4 ms·
I find alcohol is good way to explain to people outside of the US how it is unlikely to get a ban on guns in the USA, even though it's obvious that would preven
by kokey 11y ago
I find alcohol is good way to explain to people outside of the US how it is unlikely to get a ban on guns in the USA, even though it's obvious that would prevent death by a madman going on a shooting spree at a school. It would be like suggesting we ban beer in Germany or wine in France because of all the known alcohol related deaths.
- mordocai 11y agoA madman would steal a gun or otherwise obtain a gun illegally. Just like people obtained alcohol illegally during prohibition. I'm not really disagreeing with your main point, just the "it's obvious that would prevent death by a madman going on a shooting spree". Hell, if the US banned guns I would still own one I would just hide it better.
- tertius 11y agoSounds like a law abiding way to go!
- stefantalpalaru 11y ago> Hell, if the US banned guns I would still own one I would just hide it better. You probably wouldn't, because the risk of ending up in jail or prison would be unacceptable.
- mordocai 11y agoOver someone who illegally has obtained a gun breaking into my house and shooting me? I'll take the jail.
- stefantalpalaru 11y agoThe gun is not a shield, it doesn't prevent you from getting shot. It can only help you if you shoot first at any sign of home invasion. Most of the time it's just a family member or intimate acquaintance: http://www.nejm.org/doi/pdf/10.1056/NEJM199310073291506 http://www.nejm.org/doi/pdf/10.1056/NEJM199310073291506
- mordocai 11y agoThe study sounds correct for what it studies. People who keep a gun in their home are more likely to accidentally kill someone else that they already know. That makes sense, since people without one aren't likely to grab a knife and run at a perceived threat. Even if they did, it gives more time for the other person to react and announce that they are a friend. However, as an anecdote, most people I know of who actually know what they are doing (as in people who are gun enthusiasts, not people who bought a gun "for protection" and shot it enough to take a class then put it in a drawer) announce themselves before shooting as the goal is to get the intruder to leave. Quite often this alerts the intruder to your location and, in the case that they are an actual threat, they will charge at you (this is counter intuitive for me, but most stories I've read of home invasion with an armed resident seem to end this way). I only typically hear about these stories from survivors, but the cases I know of the resident killed or wounded their attackers and were safe. Basically, that long-winded group of anecdotes is to say that it is not the case that a gun can only help you if you shoot first at any sign of home invasion. Anyone who actually knows something about guns knows that you only point a gun at a target you have identified and are prepared to destroy. For the most part, that means you won't shoot first at any sign of home invasion.
- relaytheurgency 11y agoI was unaware that banning things rendered them impossible.
- thaumasiotes 11y agoYou just don't have the proper faith in the legal system. http://www.theonion.com/article/proposed-bill-would-bring-4000-troops-back-to-life-2329 http://www.theonion.com/article/proposed-bill-would-bring-40...
- collyw 11y agoThere is a slight difference in that with alcohol you are most likely to kill yourself, whereas a gun you are more likely to kill someone else.