This article has a very interesting take on the issue we discuss here, from a very different perspective than we usually see. Discuss..... Somebody’s Got to Pull the Trigger Enforcing current gun law would reduce deaths, but massive new gun control probably won't By Jim Glennon | Mar 2, 2019 0 I’m not a gun guy. I’m not a member of the NRA. I’m not a hunter. I own zero rifles. If someone were to get me a subscription to Guns & Ammo or other such magazine as a birthday present, I would, after politely thanking them, immediately cancel that subscription. I’m just not fascinated in any way by guns. But, as a cop for 30 years, I was around guns all the time. I still am. Lately I’ve heard and seen—people I know, who are definitely not gun people—voice their opinions about what they characterize as rampant gun violence in this country. Violence, they say, that is so widespread and common that the country as a whole is unsafe as they attend to the day-to-day aspects of life. Their proposal to stop the loss of life? The only suggestion I hear is more comprehensive gun control. These opinions, I’ve noticed, seem to be based on feelings rather than facts. Sometimes it’s because they truly believe what they hear in their echo chambers. Sometimes it’s because they want this supposed epidemic to have a singular cause so a one-step solution will stop it. I disagree with both assertions. Let me say this before preceding: I hate gun violence as much as anyone. I’ve seen my share of it’s aftermath, and it’s ugly and heart-wrenching. I’ve been victim of it myself. But I think activists are wrong in thinking more gun control will stem that tide. If we really want to diminish gun violence, we have to look elsewhere. Opinion #1 First, let’s address the idea that the United States is an incredibly dangerous place to live because of the widespread occurrences of gun violence. It’s simply not true, at least in a national sense. The United States is by almost any measure, safer than it’s ever been and much less violent than 25 years ago. Most don’t realize that violent crime grew over 300% between 1960 – 1990. We could argue about why, but suffice it to say, since 1993, violence has dropped more than 70%. What’s interesting about that drop is that there are a hell of a lot more guns, not to mention people, now than there were in 1993. So, if more guns equate to more violence, how do you explain that apparent contradiction? As for this country being so terrifyingly violent, consider this: According to the UNODC (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime), we rank number 90 in the world considering the homicide rate based on population numbers. Greenland is 91. Within the United States, let’s look at 2014 stats, which were the last comprehensive stats I could find. There are 3,142 counties (or equivalent jurisdictions) in the United States. 63 of those counties, just 2%, accounted for 51% of all murders annually. 157 of those government entities, a mere 5%, accounted for 68% of gun murders! You know how many, or what percentage of the country has basically no murders at all? 54%! I know the argument: “Yeah but those counties have smaller populations.” On the whole, that’s true, and brings me to my next point. Opinion #2 Population is defined as, “The inhabitants of a particular town, area, or country.” Inhabitant is another word for person, a human being. A person has to pick up the gun, point it, and pull the trigger at another person for the gun to cause death. It is a deliberative act—perhaps the most deliberative of acts. If anyone is really serious—and few are—especially pundits, activists, and politicians, they would naturally ask this question: Why do the people who live in certain areas make the decision to shoot and kill other people? I travel the country—the entire country, each and every state, constantly, as I speak to first responders. I learn about the different cultures and perspectives about guns in the process. In states that I’ll call “gun culture country,” I’ve talked to countless officers who went to high schools that sponsored shooting clubs. High schools! The students, as well as the teachers, literally brought guns into the schools, put them in their lockers, and housed them there until they needed them for their club gathering. And guess what? Mass shootings—any shootings, for that matter—were unheard of. And according to an officer in Wyoming I recently spoke with: “I didn’t know a person who didn’t own a gun. I still don’t.” To a person, man and woman, who live in these states where guns are part of the vernacular and day-to-day culture, they insist those guns were never a problem. Specifically, the owners never caused any issues or engaged in any type of mass shootings. The number of guns in close proximity to human beings nationally have no correlation, and certainly no causation, to why some people shoot some other people. In fact, many of the most violent parts of this country have the strictest gun laws! The mayor of the murder capital of the United States, Chicago (based on total numbers, rather than per capita), has said: “The lax gun laws in neighboring states such as Wisconsin and Indiana is what accounts for the gun violence in Chicago.” The problem with that argument is that Wisconsin and Indiana don’t in any way have gun violence problems like Chicago has. Neither do the counties in Illinois that surround Cook County. So, again: Why do people in certain areas of the country purposely acquire a gun, load the gun, pick up the gun, point the gun at another person, and pull the trigger on the gun with the intent to kill? That’s the question, which I’ll address at the end. https://www.calibrepress.com/2019/0...M2x-298Qe3ayy0Y5DGYXkXDNY3aFypxILF_YtTrqQnSjs
The United states has the most gun deaths per capita and most guns than any developed nation. It is not rocket science to make the connection
The member above claims it does not take a rocket scientist to make the connection. While utterly failing to explain what the two points have to do with one another. Why does any particular individual decide that they are simply going to murder another individual? What sparks such a decision? Do they view their own life as holding no value, and thus conclude that other lives are just as worthless as their own? Or perhaps they suffer from a superiority complex, view themselves as the most important person in the entire world, and conclude that absolutely no one else has any reason for even existing?
