This why the U.S needs to get rid of guns.

[chang50]

Just stupid, why is this politician even a politician???

http://www.news.com.au/world/north-amer ... 6797948780

Worry about your own country. Our rights are none of your business.

As if you and other Americans restrict their comments only to their own country.You had shitloads to say about the Breivik shootings in Norway (not USA) remember?As well as being unenforceable such self censorship would result in an extremely boring INTERNATIONAL forum.Someone from a small country like Andorra or San Marino where relatively little happens of great importance would effectively be prohibited from posting.You see this is not America's planet and bullies don't get to make all the rules.

No, actually I don't remember that. It's your mis-assumption, and anything I said was mostly asking others and listening.

He doesn't live in America, he doesn't know America. He can say whatever he wants, but it sounds just as stupid as me telling the Mongolians their way of live is outdated and they should change their entire history and culture and heritage.

Look it up,you said plenty and I totally support your right to do so even if I disagree with what you said.Thats what freedom is all about for me.What is really stupid is not having opinions about Mongolia but everyone retreating behind their own borders.distrusting the 'other'.The world is shrinking with the internet and ease of travel,we are inevitably inter-connected,the choice is do you embrace this,or retreat into a smaller and smaller existence?That's my opinion and like the OP I won't be bullied into not having one.

[Metsfanmax]

I think a lot of people get their self gratification in ripping the USA. It's their way of sticking their nose in the air and saying "We are better than you" I just don't know why they care about another country other than their own so much.

Turns out that what happens in the rest of the world affects the USA, so maybe it's worth knowing about. Hard to believe right?

[mrswdk]

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/14/us/fl ... .html?_r=0

Florida Man Is Shot to Death for Texting During Movie Previews

MIAMI - An argument over texting at the movies ended in a cellphone user's death, when a retired police officer in the audience shot him at a theater near Tampa, Fla., on Monday afternoon, the authorities said.

[thegreekdog]

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/14/us/florida-man-is-shot-to-death-for-texting-during-movie-previews.html?_r=0

Florida Man Is Shot to Death for Texting During Movie Previews

MIAMI - An argument over texting at the movies ended in a cellphone user's death, when a retired police officer in the audience shot him at a theater near Tampa, Fla., on Monday afternoon, the authorities said.

This is acceptable.

[Gweeedo]

Marking every bullet (slug) with the buyers own DNA.
This is more likely than some other options.
And just as crazy as some other ''opinions'' out there.

Putting heavier restrictions, acquiring ammo might be a good start...Focal point.

[Agent 86]

Just stupid, why is this politician even a politician???

http://www.news.com.au/world/north-amer ... 6797948780

Worry about your own country. Our rights are none of your business.

As if you and other Americans restrict their comments only to their own country.You had shitloads to say about the Breivik shootings in Norway (not USA) remember?As well as being unenforceable such self censorship would result in an extremely boring INTERNATIONAL forum.Someone from a small country like Andorra or San Marino where relatively little happens of great importance would effectively be prohibited from posting.You see this is not America's planet and bullies don't get to make all the rules.

No, actually I don't remember that. It's your mis-assumption, and anything I said was mostly asking others and listening.

He doesn't live in America, he doesn't know America. He can say whatever he wants, but it sounds just as stupid as me telling the Mongolians their way of live is outdated and they should change their entire history and culture and heritage.

Oh, how wrong you are...I know America very well thanks. Yes I've spent plenty of time in the U.S. over the years. Spent 20 years working for an American company. Most of my time for the last 10 years has been in China. Recently I was in America with work for a short period before going back to China...Sept 2012-Mar 2013. Also have family in the U.S. and we discuss issues all the time.

Gun violence is huge in the States because there are just too many fools who own them. Everyday arguments are settled with a bullet, or someone pissed-off with a situation uses a gun.

It's in the news everyday, this news is about citizens who have had no criminal activity using them..especially 16-20 yr age group.

So I'll go to Yahoo news and see what I can find for today.

That didn't take long all of 40 secs to find some news on guns.

http://news.yahoo.com/least-2-kids-hurt ... 44453.html

Edit: Reading the posts on this was interesting, this one was a good analogy.

Before anybody suggests that we need people control, not gun control, let me try something.

Imagine a room full of angry, unruly children. Now imagine that many of the children have sticks, and they're hitting each other with them. As the responsible adult, what do you do? Well, you'd probably think about how to counsel these kids to stop being aggressive, that it's not nice to hit people. Eventually, the kids might listen, and they might settle down and stop hitting each other.

But there's something else you'd probably do first, before anything else. You'd go into that room and take the damn sticks away.

