the mental illness card is a complete red herring that is intended to either play on our fear "the mentally ill have guns and are scary*" or our sympathies "those poor mentally ill just need the proper mental health care." And while we are paranoid of the mentally ill or contemplating proper mental health care, we get off the topic of gun control. The media has not ignored this point. I've heard Rush Limbaugh, I've heard Wayne La Pierre, I've heard Fox news play this card 11 months ago. And the reason we continue to hear this point is because it gets our attention off the point that the more guns a society has the more dangerous it is. (http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/09/17/223508595/around-the-world-gun-ownership-and-firearms-deaths-go-together) Not to mention the obvious, the easier it is for ANYONE to get a gun (thanks America) the easier it is for dangerous individuals to get guns.

Alright?  I'm not sure what this has to do with my surprise that the Republicans actually acknowledged mental health as a thing, even if it's for their own ends.

I didn't miss your point because I wasn't intending to argue the point in the first place.
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: Damen on December 17, 2013, 12:04:59 am
It tickles me how people seem to think my suggestion that we just drop this discussion was because the topic is "taboo" or it's too "emotional" or some such tripe when I neither said nor implied any such thing.

I said we should just drop it because anyone who has an opinion on this subject has dug in on that opinion, has no intention of changing their minds and all that comes from continuing the conversation is drama and resentment.

If any of you want to call the "other side" dickheads, then just go on and call them dickheads but stop trying to guise it as a debate, do it in F&B and don't stick words in my mouth.

But just remember, fostering an Us vs. Them mindset (i.e. "gun-grabbers" vs. "gun-humpers") is the reason these debates go nowhere; everyone is just seeing That Dickhead Over There and not bothering to take the time to find common ground because everyone thinks that compromise in this debate means the other guy comes to your way of thinking when that isn't going to happen.

I don't really plan on maintaining a presence in this thread, I just wanted to clear up my stance on the matter.
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: Askold on December 17, 2013, 12:25:00 am
Can I still claim to be a "gun humper" if I think that gun registrations and licenses are a good thing? Im not sure if you could ever pass such a law in USA due to the constitution and more importantly the huge amount of people who seem to worship that particular part of constitution, but if speaking about countries and gun laws in general I believe that the regulation of firearms is quite important.

And funnily enough, I really am in an opposite land since I think Finland has ENOUGH regulation already. Some of it should be changed to prioritize on things that actually matter and some regulations could even be loosened a bit but I think we are pretty close to good gun laws.
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: SpaceProg on December 17, 2013, 02:00:36 am
If y'all want to personally attack each other instead of debating each other's ideas or viewpoints, then take it to flame and burn, please.  Y'all know who you are.

Does this apply to my post as well? 'cause I don't think that pointing out that his condescension was unnecessary, as well as ironic, is a personal attack.

^No, it doesn't. 



Just everyone keep in mind that in a debate, you attack what your opponent(s) say, not them personally. 

As always, opponents can also debate personally having at it as tooth and claw all they want in Flame and Burn, but outside of there, it's only the viewpoints, opinions, statements, etc. that are attacked.  
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: Sylvana on December 17, 2013, 02:35:29 am
(click to show/hide)
In short, we don't need your laws.  We need better enforcement of the ones we've already go in place.

The thing is, you dont.
America is an extremely large, and very populated country. This does make certain things logistically difficult, but does not make anything impossible. The thing that astounds me is how the current state of America drowning in guns is seen as a valid excuse to not do anything about the problem.

With just the current level of law enforcement, things can be changed. Decent gun control laws dont magically cause firearms to pop out of existence, but they do limit the purchase there of. One would say start with making gun sales illegal. This allows everyone to keep their guns, but dramatically hampers anyone trying to get new guns. Then institute a program promoting that people turn in their guns for destruction at police stations.

Both of those are incredibly easy to enforce, and will have a dramatic effect and reduction on gun related violence over time. You dont need police going round collecting everyone's guns. That would be stupid. However, making the trade and sale of firearms restricted allows for police to collect firearms when they happen upon them.