"First, let’s address the idea that the United States is an incredibly dangerous place to live because of the widespread occurrences of gun violence. It’s simply not true, at least in a national sense." Couldn't agree more. Which is why I don't feel the need to carry a gun. These people who want to claim that "gun violence is so widespread and common that the country as a whole is unsafe as they attend to the day-to-day aspects of life." is pure BS. I've walked alone at night, when I lived in Boston, from the subway station to my place and never felt unsafe. Keep in mind I had to walk past a low-income housing development along the way to where my place was. Never felt unsafe. Never once felt I needed to carry a gun with me.
Yet there are those who have had the need at some point to defend themselves or others with a firearm in public. That's why it's a choice.
Nice personal opinion not based in reality. Many people are mugged, raped and murdered, and I amm sure they too felt "Safe" and no need to be Armed, Yet I am alive because I was Armed when someone tried to kill me.
What I posted is in fact 100% based in reality. I have never felt unsafe walking home alone in Boston at 1:00 am or anywhere else in public. Just because other people feel unsafe or have had things happen to them does not change how I feel. I ONLY posted about how I feel. Try reading what I actually post instead of that you think I post.
Protecting your own property is a right,that includes your life.What ever way you choose to exercise that right,is within your scope of justice.Taking guns away from citizens,will only increase crime.The perps will not follow any law.
I've worked in downtown areas of cities in 33 states at night, unarmed. Atlanta, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Chicago, LA, New Orleans, Dallas/Fort Worth weekly for 15 years, Houston, San Antonio, Denver, Albuquerque, Little Rock, St. Louis, Kansas City, etc........... America is not very dangerous if you are careful where and how you go. That doesn't mean that I'd rather be unarmed or should be disarmed. I'm older, slower, and more of a "target" than I used to be.
Violence, they say, that is so widespread and common that the country as a whole is unsafe as they attend to the day-to-day aspects of life. And yet, if we carry a gun for self-defense, we're paranoid nutcases.
I must have slept through those courses in training, How does a feeling amount to much ? Feeling safe, unsafe ? I don't carry because I feel unsafe, and feeling safe does not enter into the equation either. This is the classic "Moral high ground" Look at me, I am better than those guys that carry. I do not comprehend any of that because feeling safe or unsafe is meaningless. If you are young and fit, you may "feel safe" Yet, if you are attacked, I would think I would feel "unsafe" at that point. I do not go about telling people to carry a firearm or not to carry firearms, I only know this, after seeing enough people that have been attacked and sometimes killed, I want the option to be armed. This is part of the Political Agenda of places like New York City, where you must show NEED, in order to get a vaunted license to carry a concealed pistol.
Example: A few months ago, a friend and business associate invited me to a local McDonald's, in a commercial area, pretty safe, right ? A couple come in, I know them, the female late twenties is the Daughter of a neighbor, they are both habitual users of methamphetamines, the boyfriend told me in a conversation where he mentioned wanting counseling, and I am currently volunteering in helping people in such situations. I feel pretty safe. The couple sit at the table behind us. I am speaking Spanish to my associate as he prefers that language over English since he has to struggle, Spanish, not so much. I hear the female tell her boyfriend that I am talking about them in Spanish. Now this is simply not true. We were discussing a plumbing job, and planning it, at no time did we mention the couple seated behind us. Her boyfriend warned us loudly not to talk about them, and I informed him that at no time had we made any comments about either of them. He proceeded to regale me with his feats of strength, how he can bench press umpty umph pounds, etc etc..... And as I got up to refill my coffee, he also got up and followed me continuing his harangue, I again told him to leave off as I was not discussing him or his girlfriend. Then he brought up the idea that I was against biracial couples, and I informed him that was not the case here and not of my concern. I called 911 and was told to run away, which I told the 911 operator, I would not do. I do not instigate fights, and I will not run away either, and informed the operator I wss a retired LEO and if a response was dispatched, to inform the officers that a retired credentialed LEO was involved and my description. So much for feeling safe. Situations are fluid and may change rapidly. What is safe one minute, may become dreadfully unsafe the very next minute.
I doubt they said, "run away". They probably said "leave", and you should have. Anything that happened after that would have been on you.
“This is the classic "Moral high ground" Look at me, I am better than those guys that carry.” Self esteem issues??? Speaking for myself, as one who doesn’t feel the need to carry a gun, I do not feel superior to anyone who does carry. That thought never even crossed my mind. Clearly anyone who thinks that way has some self esteem issues they need to work through.
I'd agree that you've been clear and consistent on this position for as long as I've seen you posting here.
Diversity win! How much of that gun violence is found in 13% of the population? What are our stats compared to others without it? We know the problem, its not the guns, its the demographics and policies in urban liberal shitholes...
I am almost never without a weapon or weapons on my person. What kind of weaponry depends on where I am, where I am going, and what's been in the newspaper recently. These weapons are not always firearms.
