What's on Your Mind?

[Erza Scarlet 104]

You don't wish to D:

It's dangerous and I won't let you

Thanks <3 I just want to fight D:

[tengaku squared 291]

Happy tree friends. Cutest thing I've ever watched.

You are a twisted, sick being. That is like calling Madoka a comedy.

 

:/ guns are scary.

Its the thing that makes me feel unsafe to go to America since they allow guns to be carried around >__<

It's not the guns that are dangerous, it's the people that wield them. Remember, "guns don't kill people, people kill people." Several countries have high gun possession rates and rock-bottom crime rates.

[Kaitou Kid Legendary Thief 197]

You are a twisted, sick being. That is like calling Madoka a comedy.

 

It's not the guns that are dangerous, it's the people that wield them. Remember, "guns don't kill people, people kill people." Several countries have high gun possession rates and rock-bottom crime rates.

Yes. I just realized I'm a totally sick being who enjoys watching gross stuff done to cute things... :V

True. But with dangerous people coupled with dangerous guns make it even more dangerous. If Anyone can guarantee people won't abuse what they have, then there wouldn't be anything to worry about. But without access to weapons, there's a dramatically lesser chance of a fatal attack.

[tengaku squared 291]

True. But with dangerous people coupled with dangerous guns make it even more dangerous. If Anyone can guarantee people won't abuse what they have, then there wouldn't be anything to worry about. But without access to weapons, there's a dramatically lesser chance of a fatal attack.

 

 

Human history tells us two things: you can't guarantee that people won't abuse what they have, and you can't guarantee that people can't get their hands on what they want. Remember Prohibition? It's that wonderful time where alcohol of all sorts was banned in America. During that time, bootlegging was a big issue and organized crime spread. So, there's one example.

 

And abusing what you have is more or less human nature. It's similar to that feeling a driver may get while driving on a narrow mountain road. "Hey, I wonder what would happen if I swerved the wheel all of a sudden." Humans have a tendency to exhibit risky behaviors just because they can.

 

Therefore, it's not an issue that can be solved easily. In fact, the solution is probably impossible for society to achieve.

[A L 217]

Yup, really impossible.

[Kaitou Kid Legendary Thief 197]

Human history tells us two things: you can't guarantee that people won't abuse what they have, and you can't guarantee that people can't get their hands on what they want. Remember Prohibition? It's that wonderful time where alcohol of all sorts was banned in America. During that time, bootlegging was a big issue and organized crime spread. So, there's one example.

 

And abusing what you have is more or less human nature. It's similar to that feeling a driver may get while driving on a narrow mountain road. "Hey, I wonder what would happen if I swerved the wheel all of a sudden." Humans have a tendency to exhibit risky behaviors just because they can.

 

Therefore, it's not an issue that can be solved easily. In fact, the solution is probably impossible for society to achieve.

There's no stopping it now that they have allowed the weapons into the country. Although I think that countries should ban weaponry like guns, it is never gonna work with America now that they have already started with it. A sudden ban would cause chaos and even more dangerous situations. The only thing is to try and control. Truthfully, allowing common people to possess guns is something I don't understand even now even though they claim it's for self defense...

[tengaku squared 291]

There's no stopping it now that they have allowed the weapons into the country. Although I think that countries should ban weaponry like guns, it is never gonna work with America now that they have already started with it. A sudden ban would cause chaos and even more dangerous situations. The only thing is to try and control. Truthfully, allowing common people to possess guns is something I don't understand even now even though they claim it's for self defense...

No it won't. Here's the funny thing: despite your impressions, American gun owners are in general, responsible law-abiding citizens and would probably never shoot to kill another human. If a ban occured, most people will comply with the government. Especially with the recent publicity mass shootings have gotten; gun control laws are being passed left and right in America right now.

 

The thing is that American gun owners are stereotyped based on a small fringe of gun owners. The crazies. The wackos. The killers. These people make the rest of Americans look worse. And the funny thing is: these guys are unpredictable. There are no real factors that people can use to predict the next mass shooter. These guys really are the fringe, and by no means should they be the basis that other gun owners are judged.