There are so many simple legal solutions that will greatly assist the police in their duties, and that will reduce gun violence while not stopping guns from being sold at all. Literally something as simple as a firearms registry. I know Americans are all paranoid about the government knowing where all the gun owners are, but they already know where all the car drivers are so really it is not something to get worked up over. Something as simple as a linking a gun to a persons ID number, and making all unregistered firearms illegal. Provide a window period for registration, and make registration during that period either free or cost less than ammo. (personally though, I feel if you can afford a gun you can afford to pay for the things registration)

With just that legislation, police can over time confiscate any unregistered firearms reducing the number of guns in the country, and the registration process make gun purchases more responsible. With the gun registration, police would theoretically also have access to the ballistic information of the guns which could help them solve crimes committed with stolen firearms.

These suggestions do not violate the second amendment, they are not readily open to abuse, require no extra manpower or cost, would help the police in their duties and will influence the gun violence problem in America. I encourage those who support gun ownership to provide a definitive flaw in my proposal.

One last little bit:
Most gun laws introduced since Sany hook have loosened gun laws. (http://www.infowars.com/most-gun-laws-passed-since-sandy-hook-have-loosened-restrictions/)
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: RavynousHunter on December 17, 2013, 10:24:03 am
Can I still claim to be a "gun humper" if I think that gun registrations and licenses are a good thing?

Just the same as how you can be a Christian and not beat people over the head with it.
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: Askold on December 17, 2013, 03:08:36 pm
Can I still claim to be a "gun humper" if I think that gun registrations and licenses are a good thing?

Just the same as how you can be a Christian and not beat people over the head with it.

I AM A LIVING PARADOX! This might mean that there are colours other than black and white. That people who aren't with me might not necessarily be against me either... This is way too frightening and complex!
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: QueenofHearts on December 17, 2013, 03:33:18 pm
Can I still claim to be a "gun humper" if I think that gun registrations and licenses are a good thing?

Just the same as how you can be a Christian and not beat people over the head with it.

I AM A LIVING PARADOX! This might mean that there are colours other than black and white. That people who aren't with me might not necessarily be against me either... This is way too frightening and complex!

Or maybe while there is gray area, there are still black and white extremes and labeling the extremes as "gun-humpers" speaks nothing to those who may lean towards a pro-gun side but not be so extreme.

I've said it before, but one of the best posts I've read during the whole gun debate was made by Old Viking, a gun owner. If you asked me a thousand times, I would never refer to him as a "gun-humper" or an extremist, and would instead refer to him as a reasonable gun owner.

I'll continue to use "gun-humpers" to refer to the extremists though. Why give gun extremists a soapbox from which to spew their bile?

As for how anyone else uses "gun-humper" well, I'll let them decide to whom they apply the term to.
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: SpaceProg on December 17, 2013, 03:38:41 pm
Can I still claim to be a "gun humper" if I think that gun registrations and licenses are a good thing?

Just the same as how you can be a Christian and not beat people over the head with it.

I AM A LIVING PARADOX! This might mean that there are colours other than black and white. That people who aren't with me might not necessarily be against me either... This is way too frightening and complex!

I know the colour 'mauve' freaks me out.




Hey, to paraphrase Joss Whedon:   "Anger, pain, death, sadness;  that's good stuff; but for god's sake, tell a joke once in a while."


Please return to your previously scheduled debate.
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: RavynousHunter on December 17, 2013, 04:56:29 pm
Can I still claim to be a "gun humper" if I think that gun registrations and licenses are a good thing?

Just the same as how you can be a Christian and not beat people over the head with it.

I AM A LIVING PARADOX! This might mean that there are colours other than black and white. That people who aren't with me might not necessarily be against me either... This is way too frightening and complex!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fsOCsjKuSGg

Obligatory song is obligatory.
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: Stormwarden on December 18, 2013, 09:53:26 pm
I've said this before, but it bears repeating:

What really needs to happen is a full state-by-state review of gun laws. Get gun owners and law enforcement in on the debate. Look at what's on the books and get rid of all the crap that's unconstitutional, unenforceable, or otherwise completely and utterly ineffective. Then maybe we simplify the code so that people can understand it in a way that won't get the lawyers another paycheck or the police involved. And yes, a neutral party should be involved (within the country).

Yes, it will take time (years, if not decades), it will take patience, and it will mean using one's head for something other than more political BS, but maybe it'll actually get something DONE. One of the big problems with gun laws is that they vary wildly not just state-to-state, but county-to-county as well. A concealed-carry handgun that's legal in one county may be completely illegal in another. I don't think I need to explain how this can cause a lot of problems.
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: Witchyjoshy on December 18, 2013, 10:20:41 pm
The USA has become so interconnected that at this point, I think the state boundaries hurt us more than help us.

