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It Has Happened Again...

This is a terrible argument. It is not 1770.

In 1770 Old Bess was the only weapon available, in 2006 we have these. http://www.compfused.com/directlink/3912/

In 1770 there were ??? people in the US (Well, it didn't actually exist yet but you know what I mean), in 2006-7 the US hits 300,000,000.

Etc.

Etc.

Yes, guns made the pioneers lives safer but we ain't pioneers and guns don't make our lives safer.
The argument I was trying to make was that the number of guns per head of population is not NECESSARILY an indicator of the potential for adverse gun incidents. There's a step in between - availability.

Incidentally, the US went to war with the British with Old Bess and equivalent, didn't it? Successfully too, I gather. So it seems it was a quite successful weapon for its time.

My contention on the subject, and I share this with Claus and I think you too, is that the availability of such a potentially deadly "tool" implies the necessity for equally serious responsibility to be taken for it, in a fairly broad sense. How that responsibility is defined at any legal level and devolves to the personal level varies from place to place, country to country. And in view of the results obtained so far, I would suggest the issue needs to be seriously reviewed in some places.
 
There's one flaw in your argument, Zep. It requires little girls at an Amish school to bear the cost for other people's inability to take responsibility "at a personal level" elsewhere.
 
As I said before, it is probably because guns may still be more accessible. Having said that, given the relative ease of making a bomb and the readily-accessible recipes, taking away guns would not necessarily disuade a student who wishes to kill other students in his school. Why is that a difficult notion for you to entertain?

Pure speculation.

Brief recap:

I suggested that removing guns would only increase the number of bombs being used in school murders.

You asked why haven't we seen that in countries with fewer guns.

I said that I had tried to find statistics on the numbers of murders by students in schools relative to guns per capita but couldn't.

You said that the data was there and that, "We simply don't see these types of school killings - regardless of weapon - in comparable countries. But where do we hear about school shootings? The US."

When I asked for that data, you directed me to a study that you provided that looked at deaths from firearms in any setting as a function of gun ownership.

I was referring to what countries are comparable. Check the study.

Again, not surprising that where there are more guns, there are more gun-related deaths. The study that you provided offers nothing about comparing school shootings among us countries as a function of per capita gun ownership or murders in the school setting by other weapons as a function of gun ownership per capita. Frankly, there was nothing about school shootings at all in the article. This information would be more germane to our discussion and the very information that I said earlier that I was unable to find. Do you have this data?

I told you: We don't see these school shootings elsewhere. You may find a couple, spread over a large number of countries, but we do not see the same number in the same country.

I don't know. Do you?

It's your claim. You find the data.

In reference to Columbine:

Quote From Previous Post

That merely supports my contention. Not that hard to make, is it? Would even have killed more? Yet, we don't see school bombings. Perhaps it is easier to get guns, even for kids, than it is for them to build a simple bomb?

1. I am not joking about the car, nor the wrist rockets. They are good for hunting varmints. A wrist rocket is a rather powerful form of sling shot that I have hunted varmints with. (Squirrels, rabbits, etc. ) It takes some practice to hit what you aim at.

But it takes time to "load", and you don't have the killing power a gun gives you.

2. I wasn't talking about an OKC sized bomb either. The rules on fertilizer purchase changed within a year of OKC. The papers were littered with articles on the topic.

According to my combat engineer friends, who use fertilizer and diesel to crater roads, it only takes about 50 lbs to make a nice sized boom, when mixed with diesel and detonated. (Blasting aps can be tricky to get ahold of)

Precisely: You don't need a truckload full of fertilizer to make such a bomb. Yet, we don't see school bombings.

It seems obvious to me that Claus does not care if people die, he only cares that they die from something other than a gunshot wound.

Wrong. I care about reducing the number of people killed as much as possible.

There'd be a lot fewer lives lost if teachers were armed and trained in the use of those arms, too.

I really don't think you have thought much about that one. You want stressed-out teachers, who have a hard time maintaining discipline while desperately trying to teach, to also have the responsibility of guns? Of keeping that gun away from kids?

Bad idea. You don't stop school shootings by bringing more guns to school.

Since the US generally has more guns than most other countries, having more gun crimes is going to happen anyway. That's the way it works. Math is funny that way.

The question is whether or not more VIOLENT crime occurs, and the answer to that one is, "Hell no!"

The data proves you wrong.

Agreed. I wish like hell we would get rid of this stupid drug war and legalize drugs. Prohibition only exacerbates problems.

You don't want to legalize heroin, cocaine, crack or crystal meth. No, you don't.

? Danes want guns as much as Americans? Danes believe that it is their right to have guns? I'm sorry but I don't understand your argument. Americans want guns. BTW, Canadians want guns also. Lots of them.