[Gweeedo]

Quote; But there's something else you'd probably do first, before anything else. You'd go into that room and take the damn sticks away.

Now replace those sticks with Guns...what approach would you try now; to take their guns away!

Now back to beating a dead Horse:
If our laws or rights do not apply to you (and they don't), you have no probative value upon any issue in the case of our rights (constitution).
It is your ''opinion'' that the constitution (our constitution) is outdated.
that is a extraneous remark.
None of your business does apply.
To keep on track, don't imply any such term to me; None of your business on the constitution being out dated.

Just another way of telling you, it will fall on deaf ears (why bother)...Don't take it so personal.

This entire thread is lunacy.
Why America has guns, might seem stupid to most foreigners.
it seems most foreigners (as well as those who do not own guns) hold an anomalous position in the gun world.
Why was she unloading a gun (figure it out).
It is not all that uncommon to have a gun misfire...happens probably as much as people who are killed by them.

[Neoteny]

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/14/us/florida-man-is-shot-to-death-for-texting-during-movie-previews.html?_r=0

Florida Man Is Shot to Death for Texting During Movie Previews

MIAMI - An argument over texting at the movies ended in a cellphone user's death, when a retired police officer in the audience shot him at a theater near Tampa, Fla., on Monday afternoon, the authorities said.

This is acceptable.

It was only a matter of time, really. Leave it to Florida Man to be the first.

[crispybits]

This entire thread is lunacy.
Why America has guns, might seem stupid to most foreigners.
it seems most foreigners (as well as those who do not own guns) hold an anomalous position in the gun world.
Why was she unloading a gun (figure it out).
It is not all that uncommon to have a gun misfire...happens probably as much as people who are killed by them.

Yeah, it's pretty much the entire rest of the world and a portion of the US population that hold the anomalous position, the tiny minority of US gun owners (as compared to 6-7 billion or so people worldwide) are the ones who hold the normative position. Going by that logic, it's the 25 million North Koreans that we should listen to about totalitarian communist dictatorship being the best form of government, and pretty much everyone else in the world who prefers democracy, well they're just anomalies...

As for the "none of your business" stuff. I've travelled to the US, both for business and pleasure before. I'll probably have to go there at least once this year for work. Yes I'll only be a visitor and not a citizen, but the craziness of allowing anyone who knows their way around the system and goes to a gun show, or anyone who hasn't yet been convicted of a criminal offence, to buy a gun - that sure as hell does affect me. Ask innocent Mexicans, living in fear of the drug cartels in their country who get their supply of guns from legal sources in the US and smuggle them back south across the border, if they need to move to the US to have a view on the issue. You are not an island who can exist separate from the rest of the world. The US would fall over within days is you tried being truly isolationalist, and if you want to be part of te international community then you have to listen to our opinions when we all think you're being flat out idiotic.

[Agent 86]

Now back to beating a dead Horse:
If our laws or rights do not apply to you (and they don't), you have no probative value upon any issue in the case of our rights (constitution).
It is your ''opinion'' that the constitution (our constitution) is outdated.
that is a extraneous remark.
None of your business does apply.
To keep on track, don't imply any such term to me; None of your business on the constitution being out dated.

Just another way of telling you, it will fall on deaf ears (why bother)...Don't take it so personal.

This entire thread is lunacy.
Why America has guns, might seem stupid to most foreigners.
it seems most foreigners (as well as those who do not own guns) hold an anomalous position in the gun world.
Why was she unloading a gun (figure it out).
It is not all that uncommon to have a gun misfire...happens probably as much as people who are killed by them.

Gweeedo, I know what you're saying..been in many discussions about this topic. It's just that I care about America.

So some facts, The reality, based on statistics compiled by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is that about 32,000 Americans die each year by gun. Suicides, which account for 60 percent or more of all deaths by gun in America but which are only rarely the subject of news articles. That many would find this statistic startling is testimony to how little we know as a nation about gun deaths, and raises many questions worth further exploration. These include the extent to which gun owners fail to store their weapons securely, and whether ready access to firearms abets turning an impulse to suicide into tragic reality.

The point is there are a lot of unknowns when it comes to firearms. For many years, the federal government has been inhibited by Congress from collecting data or supporting research on the subject. One does not have to be a conspiracy theorist to detect the handiwork of the gun lobby in these restrictions.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, for instance, has been restricted for years from sharing with local police departments information on firearms used in murders. Since 1997, the CDC has been under congressional injunction to refrain from research that may “advocate or promote gun control.” Given that any research it supports might be viewed in Congress as violating that stricture, it is entirely understandable why the CDC has refrained.

