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By the way, Connecticut is one of the 4 states with the toughest gun laws in the US and that school was in a gun free zone, so obviously fewer people could try to stop the massacre there. If it was happening in Texas, it could have been less victims. On the other hand, it probably could not happen in Texas at all.
Not quite. Texas has been the scene of a few mass shootings.
Referring to the US as a sick society is deliberately baiting people in addition to be a huge exaggeration and an unfair characterization. That said, the US does have a problem with gun violence that appears to be growing more and more alarming. Referring to isolated incidents in other countries including Canada does not mask the worrisome trend that is emerging in the US. These things are becoming less and less isolated incidents down there.
That said, as a Canadian, it is not up to me to tell my neighbours how to address the issue, this is up to them to discuss amongst themselves. I will wish them good luck and expediency on this one.
Great nations (which the US is) are not just about being great, they are also about acknowledging their problems and finding solutions to them. The US at one point in its history recognized it had a race problem and embarked on the difficult path of addressing it. This has not been completely resolved but progress has been impressive in the last five decades.
I have confidence that the American people have the fortitude and intelligence to address the scourge of gun violence that seems to be growing and growing in their society.
I think Canada is a sick society in the sense that it's basically obsessed with the USA.
As I've stated before:
I'm American, but from my own personal experiences and perceptions, I'd have to say that I think that the biggest thing that "bugs" Canadians about Americans is that Canadians (in a multitude of forms: individual people, government, media, etc.) are almost always comparing themselves to Americans and always measuring themselves up against them. While, on the other hand, the overwhelming majority of Americans really could not give a flying crap about Canada or Canadians or what they think about the US,etc. Americans just don't think about Canadians or draw these ridiculous comparisons nearly as much as vice-versa. It's so one-sided that it's just a joke.
So, please, stay out. Enjoy yourself. We really don't care.
P.S. Btw, I'm not saying that the USA doesn't have a myriad of problems that need to be seriously addressed, we obviously do, but I hope you see my point here with this post.
Referring to the US as a sick society is deliberately baiting people in addition to be a huge exaggeration and an unfair characterization. That said, the US does have a problem with gun violence that appears to be growing more and more alarming. Referring to isolated incidents in other countries including Canada does not mask the worrisome trend that is emerging in the US. These things are becoming less and less isolated incidents down there.
That said, as a Canadian, it is not up to me to tell my neighbours how to address the issue, this is up to them to discuss amongst themselves. I will wish them good luck and expediency on this one.
Great nations (which the US is) are not just about being great, they are also about acknowledging their problems and finding solutions to them. The US at one point in its history recognized it had a race problem and embarked on the difficult path of addressing it. This has not been completely resolved but progress has been impressive in the last five decades.
I have confidence that the American people have the fortitude and intelligence to address the scourge of gun violence that seems to be growing and growing in their society.
Good post.
Oversimplification in many of these posts by shouting "gun control" does not address the larger issue of a country formed on the premise of all being equal and that concept entrenched in every document including the 2nd Amendment. We can scoff at the interpretation of that document but it's not ours to interpret and our nation wasn't founded upon the use of the firearm as being as common as any other tool.
Ineffective focus on gun control would merely be a futile, face saving gesture.
The larger issue of mental disorders and criminals having access to these firearms is one EVERY nation will have to deal with to a varying degree. These days of faltering economies means there is less money to go around and the treatment of mental health has become the red-headed step child in many so-called progressive nations. The U.S. being but one of a long list of countries that have seen funding dwindle in this area. Couple that with a proliferation of firearms and you have a toxic mess.
I'm hoping that this might actually be the precipitous event that shows working together brings better results than maintaining polar opposite viewpoints on every issue for the sake of whatever party.
