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From an objective perspective, user's behavioral data on an electronic device would be a far stronger indicator of a potential attack than the purchase of firea
by codycraven 9y ago
From an objective perspective, user's behavioral data on an electronic device would be a far stronger indicator of a potential attack than the purchase of firearms. I'm sure you're not saying that the government should have full access to behavioral data from every device/ISP.
A cowardly mass attack devoid of value for human life can occur using nearly anything (pressure cookers, fertilizer, vehicles, chemicals under your sink, etc, etc, etc). While certain individuals certainly should not be allowed to possess firearms (those with mental or criminal behavioral events/patterns - there is already a federal background check that occurs in obtaining firearms) it is near impossible to prevent someone from obtaining something they are dead set on obtaining unless you lock them up until their death.
Let's not forget that the only time the US has been invaded (technically not yet the US, I know) was when armed private civilians rose together and defeated the preeminent military power in the world. Had those people not been armed the US would not exist. Think how many potential conflicts on US soil the armed population may have deterred since then when you compare it's history with nearly any other country in the world over the last 250 years.
- macintux 9y agoThe US was invaded during the War of 1812. And arguably during the Civil War. And very, very arguably during the Mexican-American War. Oh, and WWII: Aleutian Islands, even a small group of German spies.
- macintux 9y agoMy real counter-argument: the US has tremendous geographical advantages and a massive military. When it didn't have a massive military, it still had huge oceans around it, and both neighbors tested our borders before we had a massive military. So I'm very skeptical about any correlation between firearms ownership and homeland defense.
- somebehemoth 9y agoI am interested in your assertion that private gun ownership has deterred foreign invasion. Can you provide a citation? I would think that the trillions spent on defense over the course of decades would have the largest deterrent effect.
- cobbzilla 9y agoThe US was invaded in the War of 1812. The White House (before it was called that) and many other official buildings were burned.
- valuearb 9y agoMexico invaded after that. And Canadians are still invading my sunny state every winter, they wear smiles and friendly greetings as their uniforms, and use loonies as ammunition.