4 ms·

If reincarnation exists, I hope that such people who are busy restricting others freedoms get all assembled together on a big island where they all get to live

by akomtu 4y ago

If reincarnation exists, I hope that such people who are busy restricting others freedoms get all assembled together on a big island where they all get to live a very long life restricting each other to the ground, and when their nation makes Orwell blush, they get to live another 1500 years, enjoying each others company in a zero-freedom society, until they finally learn that it's not their f-ing business messing with others freedoms. Edit. In this type of society, your freedoms are being gutted constantly for arbitrary reasons: one of your neighbors complains he's feeling unsafe around firearms so police comes and takes them all; another neighbor complains about cars making him feel uneasy, so you have to ride a bicycle; then a random passer-by complains about you using harsh words, so a court puts a non-removable collar on your neck monitoring your speech; then some worried activist complains about food and from now on you can get only approved food from the food-police. But you aren't wasting time: you complain about your neighbor's green lawn, then force him to live in a tent, restrict his water consumption for climate-concerns, make him reduce the size of his pets and so on. I'd argue the downward path of restrictions has no bottom.

babypuncher 4y ago
It must feel liberating to view the world in such black and white terms
preseinger 4y ago
The only place on earth where gun ownership is considered a freedom rather than a threat to civil society is America.
- babypuncher 4y ago
  At best, gun ownership should be viewed as a regulated privilege not unlike driving on public roads. Everyone who drives has to be licensed to do so. There are different licenses controlling the use of larger vehicles on public roads. There are safety requirements vehicles must meet in order to be street legal. Every vehicle has a unique registration number tied to the owner. All of these regulations have made driving considerably safer today than it was 80 years ago.
  - internet_user 4y ago
    Czech Republic has had a gun tradition for ~500 years. Homicide rates are lower than in over-regulated nearby Germany and quite a few other European countries. It’s even lower than some famously entirely gunless Asian countries. Your conclusions are not grounded in data.
    - bb88 4y ago
      Deaths before and after automobile and driving regulations can, in fact, be measured. It's just a google away to prove it.
      - internet_user 4y ago
        and it has nothing to do with guns.
- internet_user 4y ago
  Wrong. Czech Republic is a shall issue country in the heart of otherwise gunless Europe. 500 year long gun tradition. The only two times gun ownership/carry was suspended during those 500 years was under Nazi and Soviet occupation. Even foreigners from friendly nations can obtain a permit and carry, not even the USA doesn’t do it. Self-defence with deadly force enshrined in the constitution. Lower homicide rates than gunless Asia. Every gun permit is also automatically a concealed carry permit, again, not even the USA doesn’t allow in every state. 20% of parliamentarians carry weapons to the Parliament. This is a country in Europe.
  - babypuncher 4y ago
    The Czech Republic is a welfare state with universal healthcare, free university tuition, and other incredibly strong social safety nets in place. As a result, they rank #12 on the inequality-adjusted Human Development Index. More people living happy lives without fear of economic destitution is a good way to keep crime rates low. Desperation breeds antisocial behavior. I'll never argue that the presence of guns directly cause gun violence. There are many factors at play. Strong gun regulations are one proven means to reduce gun violence, even if they are merely treating a symptom rather than the real disease. Unfortunately, making the necessary changes to truly solve the problem is even more of an uphill battle. I could see meaningful gun legislation passing within the next 10-15 years. But it will probably be decades before we solve our problems with inequality, healthcare, and education, assuming our entire democracy does not disintegrate first.
    - internet_user 4y ago
      I never seen this "inequality-adjusted Human Development Index", but I'm certain Germany ranks higher on it than CZ, it is quite bit more developed than CZ in many areas. Many Yet, they don't have shall issue laws, no constitutional rights like in CZ and USA, and their homicides (firearms or not) are somewhat higher. They border each other and have a long shared history going back a thousand years. Seems regulations actually matter very little, except maybe appeasing the anxious that something is being done? Czechs do ask for medical clearance, which is probably reasonable, but I'm afraid even that could be abused by a rogue government: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_abuse_of_psychiatry https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_abuse_of_psychiatry
HarryHirsch 4y ago
What a country where you can buy as many guns as you could possibly afford but when you try and put up a clothesline or solar panels the HOA will come and foreclose on you.

by akomtu 4y ago

babypuncher 4y ago

It must feel liberating to view the world in such black and white terms

preseinger 4y ago

The only place on earth where gun ownership is considered a freedom rather than a threat to civil society is America.

babypuncher 4y ago
At best, gun ownership should be viewed as a regulated privilege not unlike driving on public roads. Everyone who drives has to be licensed to do so. There are different licenses controlling the use of larger vehicles on public roads. There are safety requirements vehicles must meet in order to be street legal. Every vehicle has a unique registration number tied to the owner. All of these regulations have made driving considerably safer today than it was 80 years ago.
- internet_user 4y ago
  Czech Republic has had a gun tradition for ~500 years. Homicide rates are lower than in over-regulated nearby Germany and quite a few other European countries. It’s even lower than some famously entirely gunless Asian countries. Your conclusions are not grounded in data.
  - bb88 4y ago
    Deaths before and after automobile and driving regulations can, in fact, be measured. It's just a google away to prove it.
    - internet_user 4y ago
      and it has nothing to do with guns.
internet_user 4y ago
Wrong. Czech Republic is a shall issue country in the heart of otherwise gunless Europe. 500 year long gun tradition. The only two times gun ownership/carry was suspended during those 500 years was under Nazi and Soviet occupation. Even foreigners from friendly nations can obtain a permit and carry, not even the USA doesn’t do it. Self-defence with deadly force enshrined in the constitution. Lower homicide rates than gunless Asia. Every gun permit is also automatically a concealed carry permit, again, not even the USA doesn’t allow in every state. 20% of parliamentarians carry weapons to the Parliament. This is a country in Europe.
- babypuncher 4y ago
  The Czech Republic is a welfare state with universal healthcare, free university tuition, and other incredibly strong social safety nets in place. As a result, they rank #12 on the inequality-adjusted Human Development Index. More people living happy lives without fear of economic destitution is a good way to keep crime rates low. Desperation breeds antisocial behavior. I'll never argue that the presence of guns directly cause gun violence. There are many factors at play. Strong gun regulations are one proven means to reduce gun violence, even if they are merely treating a symptom rather than the real disease. Unfortunately, making the necessary changes to truly solve the problem is even more of an uphill battle. I could see meaningful gun legislation passing within the next 10-15 years. But it will probably be decades before we solve our problems with inequality, healthcare, and education, assuming our entire democracy does not disintegrate first.
  - internet_user 4y ago
    I never seen this "inequality-adjusted Human Development Index", but I'm certain Germany ranks higher on it than CZ, it is quite bit more developed than CZ in many areas. Many Yet, they don't have shall issue laws, no constitutional rights like in CZ and USA, and their homicides (firearms or not) are somewhat higher. They border each other and have a long shared history going back a thousand years. Seems regulations actually matter very little, except maybe appeasing the anxious that something is being done? Czechs do ask for medical clearance, which is probably reasonable, but I'm afraid even that could be abused by a rogue government: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_abuse_of_psychiatry https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_abuse_of_psychiatry

HarryHirsch 4y ago

What a country where you can buy as many guns as you could possibly afford but when you try and put up a clothesline or solar panels the HOA will come and foreclose on you.