3 ms·

Literally the first sentence of your article: “32% of U.S. adults say they personally own a gun”. I agree that there’s a steel-manned version of the original s

Literally the first sentence of your article: “32% of U.S. adults say they personally own a gun”. I agree that there’s a steel-manned version of the original statement which is valid. You’re definitely getting a lot closer to it. I mean we can keep splitting hairs (I own guns, but only for sport not defense, I never carry, and they're stored field stripped with uppers and lowers in two separate safes and all ammunition in a third safe in a separate room). But of course after additional back-forth we’ll reach a point where we all eventually mostly agree with the intended sentiment of the GP’s comment. I just thought it was important to clarify to the audience that the “average” american is not, in fact, armed with a firearm.

sethammons 3y ago
Not sure your point. The very first sentence says both: > Thirty-two percent of U.S. adults say they personally own a gun, while a larger percentage, 44%, report living in a gun household If my wife owns a gun and I "don't," we both still have access to firearms. 44% of households have a similar dynamic. The American population is more armed than Europe. And it is close to half the population. I'm not making a value judgement. I own guns. Multiple of them. I guess I'm not sure what your point was. Mine is saying that nearly half of all households have a firearm.
- reaperman 3y ago
  The comment we are responding to: > Sadly the people they confront in those european countries are significantly less armed than your average american. Assuming that some reasonable percentage of "confrontations" occur outside the home, if you're being confronted while commuting to work, it's not always relevant that your wife owns a gun. It only matters whether you personally own & carry. > Not sure your point. > I guess I'm not sure what your point was. I've honestly been doing a pretty solid job being intentional and respectful to all views here. I don't think it's much intellectual work to try to do the best you can at imagining some reasonable point that can be made with the "32%" statistic and acknowledging some of those likely "points" in your post. It would feel much less dismissive, and show that you at least tried to figure out some points that I might be making while maybe still asking for clarification or confirmation. It demonstrates intellectual honesty.

sethammons 3y ago

Not sure your point. The very first sentence says both: > Thirty-two percent of U.S. adults say they personally own a gun, while a larger percentage, 44%, report living in a gun household If my wife owns a gun and I "don't," we both still have access to firearms. 44% of households have a similar dynamic. The American population is more armed than Europe. And it is close to half the population. I'm not making a value judgement. I own guns. Multiple of them. I guess I'm not sure what your point was. Mine is saying that nearly half of all households have a firearm.

reaperman 3y ago
The comment we are responding to: > Sadly the people they confront in those european countries are significantly less armed than your average american. Assuming that some reasonable percentage of "confrontations" occur outside the home, if you're being confronted while commuting to work, it's not always relevant that your wife owns a gun. It only matters whether you personally own & carry. > Not sure your point. > I guess I'm not sure what your point was. I've honestly been doing a pretty solid job being intentional and respectful to all views here. I don't think it's much intellectual work to try to do the best you can at imagining some reasonable point that can be made with the "32%" statistic and acknowledging some of those likely "points" in your post. It would feel much less dismissive, and show that you at least tried to figure out some points that I might be making while maybe still asking for clarification or confirmation. It demonstrates intellectual honesty.