Killing Spree in AL

[mrstickball]

vlad321 said:

In all honesty, if background checks were so comprehensive, shit liek this wouldn't be happening. Unless by comprehensive you mean someone who just sits at a counter stamping ACCEPTED.

Also, the people that die from smoking chose that themselves, and driving is a very integral part of US culture, unlike in the EU. If you don't have a car you are extremely limited in your entire life. Somehow not owning a gun hasn't stopped me from working, socializing, and overall living my life so far.

 

What about this most recent German shooting? What about the Indian massacre? It's not like even banning guns is preventing this stuff from happening. Also, could you point out to, where in the story, that this gentleman passed the required background checks to obtain the weaponry to use in the attack?

Mise, drunk driving kills 35% more people as firearms do each year (less suicides). Second hand smoking kills 3x more non-smokers per year (innocents) than firearms do. You cannot say firearms are more dangerous, because they are  not, statistically. A car driven by an alcholic is far more dangerous than a citizen with a firearm. Same goes for a person with a cigarette.

And I can use the same logic of you not owning a gun effecting your life, as me saying not smoking or drinking has effected my life. If your responsible with alcohol, and follow the rules, deaths do not occur. Of course, if your irresponsible, bad things happen. The same goes for driving, smoking, and firearms. Yet again, one has far more legislation against it despite the fact that it does not cause more deaths than drunk driving or second hand smoke.

Here are the numbers, in case you wonder:

• 12,819 Gun related deaths in 2004, less gun-related suicides
• 50,000 Second hand smoke related deaths. Non-smokers, BTW.
• 16,919 Drunk Driving related deaths in 2004.

Now, how can you tell me that guns are 'worse' when fewer die vs. other items that kill more innocent people per year? Sure, the concept of firearms may be disconcerning to you but that doesn't mean it's statistically true.

Terislb, the reason that firearms are so near and dear to the American public has to due with the repressive government that was over our country in the early years of our formation. The founding fathers realized that any government can become tyrannical, and the only way to revolt against such a government is through a well-organized militia, and responsible US citizens. It is a huge burden on the American people to shoulder such a responsibility, but unlike other governments in the past 200-300 years, we would rather have the government fear the people, no matter how noble it is, than the people fear the government.