"The Hobbit" Theater Shooting

[Lootifer]

It's the person, not the object. To blame the object downplays the blame that should be squarely on the murderer.

That's how we tell when people are exploiting something for their own political gain

Ah but I can blame both can I not?

As you rightly say the majority of the blame lies with the person; but what if, on average (when you take lots of samples in the hypothetical), that the "person" becomes a murderer less frequently when they dont have access to a firearm? Does that not logically imply that at least some part of the blame lies with the guns relative effectiveness at killing people (compared with the alternatives mentioned in my post above)

And I have no real political agenda here, other than voicing my own opinion (not like I have delusions of being able to change anyone on these fora)

[Phatscotty]

It's the person, not the object. To blame the object downplays the blame that should be squarely on the murderer.

That's how we tell when people are exploiting something for their own political gain

Ah but I can blame both can I not?

As you rightly say the majority of the blame lies with the person; but what if, on average (when you take lots of samples in the hypothetical), that the "person" becomes a murderer less frequently when they dont have access to a firearm? Does that not logically imply that at least some part of the blame lies with the guns relative effectiveness at killing people (compared with the alternatives mentioned in my post above)

And I have no real political agenda here, other than voicing my own opinion (not like I have delusions of being able to change anyone on these fora)

I understand a gun is a deadly weapon. It is one of countless deadly weapons. If guns were not integral to our freedom and our rights, and were not also a force for good, for protection, and for defense, you would have a point.

The government can keep their hands as faaaaaaaaaaaaar away as possible from our rights.

If we want to change anything, it should be our culture and how we teach our youth. Obviously something is missing.