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Duelling went out of fashion in the Western world by the turn of the last century. It didn't take laws or force, they began to be seen as slightly ridiculous a

Duelling went out of fashion in the Western world by the turn of the last century. It didn't take laws or force, they began to be seen as slightly ridiculous and no one wants to look silly, especially in matters of honour. No civil war required. It would be so nice if Americans could somehow hand in their guns. On the Old Continent, if you are upset at XY and say that XY ought to be shot, it's viewed as obvious hyperbole, because people don't shoot each other. In America, it's a threat, because the culturally acceptable thing for an upset person is to go on a rampage with a firearm. It's crazy. Please, no talk about "personal responsibility for one's safety". It's the environment that is safe or not, and a single person is plainly incapable of defending themselves against it. In a variation on Peel's principles, it's not the individual's responsibility to shoot criminals, it's society's task to prevent crime. I'm very cynical and have found that universally whoever talks about "personal responsibility" wants to unload their responsibilities on you. Downvoters, shoot away!

kiba 12y ago
In America, it's a threat, because the culturally acceptable thing for an upset person is to go on a rampage with a firearm. It's crazy. No, even here, people just don't do that.
ars 12y ago
You are speaking complete nonsense. > because people don't shoot each other. In America, it's a threat, because the culturally acceptable thing for an upset person is to go on a rampage with a firearm. It's crazy. It's crazy? No this idea of yours is. Where did you get it? Some bizarre movie? No, in America people pretty much never shoot each other. I've heard there is this perception in other countries that you constantly have people shooting each other in America, but actually you don't. You could go your entire life and not see a gun. > It's the environment that is safe or not And it's safe. Not sure what that has to do with guns though. I guess the more guns people have the safer? I think you might want to come to America and visit Texas, or some other area with greater than 50% gun ownership. You'll never feel safer. You perception and reality are so far apart that words are not likely to convince you.
- dllthomas 12y ago
  "No, in America people pretty much never shoot each other. I've heard there is this perception in other countries that you constantly have people shooting each other in America, but actually you don't." Interesting. This is technically incorrect, in a way that would leave it more misleading if corrected naively. Any given American almost never gets shot or shot at, and any given American almost never shoots another. Partly because of the size of our population (and partly for some other reasons) it is pretty frequently the case that some American shoots another. That is not incompatible with it being not being a significant risk.

kiba 12y ago

In America, it's a threat, because the culturally acceptable thing for an upset person is to go on a rampage with a firearm. It's crazy. No, even here, people just don't do that.

ars 12y ago

You are speaking complete nonsense. > because people don't shoot each other. In America, it's a threat, because the culturally acceptable thing for an upset person is to go on a rampage with a firearm. It's crazy. It's crazy? No this idea of yours is. Where did you get it? Some bizarre movie? No, in America people pretty much never shoot each other. I've heard there is this perception in other countries that you constantly have people shooting each other in America, but actually you don't. You could go your entire life and not see a gun. > It's the environment that is safe or not And it's safe. Not sure what that has to do with guns though. I guess the more guns people have the safer? I think you might want to come to America and visit Texas, or some other area with greater than 50% gun ownership. You'll never feel safer. You perception and reality are so far apart that words are not likely to convince you.

dllthomas 12y ago
"No, in America people pretty much never shoot each other. I've heard there is this perception in other countries that you constantly have people shooting each other in America, but actually you don't." Interesting. This is technically incorrect, in a way that would leave it more misleading if corrected naively. Any given American almost never gets shot or shot at, and any given American almost never shoots another. Partly because of the size of our population (and partly for some other reasons) it is pretty frequently the case that some American shoots another. That is not incompatible with it being not being a significant risk.