 

Americans are not obsessed with using guns. They are obsessed with the idea. They emphasize power. But I'll bet you that 99% of gun owners will never raise their gun in their lifetime.

 

Besides, gun crime is down overall.

[IdentityUnknown 216]

I actually agree with Moho here. Gun control is a big issue at my school. We have a gun range, we live next to the mountains in a part of the US that's mostly pro-gun use, and we have guns. I have shot them myself before and I've seen people shoot them. Some of my friends are amazing marksmen. Some of the people I look up to the most own guns, and not just one. Several. I'd trust a lot of them with my life. And the thing is, you can trust a lot of gun users with your life. Someone who owns a gun should be able to know the responsibility. Most gun owners care about owning a gun because it's become a part of them, a daily part of their lives. They are responsible people and they feel unfairly treated when some random stranger's mass killing results in them getting what they perceive as a "right" removed. I can understand why gun use might make people feel apprehensive, but especially around where I am, it makes sense. A mountain lion was spotted near our school about a week before vacation. Having a gun, something to protect yourself, it makes you feel safer. Like Moho said...most people are reliable. Most people only use it for self defense. It's the one out of a million that decides it's time to go on a killing spree. As for banning...when there's a will, there's always a way. I believe Prohibition actually increased the amount of drinking...

 

I haven't really taken a side on the gun control debate, but I see reasons for both sides. I don't think this debate will ever come to a satisfactory ending. There will always be outliers. There will always be "crazies." We can't see into the future or predict who's more likely to shoot someone and who's not. Already...to own a gun means to sign paperwork, do background checks, etc. Laws are tightening up already. We'll never reach a balance. I guess the best we can hope for is that in the coming years, things will get better and not worse.

[Kaitou Kid Legendary Thief 197]

No it won't. Here's the funny thing: despite your impressions, American gun owners are in general, responsible law-abiding citizens and would probably never shoot to kill another human. If a ban occured, most people will comply with the government. Especially with the recent publicity mass shootings have gotten; gun control laws are being passed left and right in America right now.

 

The thing is that American gun owners are stereotyped based on a small fringe of gun owners. The crazies. The wackos. The killers. These people make the rest of Americans look worse. And the funny thing is: these guys are unpredictable. There are no real factors that people can use to predict the next mass shooter. These guys really are the fringe, and by no means should they be the basis that other gun owners are judged.

 

Americans are not obsessed with using guns. They are obsessed with the idea. They emphasize power. But I'll bet you that 99% of gun owners will never raise their gun in their lifetime.

 

Besides, gun crime is down overall.

What won't? Do you mean the sudden ban causing chaos won't happen? How would you be able to predict this? Americans who see it as their right would sit quietly allowing this to happen? Even if they would, the weaponry industry wouldn't. A sudden ban would cause a dip in the economy and the entire world will face another unrecoverable recession even a slow ban would not escape any damages.

 

Also, even though most people would comply with the government, their mindset will not change. They've lived with it for most of their lives and they won't change their thinking or ideas overnight. They can live with it but not everyone will accept it. Those who won't will stage petitions, rage the government, boycotting etc.

 

And nobody is stereotyping American gun owners over the crazies, the wackos and the killers. We do not think that all American gun owners are crazy. However, since there's no way you can tell who are the crazies, the wackos or the killers, allowing access to a gun will give these crazy people (or to-be-crazy people) a much easier way to get their hands on them. Also, not taking care of it properly will result in other crazy people taking possession of it. With more people with access to the weapons, the higher the chances that a crazy is holding onto it. Its just that. 1,000,000 responsible people and just 1 irresponsible one can cause a tragedy of a lifetime. No matter how martial artis trained you are, how can one block a bullet with their body? You can block a knife, a bat, a stick... but a gun???

 

Of course, I can see why the people need guns - to protect against wild animals etc. It may be a necessity, but still, letting common folk hold on to it is still pretty dangerous IMO.