No, Danes don't want guns as much as Americans. That makes your argument that prohibition does not stop people from getting it invalid.

In the movie Bowling For Columbine Michael Moore makes the point that there are as many guns per capita in Canada as the United States. Yet there is far less gun homicides.

So, the availability of guns is not the problem. My argument IS valid.

Been there, debunked that (Post 204, 236). There are far less handguns in Canada, and far less homicides. There are a lot more rifles in Canada, but we know that it isn't the rifles that are used to kill. Not in the US either.

So what? It's a prohibition. Their culture is different than our culture.

Prohibition of alcohol in America = Bad.
Prohibition of alcohol in Saudi Arabia = Not Bad.

It's not bad? You said that any prohibition would not stop people from getting it. It is clearly false.

No Prohibition of guns and lots availability of guns in Canada = low gun homicide.
No Prohibition of guns and lots availability of guns in America = higher gun homicide.

Debunked above.

Is it ok to compare Americans to Canadians? I think American culture is a lot more like theirs than yours but there still is a difference.

Something is wrong here. Perhaps we shouldn't draw hasty conclusions. Hey, that sounds like a good name for a fallacy. Maybe I'll suggest it to the Intl Fallacy board, what do you think?

Maybe I'll suggest that you took a good, long, hard look at the data.

No, we are talking RESPONSIBILITY. Different argument.

The data shows you are wrong.

Let me just take you back to 1770 by way of comparison. At that time, MOST households in the USA had at least one gun, and there were no real restrictions on ownership or usage. In many places they were essential tools about the house; frontiersmen needed them to stock the larder, etc. Question: Was life more dangerous then as a direct result of the existence of all these weapons? Conversely, would the people have been more safe without them? I suspect not, although I also suspect there were still problems of gun accidents and wilful misuse just as now.

Do you have any data on gun deaths from 1770?

I rather suspect you are diametrically wrong on that. I would expect that the few indeed account for many, and that the average man in the US street does not own a gun.

39%-43% of all households own a gun. Source, Source

That's not "few".

RESPONSIBILITY. Different argument.

No, AVAILABILITY. If it was a question of RESPONSIBILITY, military guns would not need to be locked up. If you can't trust a soldier with a gun, who can you trust?[/QUOTE]

RESPONSIBILITY. Different argument.

No, AVAILABILITY. If there were no guns around, the shooting wouldn't have occurred.

Have to disagree. You are jumping to a conclusion not directly supported by your own evidence...how odd for you!

I agree you CAN argue that increased availability implies the requirement for increased (or improved) responsibility, and that lack of this may be a causal factor in perceived increases in gun/child/accident related incidents. You could also argue that "responsibility" MAY include imposition of tougher "access" controls as one measure - licensing and law-enforcement. Another measure could be improved safety education in guns, something that responsible gun owners and I heartily agree on.

I'm sorry, but it is not a question of responsibility. We see a clear link between gun accessability and gun deaths.
 
There's one flaw in your argument, Zep. It requires little girls at an Amish school to bear the cost for other people's inability to take responsibility "at a personal level" elsewhere.
You seem to be making an assumption that responsibility needs to be taken AFTER the gun is obtained, not before.

Perhaps "responsibility" MIGHT be enacted as something like a legal requirement to demonstrate the necessity for and capability of gun ownership BEFORE actual ownership is conferred. For example. Similar idea to passing a strict comprehensive driving test before being allowed drive in public.

The concept of responsibility in this context is not necessarily solely personal responsibility. It can be community based as well.

Although I agree that this doesn't guarantee the elimination of the situation you describe. But then it need not be a "gun" scenario for it to happen either.
 
No, Danes don't want guns as much as Americans.
Thank you. That's my argument. Dynamic systems are different based on many variables. Comparing dynamic systems clearly demonstrates incongruities and they do because the variables are different. Prohibition works in Saudi Arabia it didn't work in the US. Prohibition of guns works in Denmark because Danes don't want guns as much as Americans. End of story.

Been there, debunked that (Post 204, 236). There are far less handguns in Canada, and far less homicides. There are a lot more rifles in Canada, but we know that it isn't the rifles that are used to kill. Not in the US either.
Someone is playing games with data. "Per Capita". Your quote uses raw number when it suits them and "rate" when it also suits them.

It's not bad? You said that any prohibition would not stop people from getting it. It is clearly false.
No, I'm saying that prohibition won't work in some societies. It's clear prohibition of alcohol failed miserably in the US. Why? Looking to Saudi Arabia will NOT provide an answer. So, will prohibition of guns work in the US? Well, if looking to Saudi Arabia will not provide answers about prohibition in the US then looking to Denmark will not provide answers either, why? Hey, here's a hint, we're different culturally. A fact you admit.