Well I'll give a different take on it from the American side. The OP that began this thread. That person has every right to feel what they do. Its not up to me or anyone really to judge the persons feeling on the subject. The USA has a serious problem that it has not dealth with. Now 20 little children and 6 adults are dead because of its foolishness. The gun lobby in this country has so much power in this country its terrifying. The lack of health care and measures and funding to help the mentally ill are not there. These two problems have collided and now people are dead.
I don't really blame the world for wondering about the USA, and the people/mindset that make it up. I mean get real. One after the other massacre, two just this week. What the hell do people expect the world to think of us. At least they notice. Its more than many American do.
The right to bear arms was written in 1791. It will be 2013 in 6 weeks. Its not the same damn world as 1791. The thing needs to be rewritten, for the modern violent screwed up society that makes up much of the USA now.
You want to get mad at Canadians, for noticing something is seriously amiss in America. Thats the wrong approach. They are and have been a very good neighbor for many years. Do something to change the mess we are in. Contact your politicians and demand the roots to this problem are addressed. The large numbers of Mentally Ill not being treated in this country. The easy access to guns by people that have no business getting them. The reasons finally addressed why are guns capable of killing 20 little kids and more not put under lock and key. I mean get real instead of blaming the Canadians, for saying what probably should be said. And that is to wake up Americans because many are asleep or sedated in this country to its many problems.
It doesn't necessarily mean that there's tyranny now in the countries that don't allow guns for citizens. It only means that if government turns tyrannical (somthing that repeats throughout history over and over), it will be much harder for it to suppress citizens. As I said, it's a part of checks and balances mechanism and a protective measure.
There's of course less danger of tyranny in small countries with weak governments like in Scandinavia, for example, so it doesn't make much difference there in practice now. The issue can be more important in superpowers and powerful countries like USA, UK, China, Russia, Germany, etc where powerful tyrannies are likely to emerge.
Both USA and Switzerland allow guns and both are extremely prosperous countries and democracy examples on their respectful continents. Fact that there are increasing talks about gun regulation in the USA (they allowed guns for centuries-- part of their culture) signify danger to democracy and prosperity in this country. Do we hear something similar in Switzerland? I think, no. Also I cannot remember from the top of my head any tyrannical state where guns were allowed.
It's hard to buy a hand gun in Switzerland , not to mention to carry them around, unless it is needed by your profession. So it's just BS to compare the two countries.
It doesn't necessarily mean that there's tyranny now in the countries that don't allow guns for citizens. It only means that if government turns tyrannical (somthing that repeats throughout history over and over), it will be much harder for it to suppress citizens. As I said, it's a part of checks and balances mechanism and a protective measure.
There's of course less danger of tyranny in small countries with weak governments like in Scandinavia, for example, so it doesn't make much difference there in practice now. The issue can be more important in superpowers and powerful countries like USA, UK, China, Russia, Germany, etc where powerful tyrannies are likely to emerge.
Both USA and Switzerland allow guns and both are extremely prosperous countries and democracy examples on their respectful continents. Fact that there are increasing talks about gun regulation in the USA (they allowed guns for centuries-- part of their culture) signify danger to democracy and prosperity in this country. Do we hear something similar in Switzerland? I think, no. Also I cannot remember from the top of my head any tyrannical state where guns were allowed.
It's hard to buy a hand gun in Switzerland , not to mention to carry them around, unless it is needed by your profession. So it's just BS to compare the two countries.
AND with just a bit of research the poster would have gleaned that Switzerland actually has that "well regulated militia" as spoken of in the the American Constitution 2nd Amendment but does not itself have.
Further; ammunition is very stringently regulated with all those issued weapons being limited to just a few bullets that you must bring with you for range qualification AND account for your brass after shooting before getting issued with replacements.
Your rifle is allowed to be transported directly to the range for above mandatory qualification and ONLY to the range. You get caught with it anywhere but on a direct route to and from the range and you're in deep kimchi. They are not allowed to walk around armed with their personal or issued firearms.
More reasons comparing Switzerland to the U.S. is a direct fail exist but you should get the idea from just these little facts gleaned with a simple google.