[tengaku squared 291]

What won't? Do you mean the sudden ban causing chaos won't happen? How would you be able to predict this? Americans who see it as their right would sit quietly allowing this to happen? Even if they would, the weaponry industry wouldn't. A sudden ban would cause a dip in the economy and the entire world will face another unrecoverable recession even a slow ban would not escape any damages.

 

Also, even though most people would comply with the government, their mindset will not change. They've lived with it for most of their lives and they won't change their thinking or ideas overnight. They can live with it but not everyone will accept it. Those who won't will stage petitions, rage the government, boycotting etc.

 

And nobody is stereotyping American gun owners over the crazies, the wackos and the killers. We do not think that all American gun owners are crazy. However, since there's no way you can tell who are the crazies, the wackos or the killers, allowing access to a gun will give these crazy people (or to-be-crazy people) a much easier way to get their hands on them. Also, not taking care of it properly will result in other crazy people taking possession of it. With more people with access to the weapons, the higher the chances that a crazy is holding onto it. Its just that. 1,000,000 responsible people and just 1 irresponsible one can cause a tragedy of a lifetime. No matter how martial artis trained you are, how can one block a bullet with their body? You can block a knife, a bat, a stick... but a gun???

 

Of course, I can see why the people need guns - to protect against wild animals etc. It may be a necessity, but still, letting common folk hold on to it is still pretty dangerous IMO.

The gun industry isn't a large source of income to America, so banning gun sales probably wouldn't make a dent in the economy. Also, recessions are caused by overinvestment in a single market, and that market crashes. Right now its the housing market. No one invests in the gun industry.

 

Yeah, their mindset won't change but they will comply. I mentioned Prohibition earlier. Bootlegging did increase, but mainly because the enforcement behind the law was extremely, extremely lax. And despite that, drinking did go down and many people did go sober.

 

The funny thing is, the crazies are determined enough that they will find a gun, somehow, some way. So whether you ban guns or not, crazies will still roam. Actually, that may not even be the case. Here's an interesting fact: two-thirds of all gun deaths are suicides. More interestingly, when a gun control law was passed, gun suicides crashed. Predictably. But here's the best part: suicides in general went down. The people committing suicide with a gun didn't go off and jump off a bridge. That simple deterrment saved lives, because like comitting a mass shooting, suicide is an impulsive act. Though it may not change the minds of every crazy out there, it will for some.

 

There is a counter argument here that argues that with a gun ban, people lose the right to self-defense, and therefore are helpless against lawbreakers with guns. Well, it doesn't work that way. Sticking a gun onto ordinary civilians doesn't do much good while under fire. The brain works in strange ways while under fire, and more often than not, an armed civilian is just as useful as an unarmed civilian.

 

I honestly don't think a gun ban isn't a bad idea. If it's allowed to last, people's mindsets will change. Whether that's a good thing, or it'll lead into a snowball effect with all sorts of things being banned, that's a different matter. But the thing is, there are so many unknowns, and in the current political environment, there is still a lack of support for gun control. Until the people's mindsets change, don't expect a gun ban anytime soon.

[Kaitou Kid Legendary Thief 197]

The gun industry isn't a large source of income to America, so banning gun sales probably wouldn't make a dent in the economy. Also, recessions are caused by overinvestment in a single market, and that market crashes. Right now its the housing market. No one invests in the gun industry.

 

Yeah, their mindset won't change but they will comply. I mentioned Prohibition earlier. Bootlegging did increase, but mainly because the enforcement behind the law was extremely, extremely lax. And despite that, drinking did go down and many people did go sober.

 

The funny thing is, the crazies are determined enough that they will find a gun, somehow, some way. So whether you ban guns or not, crazies will still roam. Actually, that may not even be the case. Here's an interesting fact: two-thirds of all gun deaths are suicides. More interestingly, when a gun control law was passed, gun suicides crashed. Predictably. But here's the best part: suicides in general went down. The people committing suicide with a gun didn't go off and jump off a bridge. That simple deterrment saved lives, because like comitting a mass shooting, suicide is an impulsive act. Though it may not change the minds of every crazy out there, it will for some.