I'd kinda like to become a more unified country...
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: Stormwarden on December 19, 2013, 01:16:46 am
As long as the parties are still here, and as long as people keep wanting to divide themselves by those lines, we're gonna keep having these problems. I almost want to go Char Aznable.

Almost.
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: Witchyjoshy on December 19, 2013, 01:29:03 am
It would be nice if there was at least something that liberals and conservatives could unite and agree on.

Anything, really.
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: Ironchew on December 19, 2013, 02:01:18 am
Well, if by "liberals and conservatives" you mean Democrats and Republicans, they pass quite a few bills with near-unanimous bipartisan support. The PATRIOT Act, the NDAA, copyright extensions, free trade agreements easily sail through the Senate...

Some of the scariest laws in existence, sure, but they agree on them.
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: QueenofHearts on December 19, 2013, 10:42:57 am
I've said this before, but it bears repeating:

What really needs to happen is a full state-by-state review of gun laws. Get gun owners and law enforcement in on the debate. Look at what's on the books and get rid of all the crap that's unconstitutional, unenforceable, or otherwise completely and utterly ineffective. Then maybe we simplify the code so that people can understand it in a way that won't get the lawyers another paycheck or the police involved. And yes, a neutral party should be involved (within the country).

The problem with this view is that it is not as comprehensive as you'd like to believe. You simply want to "look at what's on the books" and get rid of existing gun laws. In your own words you want to "simplify" (read: laxen) the gun code. You try to come off as neutral, but you're skewing the debate towards "We need less gun laws" side of the argument and ignoring the "hey, maybe some more gun control legislation can be beneficial."

Also, couldn't agree more. First thing we do is kill all the lawyers... so wait... if we don't allow lawyers into the debate, how do we know what's constitutional or not?

Quote
Yes, it will take time (years, if not decades), it will take patience, and it will mean using one's head for something other than more political BS, but maybe it'll actually get something DONE. One of the big problems with gun laws is that they vary wildly not just state-to-state, but county-to-county as well. A concealed-carry handgun that's legal in one county may be completely illegal in another. I don't think I need to explain how this can cause a lot of problems.

As to the confusing part, if you don't know another jurisdictions gun laws then DON'T bring you gun within that jurisdiction. Problem solved.

Or we can just go the Australia route. It's been mentioned already, but it reduced crime immediately. Further, even with a growth of about 25% since 1996, the overall crime continues to drop. Finally, the biggest testament to its success, it's not argued over there. If it were a failure or a waste of time, don't you think they'd be complaining "my tax dollars were wasted..."

That took 2 years before the decline began. So why should we waste "decades" when Australia has proven to us that "Yes, additional gun control legislation can and does work."

*Keep in mind, I'm using Australia as a counter-point to Storm's theory that we need to remove gun laws and laxen restrictions on guns. I'm using Australia to say "sometimes, additional gun control can be beneficial, as seen here."
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: Cerim Treascair on December 19, 2013, 06:44:15 pm
"As to the confusing part, if you don't know another jurisdictions gun laws then DON'T bring you gun within that jurisdiction. Problem solved."

Issue with that.  What if you move somewhere where the gun is legal, and a law is passed down the line (and you don't hear anything, say, on the news) that makes that gun illegal.  What then? are you reimbursed for the money you've invested in the firearm and ammo? what about grandfather clauses enacted later than that? would they return the gun to you if it's confiscated? I doubt it.
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: RavynousHunter on December 19, 2013, 07:17:20 pm
I believe that the typical course of action in that case is that any existing weapons are grandfathered in; its just simpler that way.
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: chitoryu12 on December 19, 2013, 08:01:53 pm
Quote
Or we can just go the Australia route. It's been mentioned already, but it reduced crime immediately. Further, even with a growth of about 25% since 1996, the overall crime continues to drop. Finally, the biggest testament to its success, it's not argued over there. If it were a failure or a waste of time, don't you think they'd be complaining "my tax dollars were wasted..."

That took 2 years before the decline began. So why should we waste "decades" when Australia has proven to us that "Yes, additional gun control legislation can and does work."

