... rather, as Glenn Reynolds points out: People with guns do.
I don't like to go into detail about my wilder years, but let me just say I've been among people and in places where peace, love and understanding just wouldn't cut it. I also think the classic distinction between an agent and an instrument ought to kept in mind.
Utterly ludicrous argument. People should not carry guns. If students at VT had been carrying guns, more people would have been killed in the hysteria. If guns were not on sale, in particular semi automatic guns as was used on this occasion, that would be fewer people killed.
ReplyDeleteBut you see, Maxine, that is a counterfactual conditional argument. The fact is, guns are for sale. Not only are they for sale, millions of them have been bought. If I wanted to, I could buy an illegal handgun probably by tomorrow afternoon. But I could also go around the corner from my house, where there is both a gun store and a firing range and buy one there legally - and I could easily get a permit to carry. And I must say that if I were someplace where someone was shooting people, I would prefer to have the means to shoot back. The idea that this sort of thing can be legislated out of existence is simply a fantasy. Mexico has some of the strictest gun-control legislation around and one of the higher murder rates as well. The Swiss are obligated to be armed to the teeth and have few murders. The rule at the school was no guns allowed - obeyed by everyone except the fellow who didn't - and proceeded to kill and wound many of the others.
ReplyDeleteSorry, Frank, we will just have to disagree on this one.
ReplyDeleteGuns do not have to be on sale.
This particular person was on record as being seriously mentally disturbed, yet he could legally go into a store and buy a semi-automatic gun.
America is a very violent society and a lot of that is down to its gun culture -- the way guns are romanticised, sold, and generally equated with manliness and machoism.
Guns not being on sale "over the counter" or to anyone without a proper documented reason (eg farmer) including mandatory psyschological check and some personal references, would be a big start in reducing violence.
As to your Mexico point -- I do not think this is a "facts at your fingertips" level of argument, but there are plenty of countries in Europe that have very strict gun control and do not have many gun deaths. Another commonly quoted stat in the US, if you want stats, is how many gun-related deaths are accidents and within-family.
There are not many things in this world that are simple, but I think this is one of them. Don't allow the things to be sold. Of course, guns are so entrenched in the American psyche, it will take a very long time to wean everyone off their fascination with them.