Saudi Arabia's Different Culture = Different response to prohibition.
Denmark's Different Culture = Different response to prohibition.

So you admit that there is a different culture that explains the differences between Saudi Arabia and the US and you admit that there is a different culture between Denmark and the US, right? Why will you not agree that the differences in culture between Denmark and the US will in the least have the potential to effect the dynamic as it relates to guns?

Maybe I'll suggest that you took a good, long, hard look at the data.
Likewise.
 
No, Danes don't want guns as much as Americans. That makes your argument that prohibition does not stop people from getting it invalid.
I had to come back to this one more time.

My argument is that the more something is wanted the harder it is to prohibit it.

Danes want guns less therefore it is easier to prohibit guns in Denmark.
Saudi's want alcohol less therefore it is easier to prohibit alcohol in Saudi Arabia.
 
You seem to be making an assumption that responsibility needs to be taken AFTER the gun is obtained, not before.

Hi, Zep. Actually, I misread this sentence in your post:

How that responsibility is defined at any legal level and devolves to the personal level varies from place to place, country to country.

It was late, and I was sleepy. I thought you were advocating -- as some do -- an appeal to personal responsibility alone. But that's obviously not what you were saying.

My mistake.
 
Hi, Zep. Actually, I misread this sentence in your post:

It was late, and I was sleepy. I thought you were advocating -- as some do -- an appeal to personal responsibility alone. But that's obviously not what you were saying.

My mistake.
S'cool! We haven't killed each other yet! :D
 
Thank you. That's my argument. Dynamic systems are different based on many variables. Comparing dynamic systems clearly demonstrates incongruities and they do because the variables are different. Prohibition works in Saudi Arabia it didn't work in the US. Prohibition of guns works in Denmark because Danes don't want guns as much as Americans. End of story.

No, not correct. Some Danes have guns, but, like Canadians, they have them for hunting. Not handguns.

End of story.

Someone is playing games with data. "Per Capita". Your quote uses raw number when it suits them and "rate" when it also suits them.

No, when it is relevant. Sometimes, it is relevant to use raw numbers, and sometimes it is relevant to use rate.

No, I'm saying that prohibition won't work in some societies. It's clear prohibition of alcohol failed miserably in the US. Why? Looking to Saudi Arabia will NOT provide an answer. So, will prohibition of guns work in the US? Well, if looking to Saudi Arabia will not provide answers about prohibition in the US then looking to Denmark will not provide answers either, why? Hey, here's a hint, we're different culturally. A fact you admit.

Saudi Arabia's Different Culture = Different response to prohibition.
Denmark's Different Culture = Different response to prohibition.

So you admit that there is a different culture that explains the differences between Saudi Arabia and the US and you admit that there is a different culture between Denmark and the US, right? Why will you not agree that the differences in culture between Denmark and the US will in the least have the potential to effect the dynamic as it relates to guns?

Because the difference in culture (/history) isn't nowhere as big as with Saudi Arabia and the US. Denmark and the US are far more intertwined than the US is with SA.

"Different" does not mean "unequal". You'd be surprised how quick you would fit in in Denmark.

Likewise.

I have. It is I who brings data, evidence and facts to these discussions. Where is the data, evidence and facts that support your contention?

Not in Canada you don't. Why is that?

Handguns. Go check the murder statistics I have provided several times on this forum. 2/3rds of all homicides in the US are done with handguns.
 
I had to come back to this one more time.

My argument is that the more something is wanted the harder it is to prohibit it.

Danes want guns less therefore it is easier to prohibit guns in Denmark.
Saudi's want alcohol less therefore it is easier to prohibit alcohol in Saudi Arabia.

How do you measure "want"?
 
The reason why guns are so hard to get in Denmark is because their suicide rate is so high, almost double that of the US. The government knows that if guns were easily available, the whole country would be gone within a week.

Seriously, Claus, though I am a proponant of reducing the supply of guns (especially cheap guns) to the US, let us not make the mistake of assuming that cultural factors and national "personality" do not enter in to the equation. This is not a simple solution. In order for the US to reduce the alarming number of gun deaths, it cannot just make guns illegal, it must also make them unpopular, a much more difficult proposition.

What is Denmark doing to cut their alarming suicide rate?
 
Claus, you are misunderstanding my use of the word "responsibility". It's in the same context as "the responsibility of government" or "the responsibility of the law". NOT only immediate personal responsibility. Now read again.
 
The reason why guns are so hard to get in Denmark is because their suicide rate is so high, almost double that of the US. The government knows that if guns were easily available, the whole country would be gone within a week.