*Keep in mind, I'm using Australia as a counter-point to Storm's theory that we need to remove gun laws and laxen restrictions on guns. I'm using Australia to say "sometimes, additional gun control can be beneficial, as seen here."

I'd still like to see the actual evidence that the gun laws were responsible for the drop in crime. Again, violent crime in Australia remained quite low until a sudden and unusual short-term spike that led to the passing of the laws. It wasn't like a consistent high trend that lowered only after new laws were passed; it could very easily be a statistical anomaly that's being falsely attributed to particular laws.

Also, how in the bloody hell is "Nobody is publicly arguing against the laws" proof that it works? That's only proof that nobody is publicly arguing against it.
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: QueenofHearts on December 19, 2013, 08:26:10 pm
I'd still like to see the actual evidence that the gun laws were responsible for the drop in crime. Again, violent crime in Australia remained quite low until a sudden and unusual short-term spike that led to the passing of the laws. It wasn't like a consistent high trend that lowered only after new laws were passed; it could very easily be a statistical anomaly that's being falsely attributed to particular laws.

I posted this months ago (http://fqa.digibase.ca/index.php?topic=3469.msg128207#msg128207), and you promptly ignored it, but here (http://www.aic.gov.au/publications/current%20series/tandi/261-280/tandi269/view%20paper.html) you go for a second time. Again, this should be most telling, because the charts do not examine crime rate, but aggregate crime in Australia. So, the decline is even more pronounced when you include an increasing population.

Quote
Also, how in the bloody hell is "Nobody is publicly arguing against the laws" proof that it works? That's only proof that nobody is publicly arguing against it.

Because if it were ineffective, Australians would be the first to bitch about it. Keep in mind it was their guns and their tax dollars that went to the plan. Not to mention, they have first hand experience of the enforcement. They are in the best position to analyze its efficacy, and they're satisfied with it. So, if it were a massive waste as you have attempted in the past to portray it (NRA propaganda) then why don't Australians see it that way?

Here is my point, why would a few whiny people in NRA propaganda suffice for you to say "it didn't work", but not a larger percentage of Australians who are satisfied with the law? This question (and Mant's prior question) don't touch the BS evidence you used, but your methodology in accepting such accounts, IE, your confirmation bias.
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: Canadian Mojo on December 19, 2013, 08:47:09 pm
And in Canada, a more modest in scope gun control law was largely a failure because the registry was abolished and the data destroyed because the people thought it was a waste of time and money. We kept the license part, which is something we had prior to this.

What should we make of that?

The fact of the matter is that you can't jam this down everyone's throats any more than the radical right can outlaw abortion or decide that separation of church and state simply no longer applies and everyone must worship Yahweh. It sucks, but that constitution of yours makes it very difficult to do anything dramatic.

If you want to win you are going to have to adopt a death by a thousand cuts strategy. Whittle away at the edges until there is nothing left... you know exactly the tactics the neocons are using against the things they hate but can't outright destroy.

As much as I hate to say it bringing real gun control to America is a fight that is going to go on for a very long time and if you think you can just suddenly drop a law like Australia's on the public you are sadly mistaken.
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: QueenofHearts on December 19, 2013, 08:48:58 pm
*Keep in mind, I'm using Australia as a counter-point to Storm's theory that we need to remove gun laws and laxen restrictions on guns. I'm using Australia to say "sometimes, additional gun control can be beneficial, as seen here."

Words matter...
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: Stormwarden on December 19, 2013, 09:22:07 pm
Let me remind you again, QoH, that the Australia rules won't fly because the ban on common-use firearms was already shot down some time ago by the SCOTUS. We've been over this.

And it bears repeating: don't put words in my mouth again. I'm saying eliminate the laws that don't work. I'm thinking "surgery" when you're trying to accuse me of "extermination." And Queen, I'm not affiliated with the NRA in any way, shape or form. Try the hell again. I go where my conscience dictates. The NRA, the Dems, Repubs, hell, any other political group, doesn't tell me what to think.  I go where the facts lead, and I base my conclusions on my own research. And my conclusion is the Australia rules will not fly here.

Now ditch the tunnel vision and deal with it.
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: QueenofHearts on December 19, 2013, 09:45:41 pm
*Keep in mind, I'm using Australia as a counter-point to Storm's theory that we need to remove gun laws and laxen restrictions on guns. I'm using Australia to say "sometimes, additional gun control can be beneficial, as seen here."

