do foreigners think America is drowning in guns?

[luckynumbah7]

This is the kind of event that seems commonplace in the USA:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-24907851

It makes the rest of us wonder why Americans don't understand: guns don't keep them safe in the way they all seem to believe.

Oi! Not all of us are foolish enough to believe a gun will keep us safe. Most shooting are either accidental (shot at deer, bullet went well past deer, hit someone else/kid-teen got hold of gun), blatant stupidity (pointing a gun at something/someone you are not meaning/prepared to kill), criminally motivated (speaks for itself) or a combination.

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/753058_4

Personally, I prefer my hand ax, while my roomie prefers his long daggers.

 

[RaKroma]

Violent crime in the U.S. is at its lowest point this decade than compared to past, and the trend for violent crime is continuing to go down. For all this media hype on gun violence and politicized drama on gun control, violent video games and movies, we are doing OK. If we round up all the mentally unstable people and pack them back into state mental institutions like we did in the 50s, and 60s, we can be even more safer from gun violence but of course it is considered human rights violation by today's social norms to force someone into treatment against their will. Couple of weeks ago, a Chinese immigrant living in Brooklyn slaughtered 5 members of his family with a kitchen knife...history of mental illness was present.

 

[medic1]

Just why would a "civilian" need an arsenal of firearms is beyond me. I had to carry a 9mm Browning when i was deployed,because of The Geneva Convention this was the only firearm we were allowed,as it is classed as a defensive weapon.
I have both seen and treated many wounds caused by firearms,thankfully i never had to use my weapon whilst on active duty.

 

[m1thousand]

Its strange to know that people here on the board have guns

 

[luckynumbah7]

Violent crime in the U.S. is at its lowest point this decade than compared to past, and the trend for violent crime is continuing to go down. For all this media hype on gun violence and politicized drama on gun control, violent video games and movies, we are doing OK. If we round up all the mentally unstable people and pack them back into state mental institutions like we did in the 50s, and 60s, we can be even more safer from gun violence but of course it is considered human rights violation by today's social norms to force someone into treatment against their will. Couple of weeks ago, a Chinese immigrant living in Brooklyn slaughtered 5 members of his family with a kitchen knife...history of mental illness was present.

Most people who shoot someone don't do so because of mental illness so that has shit-all to do with gun violence. The mental institutions in the fifties, sixties and earlier were considered inhumane for a very good reason. You want all those crazy people back in asylums, you'll eventually be going too. No worries, I'm sure they'll save you a spot in reparative therapy.

 

[Redsox]

Why on earth would anyone want a gun? Mind boggling!

 

[m1thousand]

When I use to play Call of Duty, I made this video of the various guns because you would forget how each gun shoots

 

[luckynumbah7]

@RaKroma,

Links to mental illness and gun violence. Do notice the restrictions on owning a gun with regards to mental illness before continuing your ill-thought tirade.

http://www.ncsl.org/research/civil-...session-of-a-firearm-by-the-mentally-ill.aspx

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/18/h...ental-illness-in-gun-control-debate.html?_r=0

 

[bankside]

So close:

Oi! Not all of us are foolish enough to believe a gun will keep us safe.

Yet so far:

Personally, I prefer my hand ax, while my roomie prefers his long daggers.

Seriously was that satire?

 

[luckynumbah7]

So close:

Yet so far:


Seriously was that satire?

Mmhm. I actually prefer bug spray for home defense. Completely legal and incredibly painful. Sighted people don't tend to be able to do much when they go blind, even if it's temporary. I've never needed to use it, however (knock on wood). The few times I've had to evict people from homes I haven't had any problems with tossing them out on their ass. It helps that I can see enough to determine a human from the surroundings depending on color, movement and proximity and that I've studied the human body well enough to haul someone away via pressure points and joint restriction. Surprise also works fairly well.

 

[Kahaih]

Mmhm. I actually prefer bug spray for home defense. Completely legal and incredibly painful. Sighted people don't tend to be able to do much when they go blind, even if it's temporary. I've never needed to use it, however (knock on wood). The few times I've had to evict people from homes I haven't had any problems with tossing them out on their ass. It helps that I can see enough to determine a human from the surroundings depending on color, movement and proximity and that I've studied the human body well enough to haul someone away via pressure points and joint restriction. Surprise also works fairly well.

This is misleading if not totally incorrect.

What you have is probably legal to own and use for its intended purpose, but using the stuff as a weapon, on humans, for any reason, is more than likely a felony.

If you can't read the 'fine print' on the can, go to their website.

 

[bankside]

Here is a tool:
http://www.gizmag.com/go/4418/

LifeStraw is a personal, low-cost water purification tool with a life time of 700 litres – approximately one year of water consumption for one person. Positive test results have been achieved on tap, turbid and saline water against common waterborne bacteria such as Salmonella, Shigella, Enterococcus and Staphylococcu.

Now imagine that this tool occasionally exploded, either when left carelessly unattended and operated by someone other than the owner, or when operated by the owner during periods of depression, or that people deliberately used their exploding water purifiers to commit crimes.

Now imagine that whenever someone points this out as being problematic, the National Clean Water Association shouts them down with talk about contaminated water supplies and that with so many exploding water purifiers in the hands of illegal immigrants and "those ghetto people" that the explosions were just common sense safety and if the odd child is killed by an exploding water filter, it is only the parents to blame.If even that. Little Suzie doesn't have a jaw any more, but at least she wasn't mugged.

