Guns and gun control in the USA
Posted: Fri Sep 24, 2021 8:15 pm
I rather like this guy's commentary on (just about) everything, but especially guns and gun control.
Beau of the 5th column playlist on gun stuff.
(Don't know what "of the 5th column" is all about, but it's irrelevant).
These are all worth watching, but especially the first three, and most recent.
Semi-auto rifles have been widely available in the US for >100 years. But only fairly recently (let's say 35 years, for sake of argument) have mass shootings really been a thing. And they have been going up and up, to where they are pretty much commonplace. We can't go a week, without one, sometimes two, active shooter events taking place. Occasionally these will be religious extremists, but mostly it's just US.
Other countries, even well armed ones, don't seem to have this problem.
Why?
Beau argues it is a cultural issue, not a gun issue. (Note that this is a no-brainer, need specifics).
Glorification of violence. Pictures of ppl with their guns, looking tough and manly on social media. Confusion of masculinity with possession of firearms. Step on my flag and I'll shoot you attitudes. Confusion about the 2nd amendment. Violence as the answer to everything. Lack of understanding about what armed insurrection actually means. Shoot first ask questions later mentality.
I will add that it's the use of fear to sell everything, every idea, that exasperates the problem. Amplified greatly by social media. For being the home of the brave, Americans are afraid of abolutely everything.
Really now, how much of a threat are Mexicans to your gated, hilltop community, located hundreds of miles from the border, in an affluent, mostly white section of town? And will the next active shooter at your local school likely be someone freshly arrived from south of the border?
As someone who lives in the heart of such cultural attitudes, I find it very disturbing. Really there are so many better things to focus on. And to this date, I have never found someone who's totally focused on guns, who also carries on a great conversation (tho such a person may exist, but don't expect to readily find them).
I also believe that a severe lack of critical thinking skills, exasperated by the exploitation of natural human cognitive tendencies, is rapidly amplifying and escalating the violence problem in the USA.
I would also like to acknowledge the roll of hand guns in our violence problem, which conveniently give you a chance to make a really critical, irreversible decision in a real hurry.
Please feel free to splain me/us on this.
Note: I had not owned any guns in 2 decades, but recently my mother bought a new shotgun, and gave me back the one I gave to her almost 30 years ago. So now I have a gun again. I CAN go to Walmart without needing to carry it with me, loaded (I never take it out of the house). I refuse to be afraid of anything without a very good reason.
Beau of the 5th column playlist on gun stuff.
(Don't know what "of the 5th column" is all about, but it's irrelevant).
These are all worth watching, but especially the first three, and most recent.
Semi-auto rifles have been widely available in the US for >100 years. But only fairly recently (let's say 35 years, for sake of argument) have mass shootings really been a thing. And they have been going up and up, to where they are pretty much commonplace. We can't go a week, without one, sometimes two, active shooter events taking place. Occasionally these will be religious extremists, but mostly it's just US.
Other countries, even well armed ones, don't seem to have this problem.
Why?
Beau argues it is a cultural issue, not a gun issue. (Note that this is a no-brainer, need specifics).
Glorification of violence. Pictures of ppl with their guns, looking tough and manly on social media. Confusion of masculinity with possession of firearms. Step on my flag and I'll shoot you attitudes. Confusion about the 2nd amendment. Violence as the answer to everything. Lack of understanding about what armed insurrection actually means. Shoot first ask questions later mentality.
I will add that it's the use of fear to sell everything, every idea, that exasperates the problem. Amplified greatly by social media. For being the home of the brave, Americans are afraid of abolutely everything.
Really now, how much of a threat are Mexicans to your gated, hilltop community, located hundreds of miles from the border, in an affluent, mostly white section of town? And will the next active shooter at your local school likely be someone freshly arrived from south of the border?
As someone who lives in the heart of such cultural attitudes, I find it very disturbing. Really there are so many better things to focus on. And to this date, I have never found someone who's totally focused on guns, who also carries on a great conversation (tho such a person may exist, but don't expect to readily find them).
I also believe that a severe lack of critical thinking skills, exasperated by the exploitation of natural human cognitive tendencies, is rapidly amplifying and escalating the violence problem in the USA.
I would also like to acknowledge the roll of hand guns in our violence problem, which conveniently give you a chance to make a really critical, irreversible decision in a real hurry.
Please feel free to splain me/us on this.
Note: I had not owned any guns in 2 decades, but recently my mother bought a new shotgun, and gave me back the one I gave to her almost 30 years ago. So now I have a gun again. I CAN go to Walmart without needing to carry it with me, loaded (I never take it out of the house). I refuse to be afraid of anything without a very good reason.
