[Politics] Guns in the US

[ShandyH]

Why are guns legal in the US? The lack of regulation means tens of thousands of needless deaths per year. The poor will kill each other? If government is structured there to prop up the infrastructure of gun manufacturers over and above the lives of its own constituents, surely something has gone wrong.

The Second Amendment was passed in 1791. 1791. That’s 231 years ago. It has no relevance today.


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[Tyrone Biggums]

Ummm because they still have a huge hunting culture where they choose to hunt their own food.

 

[Westdene Seagull]

Ummm because they still have a huge hunting culture where they choose to hunt their own food.

And yet the most popular style of gun in the US is a handgun, closely followed by automatic and semi-automatic rifles. None of which would be used for hunting.

 

[BBassic]

Because gun companies make a shit load of money and are able to successfully lobby Government.

And it's a constitutional thing or something.

But mostly, money.

 

[Comrade Sam]

It's phenomenal the numbers involved in gun related deaths in the US every year, consisting on average 20,000 murders and 20,000 suicides. Bowling for Columbine covers it well.

 

[Johnny RoastBeef]

Its completely bonkers but in 2020 there were an estimated 120 guns per 100 people in America.

Unfortunately the gun lobby in the US is too powerful for there ever to be an outright ban on guns, but they could reduce gun crime by the use of biometric and geofencing technology. Retrofitted tech could make guns useless outside of registered homes and gun clubs and only to be fired by the licensed owners.

 

[AmexRuislip]

Why are guns legal in the US? The lack of regulation means tens of thousands of needless deaths per year. The poor will kill each other? If government is structured there to prop up the infrastructure of gun manufacturers over and above the lives of its own constituents, surely something has gone wrong.

The Second Amendment was passed in 1791. 1791. That’s 231 years ago. It has no relevance today.


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Ate you ok hun

 

[Happy Exile]

Money, the power of the gun lobby, and also the cult of the Founding Fathers. Even among liberals it's practically illegal to suggest they were men of their time, great but flawed, and that some of what they said could do with another look. May as well out yourself as a God-hating communist. Films/books like The Purge and Hunger Games play on this and take it to extremes because it's real, used to justify nonsense, and can be a way to abdicate having to actually face into challenges.

 

[BN9 BHA]

Ummm because they still have a huge hunting culture but they choose to hunt their own people.

Edited for you.

I’m not making jokes about people getting killed by this edit, but far too many cranks in that country shouldn’t be allowed anywhere near a gun.

 

[Simster]

It's quite simple. Because of the self interest of the wealthy - those who make guns, like hunting and don't really care about the misery it causes the black community (most gun stores are in poor black neighbourhoods, which drives a coach and horses through the hunting argument).

There will be American forums wondering why British people put up with a royal family and I'm sure the self interest of those with money and influence has nothing to do with that either.

 

[beorhthelm]

must be able to protect against the King trying to retake the colony.

 

[Tyrone Biggums]

Edited for you.

I’m not making jokes about people getting killed buy this edit, but far too many cranks in that country shouldn’t be allowed anywhere near a gun.

How do you know that though?

Is it people who have permits for their guns killing people or is it Gang Bangers who don't have permits for the guns they are in possession of?

If it's the people who don't have permits for their guns doing the majority of killing how do you stop that?

 

[BN9 BHA]

How do you know that though?

Is it people who have permits for their guns killing people or is it Gang Bangers who don't have permits for the guns they are in possession of?

If it's the people who don't have permits for their guns doing the majority of killing how do you stop that?

TBH I don’t know the answer if the murderers have a permit or not.

 

[Mental Lental]

They live under this charade that being allowed to own a gun somehow allows you to defend your property from The Government should they decide to come and take your house from you. No gun = No FreeDUMB innit.

 

[METALMICKY]

Tragically I'm all out of " thoughts and prayers " whenever I hear of the latest mass shooting in the states. I have a grasp of the financial, cultural and historical issues but after every incident there seems to be much debate and wringing of hands but very little tangible change.

 

[cunning fergus]

Why are guns legal in the US? The lack of regulation means tens of thousands of needless deaths per year. The poor will kill each other? If government is structured there to prop up the infrastructure of gun manufacturers over and above the lives of its own constituents, surely something has gone wrong.

The Second Amendment was passed in 1791. 1791. That’s 231 years ago. It has no relevance today.


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If it’s about the total deaths of the poor you’re concerned about, then surely your question should be why are thousands more Brazilians killed by guns than Americans……….or, if it was per capita of population then it would El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Venezuela……….on this metric the US isn’t even in the top 10 of gun deaths.

Are Latin American lives irrelevant in the debates relating to gun deaths……….or is it just more fashionable to pontificate about the US?

 

[METALMICKY]

If it’s about the total deaths of the poor you’re concerned about, then surely your question should be why are thousands more Brazilians killed by guns than Americans……….or, if it was per capita of population then it would El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Venezuela……….on this metric the US isn’t even in the top 10 of gun deaths.

Are Latin American lives irrelevant in the debates relating to gun deaths……….or is it just more fashionable to pontificate about the US?

Well obviously the remark was made to be purely fashionable and they don't care a lot about gun deaths in other countries

 

[Springal]

I had this ‘discussion’ recently with a retired firefighter in the US. He seemed like a nice sensible older man, and we discussed all things but he was utterly deluded re guns.

Essentially his justification was, in case it was needed in self defence. And unless the ‘good guys’ are 100% sure the ‘bad guys’ have handed in their guns then the good guys will never hand them in.

Utter madness. He was baffled when I explained how the U.K. got to where it is, why gun crime is so low and that even the police don’t really carry guns. But somehow he was convinced the US was in a better place re guns

 

[Johnny RoastBeef]

How do you know that though?

Is it people who have permits for their guns killing people or is it Gang Bangers who don't have permits for the guns they are in possession of?

If it's the people who don't have permits for their guns doing the majority of killing how do you stop that?

Mass shootings are predominantly carried out by guns obtained legally.

85 of the mass shootings in the United States between 1982 and May 2022 involved weapons which were obtained legally; a clear majority. Only 16 incidents involved guns that were obtained illegally.

Obviously these events only account for a fraction of the total number of deaths.

 

[bluenitsuj]

Because they are dickheads?