Now imagine that someone wants to ignore these rubes and pass a law to restrict exploding water straw availability. Oh no! There is a 200 year old right to clean drinking water. From a time when people were stuck drinking water out of a ditch. Alright but this it out of hand. That was before plumbing. That was before municipal water treatment. That was before evian for fuck's sake. So if we can amend this nonsense into the constitution, can't we just amend it out?

WHAAAATTTTT???? God wants us to have Exploding Water Filtration Devices! Not just god, but Jesus Christ himself! Oh, ye Enemies of Freedom! And then the badly veiled threat: "Keep your hands off our water straws or there will be a pure water revolution!!!!"

What you would have is not a law, or an ethical choice, or a system of justice, but a perverse nationalistic death fetish.

 

[luckynumbah7]

This is misleading if not totally incorrect.

What you have is probably legal to own and use for its intended purpose, but using the stuff as a weapon, on humans, for any reason, is more than likely a felony.

If you can't read the 'fine print' on the can, go to their website.

In self defense for a burglary when I'm cornered and not able to leave the house, I'm fairly certain using a can of bug spray to disable an intruder when I'm cornered is not going to get me a felony conviction. Particularly since it's temporary. In short, 'any reason' my ass. I'd suggest a lemon/jalapeno mix w/water et al, except there is no can I can use that slopes to tell me where the nozzle is. So - bug spray it is.

-Look, I've no idea if you got 'the talk' when you were old enough, I severely doubt it considering you're a cis guy, but they tend to tell pplz perceived as girls basic self defense tips in case of the mostly ridiculous idea of 'stranger rape' and getting attacked. Home intruders are on that line.

 

[luckynumbah7]

To be perfectly clear, spray is legal. Honestly, I should just get a can of mace, but ah, funds. Besides which, it stays next to the chair. It all depends on what said spray has in it. If you had a bottle of hydrocloric acid, yes, I'd imagine you'd be in more than a bit of trouble.

Always look at your individual state legalities. Pepper spray, for instance, is legal in Pennsylvania. It's 'frowned on' to carry, however, and you'll receive a fine. A fine is generally better than the alternative, which is why they make sprays that go on key chains. Ah, irony. And you know, I think it would be awfully hard to charge for a crime when you don't beat the shit out of an intruder, (tempting though that may be) which is also in Pa's Law List.

If you don't know jack shit about your own states' laws, it would behoove you to not type. Although I do need to get around to switching spray, but I haven't checked out the nozzles yet.

 

[luckynumbah7]

-A note - there isn't a legal restriction on carrying pepper spray in PA that I could ever find, however, little birds told me there could be a fine involved for carrying, just wanted to clear that one up. Well, 'clear' meaning 'possibility' in this case. That was the information I received from the sex ed teacher, and I've yet to clear that one up. I suspect it has to do with 'protection' vs 'intent to assault' in public re; half-assed investigation.

Also, since a lot of people are unfamiliar with this shit, Mace is a brand name. You can buy Mace products, but the actual/well known mace product, however, is not legal to carry in PA since it's similar to tear gas and it's properties aren't beneficial if your opponent is on specific drugs. Pepper spray or your own home blend is preferable. Funnily enough, Mace makes pepper spray. It can get a bit confusing.

 

[Beachguyj]

I live in Florida where they are allowed and I don't know anyone that owns one, they might, but I never asked.

If I ever felt threatened I certainly would get one.

I've only seen one in my life. It was a childhood friend and his father had one that he had found, it was unloaded but I was afraid to even touch it.

 

[Kulindahr]

Violent crime in the U.S. is at its lowest point this decade than compared to past, and the trend for violent crime is continuing to go down. For all this media hype on gun violence and politicized drama on gun control, violent video games and movies, we are doing OK. If we round up all the mentally unstable people and pack them back into state mental institutions like we did in the 50s, and 60s, we can be even more safer from gun violence but of course it is considered human rights violation by today's social norms to force someone into treatment against their will. Couple of weeks ago, a Chinese immigrant living in Brooklyn slaughtered 5 members of his family with a kitchen knife...history of mental illness was present.

Putting anyone in the sort of "treatment" our state mental facilities had in the 50s and 60s, and even 70s, would definitely be a human rights violation -- the conditions were cruel and inhumane, and that was when all the staff had the highest standards of behavior.

Providing mental facilities that actually help rather than just cram people in barracks to be tortured with chemicals would cost us less than a billion dollars per state to build -- cheap at the price.

 

[Kulindahr]

Its strange to know that people here on the board have guns

Why on earth would anyone want a gun? Mind boggling!

I've only seen one in my life. It was a childhood friend and his father had one that he had found, it was unloaded but I was afraid to even touch it.

It's irrational stuff like this that made my last doctor assert that there are more people who won't touch guns who are mentally off than there are people who own guns who are mentally off.

The problem, of course, is that people irrationally afraid of guns are generally only a danger to themselves.

 

[Beachguyj]

It's irrational stuff like this that made my last doctor assert that there are more people who won't touch guns who are mentally off than there are people who own guns who are mentally off.

The problem, of course, is that people irrationally afraid of guns are generally only a danger to themselves.

I was a kid and was not familiar with them, better to be afraid of one than to kill yourself or someone else accidentally. Like I said, if I ever feel that I need one, I will get one.

 

[Redsox]

It's irrational stuff like this that made my last doctor assert that there are more people who won't touch guns who are mentally off than there are people who own guns who are mentally off.

The problem, of course, is that people irrationally afraid of guns are generally only a danger to themselves.

Like I said, mind-boggling!