Despite these barriers, there is some reason for optimism that more information may be available soon.A privately funded, nonprofit venture without ties to either side in the Second Amendment debate promises vigorous efforts to compile on an ongoing basis more complete data on gun deaths and crimes involving guns. And President Obama has issued an executive order getting the CDC back in the gun research business.

The point of good research, of course, is not to promote or advocate, but rather to find out. Perhaps those who simply don’t want to know are those who have good reason to fear the power of the facts.

86

[Symmetry]

So gun lobbyists have been paying politicians to make sure the extent of the gun problem in the US never gets seen by US citizens? I think I understand now why so many posters from the US dismiss arguments against owning a gun.

[Gweeedo]

@crispybits: I think you miss my point.
Some of the postings (even the headline) are inept remarks. There is no need to handle this so called topic in a maladroit way.
To be honest I really did not know if this thread was a joke or what.

quote:What possible reason could there be for unloading your gun in your office? :Really.

quote:Why was it loaded to begin with? :A gun, loaded or empty...no difference, you treat it as loaded.

quote:Just stupid, why is this politician even a politician??? :Not sure what this has to do with anything.

Quote:Yep, that's terrible. Glad I'm not in America. :This is terrible? It really is not a big deal.

And the Topic; This why the U.S needs to get rid of guns. :I think you could do better, this is absolutely Nothing!!!

Anything to do with guns is going to be broadcasted all over the place.
There is a reason why some news originators do not exploit gun mishaps...and some do.
Reason being...

This is enough to inform me that many of you do not know guns. If you did you would not talk such silliness regarding a simple misfire.

I could go either way on the Gun issue.
I do not think it would be a good idea to try and take peoples weapons away from them (Possibly invoking a revolution).
If they were to take the guns away from the general population then I think it would be a good Idea to disarm the police force as well...never happen.
Right now I feel it is my duty to support (uphold) the constitution.
I do not practice the use of guns anymore (ever since the incident).

Well it has been fun messing around with you all.
Good time passer now I gots to back to work. me so tired I get some sleep first.
Laters.

[Agent 86]

Guess she needed a gun too!! Could she or would she have done this without a gun we will never know. Gun = 3 people =0

http://www.news.com.au/world/jennifer-b ... 6802784577

[AslanTheKing]

another school shooting,
it will not be the last one
the solution is simple
adults lock your guns away if u have kids ( and responsibility)
and if u as an adult love hunting, dont teach it to your son, if its your enjoyment -- enjoy, or take youre wive with you
and if u buy a gun, riffle whatever, it should be registered,
registered and limited, like only a max of 2 guns, unless you are a hunter-exeptions can be made
but a normal person having 20 guns is ridicoulous, guns shall not become a hobby
get something else, a girlfriend or so ...
by no means, any americans should get any sort of warguns- like kalashnikovs to by anywhere
or rockets , or handgranates....
those who live with the sword, will be killed by the sword
that simple
i dont have a gun at home
if everybody has a gun around you, that must be a shitty feeling
welcome in iraq
were in the year 2014 , not in the year your constitution was made ( speaking about the right to carry a gun)

[Gweeedo]

Quote: Guess she needed a gun too!! Could she or would she have done this without a gun we will never know. Gun = 3 people =0.

It is simple. Yes.
The warning signs where there. This is a clear case; guns don't kill people...people kill people.

As far as the School shootings; Kids are getting all fucked up (why).
Don't take it out on the gun.
Do you realize a wooden gun or a toy gun, even an empty gun
can be just as fatal as a real gun. Example: what you going to do if a gun (fake or not) is pointed at you?
Most people are unresistingly or humbly obedient. And others get mad...really mad when a gun is pointed at them.


Quote:if everybody has a gun around you, that must be a shitty feeling.

To some yes.
Most the time you don't even know (or think about) who is carrying a gun.
It does not matter.
If you happen to get into a confrontation with another person (for what ever reason) there is a good chance you will get maimed or even killed! A gun does not need to be present to achieve ones goal when it comes to killing (but it might help).
A gun can help defuse a potentially ugly situation.

Police carry them for that very reason...as well as many Americans.
Most police are ex military...really think they need a gun more than the average Joe.

[Symmetry]

Most police are ex military

You sure about that?

[thegreekdog]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/0 ... 13334.html

In any event, bravo to the ACLU. Another waste of taxpayer dollars.

[Phatscotty]

Just stupid, why is this politician even a politician???

http://www.news.com.au/world/north-amer ... 6797948780

Worry about your own country. Our rights are none of your business.