Words matter...

Holy strawmen, Batman!!

ETA: I've decided my flippancy is not the answer because this needs a bit more. Storm, your post tried to come off as a neutral approach to the solution, but by a simple examination of the details, a layperson could see it was anything but. You don't want good social policy regarding guns, you just want less laws. I can accept an individual wanting such, just be honest about it and don't sugarcoat it. Which also makes me wonder how you plan to achieve such ends sans lawyers. I mean, are we just gonna go to Alex Jones and ask him what is constitutionally sound?

Now, this bears repeating, or stating for the first time. I don't care what political positions you take nor did I accuse you of taking any. More strawmen and red herrings. I don't care if you're affiliated with the NRA (as though guilt by association is a thing anymore).

Now, please ditch your tunnel vision, and deal with words. I've said it twice now, words matter. Stop strawmanning and actually deal with words.

Or I'll continue my flippancy, because I'll give you as much time and thought as you give me.
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: Ironchew on December 19, 2013, 09:55:12 pm
Let me remind you again, QoH, that the Australia rules won't fly because the ban on common-use firearms was already shot down some time ago by the SCOTUS. We've been over this.

The SCOTUS has made a lot of shitty rulings recently that directly oppose the public interest. If it takes a constitutional amendment to work around that particular issue, so be it.

And it bears repeating: don't put words in my mouth again. I'm saying eliminate the laws that don't work. I'm thinking "surgery" when you're trying to accuse me of "extermination." And Queen, I'm not affiliated with the NRA in any way, shape or form. Try the hell again. I go where my conscience dictates. The NRA, the Dems, Repubs, hell, any other political group, doesn't tell me what to think.  I go where the facts lead, and I base my conclusions on my own research. And my conclusion is the Australia rules will not fly here.

One could easily make the argument that the second amendment is just such a law that should be eliminated because it doesn't work. Luckily we don't have to dance around the second amendment to pass gun control legislation, as was demonstrated in the 1930s.

What's left unsaid in eliminating bad laws is the unwillingness to institute laws that fix the problem. The U.S. would have never gotten rid of slavery without legislation specifically outlawing it (slavery is a feature of capitalism, after all). If there's a legislative avenue that can prevent several hundred thousand deaths in this next century from gun violence, I think it's worth pursuing.
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: RavynousHunter on December 19, 2013, 09:58:04 pm
Sweet Jesus, Ironchew's making sense.  I think we've officially entered the End Times, folks.
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: QueenofHearts on December 19, 2013, 10:00:39 pm
Sweet Jesus, Ironchew's making sense.  I think we've officially entered the End Times, folks.

(http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mbsc6y0QKA1qzc5zfo1_250.gif)

Clarifying, not being snarky or flippant towards Ravy, just cheeky. TBH, I've wanted to use that GIF for a while.
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: RavynousHunter on December 19, 2013, 10:04:44 pm
Here I was thinking you'd show the one who has the ear of King in Yellow a little more respect...
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: mellenORL on December 19, 2013, 10:05:37 pm
Are Biden's 8-bit era "shades" actually two different sized pixel sieves or woks pasted together?
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: Dakota Bob on December 19, 2013, 10:27:25 pm
Sweet Jesus, Ironchew's making sense.  I think we've officially entered the End Times, folks.
                     
                     such logic
       
         many reason
                                wow
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: Stormwarden on December 19, 2013, 11:19:23 pm
Seriously, Queen?

So, somehow, eliminating gun laws such as things that only ban certain cosmetic features on firearms, looking into laws that might already be on the books, but haven't been enforced, eliminating unenforceable laws, and making the entire thing so that it can be more easily enforced and work, without compromising anyone's liberties, is "eliminating all gun laws?" And before you start, I'm also of the belief that the "PATRIOT" act needs to be thrown on the bonfire, along with prohibition, the Jim Crow laws, and the "3/5ths" part of the Constitution.

If change can be done using laws that are already on the books (and just haven't been enforced) that'll make it a lot more doable than trying to change the laws en masse in the current political climate.

As for the strawmanning? You first, I insist. You're misrepresentation of my words is beginning to annoy me.

Ironchew:

I'm reluctant to pass new laws because we don't know what's already on the books that isn't being enforced for various reasons. I'd rather dig and find out before any new laws are passed, if any are even needed.