 

There is a counter argument here that argues that with a gun ban, people lose the right to self-defense, and therefore are helpless against lawbreakers with guns. Well, it doesn't work that way. Sticking a gun onto ordinary civilians doesn't do much good while under fire. The brain works in strange ways while under fire, and more often than not, an armed civilian is just as useful as an unarmed civilian.

 

I honestly don't think a gun ban isn't a bad idea. If it's allowed to last, people's mindsets will change. Whether that's a good thing, or it'll lead into a snowball effect with all sorts of things being banned, that's a different matter. But the thing is, there are so many unknowns, and in the current political environment, there is still a lack of support for gun control. Until the people's mindsets change, don't expect a gun ban anytime soon.

I'm still very doubtful about the small market for the firearms. Aside from places like Pakistan etc, America buys quite a large number of fire arms compared to the rest of the world. The industry generates and pays up to billions of dollars of taxes to the government in a year alone. One can imagine how much income they get... Without the industry, not only do the conpanies lose money, the government loses its tax, the the investors lose their investments, and many jobs are lost. It will definitely affect the economy with a ban, unless the government and the rest of the world decides to do something to curb this, and reduce the impact to the minimum. Everything else is like you said, and I do support the idea of a gun ban. But yea, no one should expect any bans anytime soon.

[Rukia Kurosaki 357]

:/ guns are scary.

Its the thing that makes me feel unsafe to go to America since they allow guns to be carried around >__<

   Yeah, you have to be able to protect yourself, and not everyone can learn martial arts. Guns are an important hobby, recreation ,and form of self defense.

[Kaitou Kid Legendary Thief 197]

   Yeah, you have to be able to protect yourself, and not everyone can learn martial arts. Guns are an important hobby, recreation ,and form of self defense.

Haha I don't know martial arts anyway I've never touched a gun or seen a real one before either. I could have seen the handles when they are hanging from the belts of the policemen... and probably on television XDDDDD That's all. :V

[A L 217]

Whenever I'm about to do something, I get called downstairs for chores. What the heck did I skip school for? D:<

[Erza Scarlet 104]

Oh boy, have you become lazy like me? wow Moho's sig, so cute. It's yuri

[tengaku squared 291]

Oh boy, have you become lazy like me? wow Moho's sig, so cute. It's yuri

It isn't actually yuri, technically. While it is adorable, such behavior is actually commonplace among close Japanese girls. Er, not that close.

[A L 217]

Oh boy, have you become lazy like me? wow Moho's sig, so cute. It's yuri

 

Does all friendship has to be classified like that? :V they're girls, they could simply be best friends.

PS: he prefers yaoi anyway.. =x

[tengaku squared 291]

Does all friendship has to be classified like that? :V they're girls, they could simply be best friends.

PS: he prefers yaoi anyway.. =x

hmm was it that obvious?

[A L 217]

hmm was it that obvious?

 

Oh, I didn't deduce it. You've said it before.

[Erza Scarlet 104]

It isn't actually yuri, technically. While it is adorable, such behavior is actually commonplace among close Japanese girls. Er, not that close.

I noticed >_<

 

Does all friendship has to be classified like that? :V they're girls, they could simply be best friends.

PS: he prefers yaoi anyway.. =x

Sorry, it was just my yuri-addled brain xD I dunno, I guess I can really find yuri in everything (okay, not really)

[tengaku squared 291]

Oh, I didn't deduce it. You've said it before.

Did I actually say that? I lied.

[A L 217]

Did I actually say that? I lied.

 

Is lying fun?

[Rukia Kurosaki 357]

Is lying fun?

 No. xP

[Maltavite 61]

Is lying fun?

 

Lying = You got a lot of problems.

[tengaku squared 291]

Lying = You got a lot of problems.

I do have a lot of problems. :V