As if you and other Americans restrict their comments only to their own country.You had shitloads to say about the Breivik shootings in Norway (not USA) remember?As well as being unenforceable such self censorship would result in an extremely boring INTERNATIONAL forum.Someone from a small country like Andorra or San Marino where relatively little happens of great importance would effectively be prohibited from posting.You see this is not America's planet and bullies don't get to make all the rules.

No, actually I don't remember that. It's your mis-assumption, and anything I said was mostly asking others and listening.

He doesn't live in America, he doesn't know America. He can say whatever he wants, but it sounds just as stupid as me telling the Mongolians their way of live is outdated and they should change their entire history and culture and heritage.

Oh, how wrong you are...I know America very well thanks. Yes I've spent plenty of time in the U.S. over the years.

In that case, I will ask for the second time, how are you gonna go about getting rid of all the guns in Ameirca? What exactly is step 1 in the non-American's solution for America? What is step 2?

Are you of the same opinion, since many people also die from drinking and driving, that we should also get rid of all the alcohol in America?

[Metsfanmax]

Are you of the same opinion, since many people also die from drinking and driving, that we should also get rid of all the alcohol in America?

No, but we could make breathalyzers mandatory to start a car.

[Phatscotty]

Are you of the same opinion, since many people also die from drinking and driving, that we should also get rid of all the alcohol in America?

No, but we could make breathalyzers mandatory to start a car.

We could also let agent answer the question he's already been dodging for a few pages. But I know you will help him dodge. You only care about dodging if you think I'm doing it.

[Metsfanmax]

Are you of the same opinion, since many people also die from drinking and driving, that we should also get rid of all the alcohol in America?

No, but we could make breathalyzers mandatory to start a car.

We could also let agent answer the question he's already been dodging for a few pages. But I know you will help him dodge. You only care about dodging if you think I'm doing it.

What is more important to you -- forcing people to answer your rhetorical questions, or having a meaningful discussion on a subject?

[Phatscotty]

Are you of the same opinion, since many people also die from drinking and driving, that we should also get rid of all the alcohol in America?

No, but we could make breathalyzers mandatory to start a car.

We could also let agent answer the question he's already been dodging for a few pages. But I know you will help him dodge. You only care about dodging if you think I'm doing it.

What is more important to you -- forcing people to answer your rhetorical questions, or having a meaningful discussion on a subject?

I choose meaningful discussion, with the person I am trying to discuss with. I don't find your response meaningful, and it is the case that I believe you are usually purposefully unmeaningful. ie I am calling out agent, not Mets.

I simply would like to hear the author explain the premise of the thread, since I think it's highly likely he hasn't even begun to think about it, which would go towards my premise that he doesn't know what he's talking about.

[BigBallinStalin]

replace gun accident with car accident and how do all ur responses sound?

Generally, it'll shift from 'government should do X because these Americans and their culture is bad' to 'American drivers are bad/what an idiot' (no mention of government's owning and managing the roads, but hey).

[BigBallinStalin]

Do you as an American have any potential solutions to the problem (assuming you agree it is a problem) of gun violence in your country?

There are an array of potential solutions, only one of which would completely solve the problem of gun violence: The federal government passes a law banning the manufacturing and sale of all guns, including those used by the police and military, the second amendment is repealed, and the federal government collects all firearms from everyone in the country and destroys them. A local or state jurisdiction banning guns won't work since most criminals who use firearms obtained the weapons illegally anyway.

If you're looking for a more practical solution, I don't think I have one. I would probably start with legalizing recreational drugs (all of them) to attempt to eliminate the actual problem (which is gun violence associated with the buying and selling of illegal drugs) as opposed to fake problems (people shooting themselves by accident or crazy people massacring school children). I would also focus (not government, but society generally) on changing the culture around gun violence, specifically gang culture. This probably is affected by education and parenting and the like, but those things are probably hard to change. I suspect that the UK also has similar problems associated with gangs, education, and parenting, but people affected by those things don't have access to firearms. In any event, none of those things are easy and are probably completely unrealistic given our country's obsession with the war on drugs and the rent-seeking that goes on with all levels of government.

RE: underlined, that's an issue correlated with a lack of economic opportunities. Addressing the prohibition on drugs would alleviate much of that, but you'd also have to dig into other detrimental programs which well-intended liberals tend to like (minimum wage, subsidies to single-parent families, subsidies for being poor and/or having a kid, etc.).

[Gweeedo]

Most police are ex military

You sure about that?

A was thinking about that.
In Alaska, Police officers are probably 80% ex military.
Crazy thing. The Military ride along with the Police up in these here parts