You're gonna have a hell of a time getting rid of the 2nd amendment in the current climate. Prohibition was only shut down because of massive public outcry, coupled with the realization that banning alcohol created far more problems than it solved. I like to think that the restoration of alcohol sales helped get the US out of the Depression, but that's just me.

I've been bypassing the 2nd amendment removal for good reason. 1) I'm against it in the first place. People have a right to defend themselves in a reasonable manner. Besides, I'd rather keep or expand civil liberties than eliminate them. 2) Amending it wouldn't be doable in the current climate, and besides, a lot of people would be very reluctant to change one of the original 10 amendments on the bill of rights.
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: QueenofHearts on December 19, 2013, 11:37:45 pm
Seriously, Queen?

So, somehow, eliminating gun laws such as things that only ban certain cosmetic features on firearms, looking into laws that might already be on the books, but haven't been enforced, eliminating unenforceable laws, and making the entire thing so that it can be more easily enforced and work, without compromising anyone's liberties, is "eliminating all gun laws?" And before you start, I'm also of the belief that the "PATRIOT" act needs to be thrown on the bonfire, along with prohibition, the Jim Crow laws, and the "3/5ths" part of the Constitution.

If change can be done using laws that are already on the books (and just haven't been enforced) that'll make it a lot more doable than trying to change the laws en masse in the current political climate.

As for the strawmanning? You first, I insist. You're misrepresentation of my words is beginning to annoy me.

Like dude, I don't even know what you're talking about. Patriot act, Jim crow, old crow, what...

Like, look at your post, you see you don't start from "what policies are best" but from a position of "what guns laws should be taken off the books" I point that out and you call it strawmanning while turning around and saying I want to ban all guns (which I do, but I compromise my beliefs in favor of pragmatism as I'm doing here).

And you still haven't answered how the fuck we'll figure out what is and is not constitutional without lawyers. But hey, your fantasy.

ETA: and to further illustrate my points (and your strawmen) the only thing I have outright advocated for in this thread has been a gun registry, which you decided to strawman as "things that only ban certain cosmetic features." So, do you see why I'm not taking this thread seriously.
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: Ironchew on December 19, 2013, 11:50:16 pm
I'm reluctant to pass new laws because we don't know what's already on the books that isn't being enforced for various reasons. I'd rather dig and find out before any new laws are passed, if any are even needed.

New gun control laws are definitely needed. We have a problem with gun violence in this country largely because there is no legislative framework for mandating responsible gun ownership. I appreciate that there are gun owners out there that actively try to educate others in gun safety, but the country at large won't get the incentive without the threat of having their AR-15s taken away.

You're gonna have a hell of a time getting rid of the 2nd amendment in the current climate. Prohibition was only shut down because of massive public outcry, coupled with the realization that banning alcohol created far more problems than it solved. I like to think that the restoration of alcohol sales helped get the US out of the Depression, but that's just me.

I've been bypassing the 2nd amendment removal for good reason. 1) I'm against it in the first place. People have a right to defend themselves in a reasonable manner. Besides, I'd rather keep or expand civil liberties than eliminate them. 2) Amending it wouldn't be doable in the current climate, and besides, a lot of people would be very reluctant to change one of the original 10 amendments on the bill of rights.

I'd have a hell of a time repealing the PATRIOT Act too; I still think it should be done. Luckily we don't have to repeal the 2nd amendment to pass more gun control legislation. We are already forbidden from handling nuclear/chemical/biological weapons and (most) high explosives without very strict federal licensing and safety standards. Restricting the ownership of firearms that can easily harm small crowds of people is not a stretch in this regard.
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: kefkaownsall on December 19, 2013, 11:53:36 pm
Okay I'm only gonna say this
we need gun laws since for the last time and please stop correcting me this is imperical more successful suicides.  Key word successful other methods are more common but you die quicker from a shot to the head
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: Ironchew on December 19, 2013, 11:56:22 pm
Okay I'm only gonna say this
we need gun laws since for the last time and please stop correcting me this is imperical more successful suicides.  Key word successful other methods are more common but you die quicker from a shot to the head