Seriously, Claus, though I am a proponant of reducing the supply of guns (especially cheap guns) to the US, let us not make the mistake of assuming that cultural factors and national "personality" do not enter in to the equation. This is not a simple solution. In order for the US to reduce the alarming number of gun deaths, it cannot just make guns illegal, it must also make them unpopular, a much more difficult proposition.

What is Denmark doing to cut their alarming suicide rate?
This is exactly the point I made in another thread about "attitude" being a factor in the situation, not just bald legal restrictions, etc.
 
The reason why guns are so hard to get in Denmark is because their suicide rate is so high, almost double that of the US. The government knows that if guns were easily available, the whole country would be gone within a week.

When looking at the data, Denmark's rate is computed differently than the US'. (What, you thought I wouldn't check? ;))

Dying from gun shot is considered a "natural cause" in the US... :p

Seriously, Claus, though I am a proponant of reducing the supply of guns (especially cheap guns) to the US, let us not make the mistake of assuming that cultural factors and national "personality" do not enter in to the equation. This is not a simple solution. In order for the US to reduce the alarming number of gun deaths, it cannot just make guns illegal, it must also make them unpopular, a much more difficult proposition.

A remarkably large segment in the US do think that guns are unpopular. What is amazing is that this pile of dead bodies has zero effect on Americans. As we have seen from responses from Americans on this forum, no amount of dead people will make them change their minds.

That's the argumentation we hear from fanatical believers. No amount of evidence will make them change their minds.

What is Denmark doing to cut their alarming suicide rate?

The rate has gone down considerably in the past years. We must be doing something right...
 
Claus, you are misunderstanding my use of the word "responsibility". It's in the same context as "the responsibility of government" or "the responsibility of the law". NOT only immediate personal responsibility. Now read again.

But that is the same thing: Whoever you vote for is cue to your political responsibility. People don't generally vote for politicians who want to ban guns.
 
When looking at the data, Denmark's rate is computed differently than the US'. (What, you thought I wouldn't check? ;))
I did see that, but I assumed the calculations were done to bring the numbers into comparable ranges. Why do you assume that the calculations increase Scandanavian rates? It could be even worse!;)

A remarkably large segment in the US do think that guns are unpopular.
No, they don't. I think you meant a large segment personally doesn't like them. Even so, that segment is unfortunately a fairly small minority overall.

What is amazing is that this pile of dead bodies has zero effect on Americans. As we have seen from responses from Americans on this forum, no amount of dead people will make them change their minds.

That's the argumentation we hear from fanatical believers. No amount of evidence will make them change their minds.
What it takes is for them to have a loved one gunned down. Sometimes (not always) they will reverse their views after such a tragedy. The controversial Brady Bill was pushed by Sarah Brady after her husband was shot by John Hinkley.

The rate has gone down considerably in the past years. We must be doing something right...
You've restricted the sale of rope?;)
 
I did see that, but I assumed the calculations were done to bring the numbers into comparable ranges. Why do you assume that the calculations increase Scandanavian rates? It could be even worse!;)

It isn't. It's going down, down, down...

No, they don't. I think you meant a large segment personally doesn't like them. Even so, that segment is unfortunately a fairly small minority overall.

"Doesn't like" <> "unpopular"? There must be something about English I haven't quite grasped yet.

Anyway, you are wrong about the size: (Link also posted in post #183)

Despite these doubts, 64 percent of Americans do favor stricter gun laws, and just under half, 49 percent, feel that way “strongly.”

Favor stricter gun control
Men: 51%
Women: 76%
Conservatives: 46%
Liberals: 77%
Gun household: 49%
Non-gun household: 76%
Rural Area: 57%
Large City: 72%

Partisanship is the biggest divider: Just 44 percent of Republicans support gun control, compared to 81 percent of Democrats.

Think stricter gun laws would reduce violent crime
Democrats: 67%
Independents: 50%
Republicans: 31%

Again, I am the one providing evidence to back up my contention....

What it takes is for them to have a loved one gunned down. Sometimes (not always) they will reverse their views after such a tragedy. The controversial Brady Bill was pushed by Sarah Brady after her husband was shot by John Hinkley.

Yep. After a guy who had easy access to a gun tried to kill your President. But still, no red flag on the horizon...

You've restricted the sale of rope?;)

Nope. :)
 
But that is the same thing: Whoever you vote for is cue to your political responsibility. People don't generally vote for politicians who want to ban guns.
Wow, Claus!

Look, I'll give you a chance to qualify that statement now. So do you want to rethink that? Or will you let it stand as is...
 
Wow, Claus!

Look, I'll give you a chance to qualify that statement now. So do you want to rethink that? Or will you let it stand as is...

"due". My bad (tail).

Can you say "are cue to your responsibility" at all?
 

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