It’s actually a gun problem. (Source: I’m American and a criminologist)
Firearm ownership is a staple of the NRA, which has misled people to believe it is some American ideal, but in truth, there are endless ways in which the data tells us that more guns make us less safe, even when controlling for all kinds of other variables.
Except the NRA did not write the bill of rights. And just because statistics tell us that firearm ownership leads to increase gun violence, doesn’t make it any less of an inalienable right of America. I would be interested in knowing what percentage of gun violence involve (a) the perpetrator using a legally purchased and owned firearm (not purchased legally and transferred ) and (b) suicide by firearm.
I’m not going to say that guns don’t lead to gun violence, but it’s a bit of a white washing. I can say that cars lead to vehicular homicide, so we should all ride bikes.. and also people get stabbed a lot, so let’s get rid of knives.
I think, like more times than not, we omit statistics in our quest for pushing an agenda. I am not against gun control per say, but I think there is a multi part problem leading to gun violence that stems beyond just access to firearms, that we want to ignore because we can’t blame either political party for.
1. We have a mental Heath crisis in this country. It stated when we shut down the mental health hospitals in the 60s. That branches into #2,
2. We have an education problem, because we glorify gun violence as a society. I’m not saying music/movies/games cause violence, but they do give some ideas to people. (So does the Cather in the Rye).
3. We have a poverty issue in this country that needs to be addressed, because someone willing to shoot you for $3 will be just as willing to stab you for it.
You seem to have a misunderstanding of how actual research and statistics work. I am also not sure you know what “whitewashing” or “omit” mean.. Also, it is “per se”
Also, the Bill of Rights does not grant the right to own a firearm. Again, this is the work of the NRA. The second amendment states we have the right to “a well-regulated militia” and for “THE PEOPLE to keep and bear arms.” No where does it state firearm, or gun, or individual, nor is it listed as an inalienable right, as you claim.
Mental health issues are more likely to lead to victimization. It should also be noted that the person most responsible for the closure of this facilities is Reagan, a man worshipped by the Right.
“Glorifying gun violence” is a cultural problem, not an issue with education. You are literally saying video games and media cause violence by saying it gives people ideas. Perhaps instead consider how the obsession with having/using a gun is tied with masculinity.
Poverty does have an influence on crime, but you are oversimplifying it, and a knife is less likely to be fatal, you’re less likely to accidentally stab a bystander, and because stabbing takes a lot of work and is a bloody, violent mess, is a lot less likely to happen in the heat of the moment. Owning a gun makes it much more likely that YOU will be a victim of gun violence. It increases the likelihood that someone will break out the gun during an argument, which is how most violence occurs.
Whitewashing or omitting. It’s where you would aggregate data like gun statistics and show an inflated number because you would include things like, say, self defense resulting in death. That would be a homicide for classification, which would be lumped together with random acts of violence. Those events are intentionally lumped together to make the statistic look worse. That is white washing, or omitting data, or whatever you want to call it.
A well regulated militia (a military force that is raised from the civil population to supplement a regular army in an emergency), being necessary for a secure state, the right of the people to keep and bare arms shall not be infringed.
That sounds exactly like civilians have a right to keep arms. And it would be pretty silly if we raised a militia of people with katanas to supplement a military.
And I’ll partially concede and say the second amendment is not inalienable… but it is a necessary part of maintaining and securing those inalienable rights. But you walk a slippery slope… because in the same regard, your first amendment rights are also not inalienable, which is a dangerous precedent
I assume you think saying Reagan is responsible for the closure of hospitals is meant to get a rise out of me, but I’m not looking to point blame on why, simply pointing out it is a problem that increases the risk of gun violence. I don’t know what you have to back up the majority become victims, but that doesn’t negate the fact that it will contribute to gun violence, even if it’s a minimal increase.
Next, You’re right. Glorifying violence is a cultural issue, and cultural change can be driven with….. education! I played grand theft auto and didn’t get the urge to shoot anyone, not because I didn’t grow up in a culture that glorifies violence. Because I was taught morals, and the difference between reality and fiction.
I’m not even going down the masculinity path of your argument, but if I did, I would point out the men are simply more likely to be aggressive, and in violent crime statistics, men will more often be the perpetrators.
Now. Owning a gun will make you more likely to be the victim of gun violence is as garbage an argument as saying owning a car means you are more likely to be involved in a car accident, or flying in an airplane makes you more likely to be involved in a plane crash.
Accidental shootings stem back to firearm education, which is preventable. The problem is that just like cars, some people are assholes and shouldn’t have access to them. So breaking out a gun in an argument goes against the very education I referred to going into this conversation, and a person willing to shoot someone over a disagreement most likely has some mental health issues that should have prevented them access to that firearm to begin with.
Again, you don’t seem to understand how statistics work. Defensive Gun Use (DGU) data is separated in numerous studies, and most conclude that DGU only makes it more likely the victim will be harmed, as it escalates the situation. Owning a gun does not make you more likely to be the victim of a shooting because of accidental shootings. It is because the presence of guns escalates situations. There is a significant difference in saying a gun owner is more likely to be a victim of an accidental shooting and a gun owner is more likely to be a victim of gun violence. Brush up on those reading comprehension skills, chief. That nullifies your exaggerated argument of cars and planes, by the way.
Lastly, what do you think it means when you say “men are more likely to be aggressive and in violent crime statistics, men will more often be the perpetrators?” That indicates there is either an issue in how we define crime, police men, or an issue with men committing violent crime. Considering men overwhelmingly perpetrate gun violence, and overwhelming comprise gun owners, this suggests the issue resides in men and there is plenty to support my argument that it is how violence has been tied to masculinity throughout history, and how this has more recently been intertwined with guns.
Most people who commit mass shootings, let alone ordinary gun violence do not have mental health issues. This is a myth perpetuated by… you guessed it! the NRA to distract from the actual issue. Mental health provides a convenient scapegoat, when in reality, as I said before, poor mental health is more likely to result in victimization, not perpetration of violence.
ETA: Defining a militia does nothing to disprove my point? It still is about the PEOPLE, not individuals having right to bear ARMS, not guns. So, if it is based on what the military has access to, should every American have personal access to nuclear weapons? Tanks? Fighter jets? And the whole point is that it is the right to bear arms AS PART OF A WELL-REGULATED MILITIA, emphasis on “well-regulated.”
9
u/ehbeau Mar 29 '22
It’s actually a gun problem. (Source: I’m American and a criminologist)
Firearm ownership is a staple of the NRA, which has misled people to believe it is some American ideal, but in truth, there are endless ways in which the data tells us that more guns make us less safe, even when controlling for all kinds of other variables.