This injustice brings up the ongoing gun control debate. Everyone wants to stop these acts of violence. But, to do that we need to know the cause of violence.
In the middle ages (1330 AD) when the Black death swept the world killing 60+% of the population the list of most of the preventives and cures were things we consider silly; Aromatherapy, Religion, Rotten Treacle, Live In a Sewer, Let Leeches Suck You Dry, Eat a Spoon of Crushed Emeralds, Wash Yourself With Urine, Smear Yourself With Human Poop, Rub Your Wounds With a Live Chicken, and Kill Jews.
However, they did come up with the idea of quarantine. Unfortunately, they did not understand fleas and rats also needed to be blocked.
Now we understand about bacterial and viral diseases and how they spread. So, we will most likely be able to control the current Madagascar outbreak of pneumonic plague, which is air born and can kill in 24 hours.
But, we obviously aren’t able to control the violence we are seeing in Las Vegas and San Antonio.
Democrats immediately scream gun control, more laws. But, in the Las Vegas shooting even Diane Feinstein (California Senator – D) admits there is no law in place or imagined that would have stopped that shooter. He was legal. In San Antonio, the shooter lied and broke a number of existing laws that were in place to stop him. He was very illegal. The laws were ineffective.
As we look around the world we see the effect of various ideas on how to stop mass killings. In the UK and Australia law-abiding citizens were disarmed and while gun violence is down all violence against individuals is increasing at alarming rates. Disarming the Japanese is said to have worked, but it is far more likely that the huge, expensive police force with an officer on nearly every street corner is a more likely reason.
Venezuela’s citizens were disarmed and strict controls put in place. Caracas is now claimed to be the deadliest city in the world. But, it is hard to get real numbers from a socialist dictatorship. Bogota did the same and is safer. We see this pattern of good and bad effect from restrictive gun laws across the world.
Did you know 75% of gun-related violence takes place in just 5% of US zip codes?
It should be obvious we are still trying to cure a plague without knowing the cause. We are simply reacting to what we fear with whatever we imagine will make us safe. Way more people are killed in traffic accidents than mass shootings or any form of gun violence. But we don’t fear traffic accidents. The result is we make rational decisions about how to reduce traffic fatalities. We actually look for the causes and eliminate them.
In an age where we can build our own guns with common tools, even 3D printing guns, it should be obvious we cannot eliminate guns. Criminals will always have access to guns. It is a reality. Deal with it.
Laws are enforced by bureaucrats. They messed it up in regard to San Antonio. Look at the Veteran’s Admin and healthcare. A significant percentage of our veterans are dying because they can’t get the care they need. The problem is bureaucratic incompetence. We see the same scenario of incompetence with the Bureau of Indian Affairs managing reservation healthcare. And we saw the result in San Antonio.
We have laws to prevent fraud like Enron committed. But, the enforcement people of the time were busy watching porn on government computers and partying in Las Vegas. They were ineffective.
More pages. Links below.
http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/4519.0/
There is no significant increase in “crime against the person” in Australia. Despite a large intake of refugees and a massive drug problem ( amphetamines ), crime rates per head of population remain low. It is notable that since the gun amnesty following the Port Arthur Massacre, there has not been a single mass shooting in Australia, as defined by more than four victims in a single event. That is Zero – in over a 20 years.
https://www.gizmodo.com.au/2015/06/australia-hasnt-had-a-mass-shooting-since-1996/
wheras,
http://www.abc15.com/news/data/mass-shootings-in-the-u-s-over-270-mass-shootings-have-occurred-in-2017
Quite the contrast.
Don’t believe me? Come and visit! I assure you that you won’t need to bring a gun to feel safe here. Australia isn’t a crime free paradise, but It is nice to visit a place where you don’t have to worry if every punk with an attitude has a pistol in his pants. Knives were a problem, but guess what? It is illegal to sell a knife to a minor….yep even a butter knife, and carrying that same butter knife in your pocket can land you in trouble with the law.
Crocodile Dundee my ass!
I’m not going to tell Americans what to do about what clearly is a very American problem, I don’t know the answer but I hope you figure something out, it would be awesome! And yeah I agree, what you are doing now is not really working, whatever that is….Unless of course the situation would be much worse with no gun laws at all in the USA. Hate to imagine that particular scenario.
Please cut the bullshit about Australia though, it’s ridiculous and makes people from Australia laugh.
You are ignoring how crime stats reporting has changed in Australia in the time period and the difference between “gun violence” and “violent crimes”.
Here are the actual figures, collected by the University of Sydney: Unless you believe that covert government bodies have infiltrated and manipulated the figures to keep righteous patriots from owning automatic rifles. Maybe! Seems a lot of bother to go to though.