I am of the opinion that people have the right to assisted suicide, but I would have to start a whole new thread to get into detail about that.
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: kefkaownsall on December 20, 2013, 01:05:15 am
These aren't assisted this is successful interruptions
anyways dropping out since tbh this thread really triggers me
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: Art Vandelay on December 20, 2013, 01:19:22 am
we need gun laws since for the last time and please stop correcting me this is imperical more successful suicides.
What the fuck did I just read?!
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: kefkaownsall on December 20, 2013, 01:23:45 am
OKAY ART
deep breath
could you not tell by the context.  sorry just you know grammar corrections and saying WTF is hard on my mental state which is shattered
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: LeTipex on December 20, 2013, 01:31:17 am
we need gun laws since for the last time and please stop correcting me this is imperical more successful suicides.
What the fuck did I just read?!
There are more successful suicides in places with guns.
http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/means-matter/means-matter/risk/

Because when it's easy to kill yourself, it's much easier to take that fatal step, whereas if you have to actually make an effort to off yourself, the time if takes to do it will often be enough for you to reconsider.
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: Art Vandelay on December 20, 2013, 01:32:24 am
OKAY ART
deep breath
could you not tell by the context.  sorry just you know grammar corrections and saying WTF is hard on my mental state which is shattered
It's not even the terrible grammar. That sentence is more akin to a random jumble of unrelated words.
we need gun laws since for the last time and please stop correcting me this is imperical more successful suicides.
What the fuck did I just read?!
There are more successful suicides in places with guns.
http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/means-matter/means-matter/risk/

Because when it's easy to kill yourself, it's much easier to take that fatal step, whereas if you have to actually make an effort to off yourself, the time if takes
Ah. Well, I suppose that's another issue to consider.
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: Askold on December 20, 2013, 03:10:40 am
OKAY ART
deep breath
could you not tell by the context.  sorry just you know grammar corrections and saying WTF is hard on my mental state which is shattered
It's not even the terrible grammar. That sentence is more akin to a random jumble of unrelated words.
we need gun laws since for the last time and please stop correcting me this is imperical more successful suicides.
What the fuck did I just read?!
There are more successful suicides in places with guns.
http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/means-matter/means-matter/risk/

Because when it's easy to kill yourself, it's much easier to take that fatal step, whereas if you have to actually make an effort to off yourself, the time if takes
Ah. Well, I suppose that's another issue to consider.
The fact that a suicide leads to failure might also mean that the same person will later attempt to kill themselves again and again untill they succeed. I think I've read that most people who commit suicide have in fact tried it before, either failing in it or just changing their mind. Therefore I'm not sure if the availability of firearms has impact on the amount of suicidal people. Even if it does make it more likely for them to succeed in their first attempt, the people who don't have access to guns try repeatedly untill they either succeed (or get help and recover) and therefore the amount of attempted suicides compared to succesful ones is greater.

Then again, it also means that those who back out from the suicide attempt are less likely to be injured by it. (compared to starting to cut yourself and then backing out and or holding a gun to your head and then just putting it down)  And on one hand, the one's who are injured MIGHT be noticed by those close to them and get help, so I guess that is another good reason for screening out people who wish to get a gun.
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: QueenofHearts on December 20, 2013, 08:25:55 am
Number 3 (http://www.cracked.com/article_20396_5-mind-blowing-facts-nobody-told-you-about-guns.html) explains how guns and suicides are linked. I've also posted medical studies and government studies from the Journal of the American Medical Association, the CDC, UPenn and the Australian Institute of Crime which were ignored and thus I can't be fucked to bring back up.

But the cracked article does the best job in my opinion of explaining it, because it also mentions other notable examples of banning (or fool-proofing) popular suicide methods causes a decrease in suicides attempted. People can say "Oh, I'd just go down to the train tracks" or "I'd just slit my wrists" but once you get past the conjecture, that isn't the case for most people. Most people attempting suicide want a quick and painless death, and guns are quick to use (just pull a trigger) and can easily cause instantaneous death if pointed at the head and brain.

Thus, banning them would lead to a decrease in suicides attempted (as would instituting longer waiting periods, removing the "gun-show" loop-hole, and requiring mental health checks to buy guns).
Title: Re: Another day, another school shooting
Post by: Sleepy on December 21, 2013, 08:47:12 pm
Well, the girl who was shot has died. So sad.

http://news.yahoo.com/hospital-teen-shot-colo-school-dies-002724466.html (http://news.yahoo.com/hospital-teen-shot-colo-school-dies-002724466.html)