Several People Shot Near Empire State Building

[maqroll]

The only reason this story has made headlines is because it happened outside a famous building. Meanwhile, in Chicago yesterday, 19 people were shot in multiple shootings across the city. It's total **** mayhem in Chicago. A city, by the way, that has the strictest gun control laws in the country. Guns are like drugs, if you want them bad enough, you'll get them.

I wish all this gun violence would spark an honest debate about our drug laws. If drugs were made legal, and the profits taken from homicidal gang bangers and local kingpins, violent crime would plummet in this country.

[maqroll]

But I treat this terrorism fear as he same thing, on a rights issue . We have our rights eroded to protect us from something that kills so few people per year it should be irrelevant. I would rather a tenth of the budget spent to protect us from terrorism be spent on say road safety. Something that kills far more.

So you transcribe this onto an American gun lover. You give up guns then you give up something else then so on and so on. Then say Internet policing that wants to happen. At some stage a line needs to be drawn. We'll end up with chewing gum being illegal.

I hate American gun laws. But I understand that people who use something for ill shouldn't take it away from people who use it properly. In a general sense.

So I don't agree with it, but I understand it.

Good post.

[mjmooney]

But I treat this terrorism fear as he same thing, on a rights issue . We have our rights eroded to protect us from something that kills so few people per year it should be irrelevant. I would rather a tenth of the budget spent to protect us from terrorism be spent on say road safety. Something that kills far more.

So you transcribe this onto an American gun lover. You give up guns then you give up something else then so on and so on. Then say Internet policing that wants to happen. At some stage a line needs to be drawn. We'll end up with chewing gum being illegal.

I hate American gun laws. But I understand that people who use something for ill shouldn't take it away from people who use it properly. In a general sense.

So I don't agree with it, but I understand it.

Good post.

Not really. It's the same reductio ad absurdam argument that the pro-gun lobby always uses. You know, "If you allow this, they'll come for your children next". Utter nonsense.

BUT, as I've said in other threads, no matter how obvious, sensible and correct a gun ban would be, it is simply impractical in the USA, and will not happen.

[trekka]

On a serious note - sadly, this is always going to happen in a culture where guns are freely available. I love America and have very fond memories of the beautiful country and its marvellous people. However, I really do wish they (whoever "they" are) stand up to the NRA and bring an end to this nonsense. There may be uproar, there may be political "casualties" but please, for the sake of your great nation, pursue responsible gun laws that not only question the legitimisation of the registration of a gun but also educate the population that owning a gun is not a given right to aid protection but merely a tool for those who intend to do harm.

[maqroll]

But I treat this terrorism fear as he same thing, on a rights issue . We have our rights eroded to protect us from something that kills so few people per year it should be irrelevant. I would rather a tenth of the budget spent to protect us from terrorism be spent on say road safety. Something that kills far more.

So you transcribe this onto an American gun lover. You give up guns then you give up something else then so on and so on. Then say Internet policing that wants to happen. At some stage a line needs to be drawn. We'll end up with chewing gum being illegal.

I hate American gun laws. But I understand that people who use something for ill shouldn't take it away from people who use it properly. In a general sense.

So I don't agree with it, but I understand it.

Good post.

Not really. It's the same reductio ad absurdam argument that the pro-gun lobby always uses. You know, "If you allow this, they'll come for your children next". Utter nonsense.

BUT, as I've said in other threads, no matter how obvious, sensible and correct a gun ban would be, it is simply impractical in the USA, and will not happen.

It's a good post in that it he's clued in to the complexity of the issue and isn't caught up in rhetoric and posturing from either side of the debate.

[LockStockVilla]

But I treat this terrorism fear as he same thing, on a rights issue . We have our rights eroded to protect us from something that kills so few people per year it should be irrelevant. I would rather a tenth of the budget spent to protect us from terrorism be spent on say road safety. Something that kills far more.

So you transcribe this onto an American gun lover. You give up guns then you give up something else then so on and so on. Then say Internet policing that wants to happen. At some stage a line needs to be drawn. We'll end up with chewing gum being illegal.

I hate American gun laws. But I understand that people who use something for ill shouldn't take it away from people who use it properly. In a general sense.

So I don't agree with it, but I understand it.

Good post.

Not really. It's the same reductio ad absurdam argument that the pro-gun lobby always uses. You know, "If you allow this, they'll come for your children next". Utter nonsense.

BUT, as I've said in other threads, no matter how obvious, sensible and correct a gun ban would be, it is simply impractical in the USA, and will not happen.

It is funny because there is always talks of doing away or changing certain constitutional amendments and what have you, but I can promise the one amendment that will never change is the 2nd amendment. No chance.

[lapal_fan]

I was talking to a guy who lives in Idaho the other day and spoke about all the recent shootings and how they are getting reported over in our media. He told me in his state you can walk into a supermarket and buy an assault rifle and as many rounds and KINDS of rounds you can think of - and walk around with it on your back. I'm not sure if it's leagal to carry around with you loaded whilst in full public view, but he seemed to tell me that there are people that do this so when the police are called they want to be caught so they can tell the police what their consitutional rights are.

I'm going to the U.S next year and I must admit, all these stories are putting me off somewhat, even though I'm fully aware that the chances of anything happening are slim to none, there's always that chance.

[Dr_Pangloss]

Yes alongside buying your groceries you can buy some lovely hollow point rounds (in some states).

[LockStockVilla]

I was talking to a guy who lives in Idaho the other day and spoke about all the recent shootings and how they are getting reported over in our media. He told me in his state you can walk into a supermarket and buy an assault rifle and as many rounds and KINDS of rounds you can think of - and walk around with it on your back. I'm not sure if it's leagal to carry around with you loaded whilst in full public view, but he seemed to tell me that there are people that do this so when the police are called they want to be caught so they can tell the police what their consitutional rights are.

I'm going to the U.S next year and I must admit, all these stories are putting me off somewhat, even though I'm fully aware that the chances of anything happening are slim to none, there's always that chance.

That guy seems to have sensationalized it abit. After living in the US for 20 years, not once did I EVER see a person walk into a store or anything with a rifle strapped on, the most I have ever seen is somebody in a restaurant with a pistol holstered to their belt and that was only one time. Many places, like restaurants for example, actually will tell people no bringing guns on the premises and what have you and they typically have no issues with it. In regards to buying a gun at the supermarket, I presume he means Wal Mart, but even there you cannot go in and buy a gun and leave with it the same day, you have to do paperwork and other stuff and you get it later.

I would not worry about it at all if you go over, like I said in 20 years there, never ever had an issue regarding guns, and this was in Virginia as well which can be known to be quite a conservative state in regards to gun use and own-age, etc.