But regardless, it’s still pretty safe here…
http://www.gunpolicy.org/firearms/region/australia
Yeah, let’s see… I am in a city of 4 million. How many gunshot victims a year would you expect? Keep in mind there are gang wars going on.
http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/big-shots-the-rise-and-rise-of-gunshot-injuries-20170429-gvvdyz.html
36.
36 people shot out of 4 million. And THAT is considered by the locals to be a freaking scandal!
And NOT ONE SINGLE mass shooting in a generation.
Sure lots of people getting stabbed/jabbed/punched and run down by cars. But getting shot? Not around here. I’d bet Australia has just as many if not more psychotic killers per head then the USA though. All this beer and heat. More chance of being hacked to death by a jihadi with a kitchen knife than getting your head blown off by a deranged lunatic, so I will take my chances Down Under! Places Like Iceland are probably safer, a bit.
Overall, It is very safe here, and the vast majority of Australians support the current restrictions on gun ownership.
https://newmatilda.com/2015/07/21/whos-right-nra-or-85-cent-australians/
Ive been here on and off for over 15 years and I don’t know a single person who owns a gun, or would admit to owning a gun. If you told an Aussie you have a gun they’d probably wonder what the hell you need one for… it is a totally different attitude to many other cultures. But I wouldn’t expect people to get that unless they’ve been here.
Did you look to see what they are counting and how it is defined?
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-03-16/crime-rate-jumps-8-per-cent-in-victoria/8358924
https://www.police.wa.gov.au/Crime/Crime-Statistics-Portal/Statistics – no doubt they changed. Digging out what changed is work. I believe they are counting on you not doing it and you just accepting what the media provides.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-05-08/over-reporting-of-crime-prompts-wa-police-records-change/8507254 They are never definitive about what over reporting is. It is clear the reporting methods have changed to reduce the crime numbers. Governments spin to look good. Dig enough and you find the actual data on how crime is counted and how it is changing.
So far, all the places I have looked at with strict gun control have increased overall violent crime rates. In Europe, the immigration issues have lead to false reporting of crime in the media and shifts in how the governments count crimes.
Why do governments want to disarm law-abiding citizens? Why do you think you are safer without a strong way to defend your self and family? What do you do in that 5 – 10 minutes while the police come to your defense? And if one is in the outback, the hours until they arrive? In San Antonio, the Sutherland Springs church is likely in the >10 minutes response time area. I can’t find official response times.
The point I was making above, is we cannot eliminate guns, especially in the US. But, even in Australia, you haven’t got them all. (https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2017/oct/04/30000-guns-handed-in-during-australias-second-firearm-amnesty) And any serious Jihadi can smuggle them in. How do you defend yourself?
In Australia, good data shows there are more guns in the country than before the laws. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-04-28/australia-has-more-guns-than-before-port-arthur-massacre/7366360 – So, aren’t you living with a false sense of security?
Since the criteria for mass-shooting has changed in Australia and a sensitivity to any shooting is politicized I suspect these types of shooting go under-reported. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/opinion/blogs/australias-gun-laws-are-putting-guns-in-the-hands-of-criminals/news-story/7266e5aa40185b93c88c77677fd34382
I am not convinced Australians are safer without guns. All the evidence I see says they are now mostly defenseless and only criminals have guns. One cannot rationally say an armed nut can’t walk into a theater in Australia and start shooting. It hasn’t happened in over a decade, but there have been shootings of multiple people. So, again what do you do when someone starts shooting and you and your family are in the room?
Hi Nalates, first my Best wishes for the holiday season.
I do appreciate you work.And the intellectual effort put forward in that post. And i would like to bring in the discussion your northern neighbour percpective with the following canadien web site reference.
https://globalnews.ca/news/2378037/gun-violence-by-the-numbers-how-america-canada-and-the-world-compare/
It is intéresting to look at the arm crimes on a global stand point in comparing USA. You can always argue about the numbers and there source or meaning . But strangly canadien stats are similar to australien one with about same arm controles in place. I am putty shure too that the same incitive exists in all countries to show nice numbers including usa. Seeing how far more USA lead on that subject is indicative I think..
But my point is on an other footing. To me there is a foundamental society perspective when you look at these figures regardless . Either to live in a socity that feel safe cause it can kill an introder and a socity where you trust no intruder will come braking in you house to put your life on the line .
Please dont shout the messanger…
Gimisa
Your thinking is valid on the numbers.
But, the elimination of citizen owned firearms does not mean one will be safe from intruders intent on harming you. It only assures you will have less capability to protect yourself and family.