Well I'll give a different take on it from the American side. The OP that began this thread. That person has every right to feel what they do. Its not up to me or anyone really to judge the persons feeling on the subject. The USA has a serious problem that it has not dealth with. Now 20 little children and 6 adults are dead because of its foolishness. The gun lobby in this country has so much power in this country its terrifying. The lack of health care and measures and funding to help the mentally ill are not there. These two problems have collided and now people are dead.
I don't really blame the world for wondering about the USA, and the people/mindset that make it up. I mean get real. One after the other massacre, two just this week. What the hell do people expect the world to think of us. At least they notice. Its more than many American do.
The right to bear arms was written in 1791. It will be 2013 in 6 weeks. Its not the same damn world as 1791. The thing needs to be rewritten, for the modern violent screwed up society that makes up much of the USA now.
You want to get mad at Canadians, for noticing something is seriously amiss in America. Thats the wrong approach. They are and have been a very good neighbor for many years. Do something to change the mess we are in. Contact your politicians and demand the roots to this problem are addressed. The large numbers of Mentally Ill not being treated in this country. The easy access to guns by people that have no business getting them. The reasons finally addressed why are guns capable of killing 20 little kids and more not put under lock and key. I mean get real instead of blaming the Canadians, for saying what probably should be said. And that is to wake up Americans because many are asleep or sedated in this country to its many problems.
A charitable assessment of a rather rude post that is appreciated by my fellow Canadians I'm sure, but it would have served the O/P's purpose just as well to have referred to a "sickness within the U.S society" rather than castigate people such as yourself with the broadest brush possible.
I suspect however, it was exactly his or her intent to "chum the waters" with a bucket of bait and sit back to watch the sharks circle.
You want to get mad at Canadians, for noticing something is seriously amiss in America. Thats the wrong approach. They are and have been a very good neighbor for many years. Do something to change the mess we are in. Contact your politicians and demand the roots to this problem are addressed. The large numbers of Mentally Ill not being treated in this country. The easy access to guns by people that have no business getting them. The reasons finally addressed why are guns capable of killing 20 little kids and more not put under lock and key. I mean get real instead of blaming the Canadians, for saying what probably should be said. And that is to wake up Americans because many are asleep or sedated in this country to its many problems.
Yea well certain Canadians shouldn't be disrespecting a whole country especially after a horrible tragedy that just happened, they nitpick the scum of America to represent the country..... If Canada had a tragedy like this we would be on their side, we would be their shoulder to cry on... its not cool to see a Canadian taking advantage of the tragedy in Connecticut to spread his childish anti-Americanism on here.
A charitable assessment of a rather rude post that is appreciated by my fellow Canadians I'm sure, but it would have served the O/P's purpose just as well to have referred to a "sickness within the U.S society" rather than castigate people such as yourself with the broadest brush possible.
I suspect however, it was exactly his or her intent to "chum the waters" with a bucket of bait and sit back to watch the sharks circle.
I'll take the liberty of pointing out that this "sickness" may be a human trait surfacing, regardless of country. Just look at the Middle East and the Congo and its not hard to realize that if one of us were put in that situation, we could well react violently.
I think the human mind is incredibly complex and prone to unpredictable reactions to modern stimuli and conditions. It is possible we were always this way, but we just have the weaponry now to bring about disastrous results.
My own feeling is that it is better to make access to such weaponry extremely difficult for everybody. This way, people can feel free to get as insane as they want, and not kill.
I'll tell you what my worst nightmare is. When the troops come home from these long drawn out wars, it is very easy to conceive of situations that could trip some of them and cause some incredibly serious damage - and you can hardly blame them, after their traumatic tenures in war zones. That said, I sometimes think that the US gets a bad rap for the wars from countries that would have to arm themselves to the teeth but for US cover.
Last edited by Captain_Fingers; 12-16-2012 at 09:01 PM..
Reason: typo
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