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> It seems obvious that for the most part people kill people, and that guns make that easier/worse. Why belabor that point? Because it’s disingenuous to say “g

by dpark 5y ago

> It seems obvious that for the most part people kill people, and that guns make that easier/worse. Why belabor that point? Because it’s disingenuous to say “guns don’t kill people” if they increase death rate by a factor of 100x. Your rock throwing example killed two people over a span of months. Guns sadly kill dozens in minutes pretty regularly. Interestingly very few of the people claiming “guns don’t kill people” think we should allow private ownership of atomic weapons, even though the same logic applies.

amscanne 5y ago
I didn’t say the things that are reading into my words and quoting. No sane person would dispute that guns kill people in pure mechanical terms, I just don’t think reinforcing or debating that point is helpful in diagnosing the root causes of gun violence or the right policies, just as debating “cars kill people” would provide any meaningful advancement in traffic safety.
- dpark 5y ago
  What is the point of wading into the gun debate pushing NRA propaganda if you believe it’s not a valuable thing to discuss? “Hey, I’m not saying anything about guns killing people, but let me argue against it for a minute.” > …I just don’t think reinforcing or debating that point is helpful in diagnosing the root causes of gun violence or the right policies, just as debating “cars kill people” would provide any meaningful advancement in traffic safety. Discussions about cars killing people have absolutely shaped traffic policy. All manner of safety features are now mandatory to reduce the number of people cars kill. Drinking and driving laws have rolled out worldwide to reduce deaths from cars. We require licenses to drive because incompetent drivers kill people with their cars. If you want to draw a line between the danger from cars and the danger from guns, the obvious conclusion is a lot more regulation around gun ownership.

by dpark 5y ago

amscanne 5y ago

I didn’t say the things that are reading into my words and quoting. No sane person would dispute that guns kill people in pure mechanical terms, I just don’t think reinforcing or debating that point is helpful in diagnosing the root causes of gun violence or the right policies, just as debating “cars kill people” would provide any meaningful advancement in traffic safety.

dpark 5y ago
What is the point of wading into the gun debate pushing NRA propaganda if you believe it’s not a valuable thing to discuss? “Hey, I’m not saying anything about guns killing people, but let me argue against it for a minute.” > …I just don’t think reinforcing or debating that point is helpful in diagnosing the root causes of gun violence or the right policies, just as debating “cars kill people” would provide any meaningful advancement in traffic safety. Discussions about cars killing people have absolutely shaped traffic policy. All manner of safety features are now mandatory to reduce the number of people cars kill. Drinking and driving laws have rolled out worldwide to reduce deaths from cars. We require licenses to drive because incompetent drivers kill people with their cars. If you want to draw a line between the danger from cars and the danger from guns, the obvious conclusion is a lot more regulation around gun ownership.