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An interesting, tongue in cheek take on gun control that is mostly right.
Why Gun Control Can?t Be Solved in the USA | Scott Adams' Blog
On average, Democrats (that’s my team*) use guns for shooting the innocent. We call that crime.
On average, Republicans use guns for sporting purposes and self-defense.
If you don’t believe me, you can check the statistics on the Internet that don’t exist. At least I couldn’t find any that looked credible.
But we do know that race and poverty are correlated. And we know that poverty and crime are correlated. And we know that race and political affiliation are correlated. Therefore, my team (Clinton) is more likely to use guns to shoot innocent people, whereas the other team (Trump) is more likely to use guns for sporting and defense.
That’s a gross generalization. Obviously. Your town might be totally different.
So it seems to me that gun control can’t be solved because Democrats are using guns to kill each other – and want it to stop – whereas Republicans are using guns to defend against Democrats. Psychologically, those are different risk profiles. And you can’t reconcile those interests, except on the margins. For example, both sides might agree that rocket launchers are a step too far. But Democrats are unlikely to talk Republicans out of gun ownership because it comes off as “Put down your gun so I can shoot you.”
Let’s all take a deep breath and shake off the mental discomfort I just induced in half of my readers. You can quibble with my unsupported assumptions about gun use, but keep in mind that my point is about psychology and about big group averages. If Republicans think they need guns to protect against Democrats, that’s their reality. And if Democrats believe guns make the world more dangerous for themselves, that is their reality. And they can both be right. Your risk profile is different from mine.
So let’s stop acting as if there is something like “common sense” gun control to be had if we all act reasonably. That’s not an option in this case because we all have different risk profiles when it comes to guns. My gun probably makes me safer, but perhaps yours makes you less safe. You can’t reconcile those interests.
Our situation in the United States is that people with different risk profiles are voting for their self-interests as they see it. There is no compromise to be had in this situation unless you brainwash one side or the other to see their self-interest differently. And I don’t see anyone with persuasion skills trying to do that on either side.
Fear always beats reason. So as long as Democrats are mostly using guns to shoot innocent people (intentionally or accidentally) and Republicans are mostly using guns for sport or self-defense, no compromise can be had.
If we had a real government – the kind that works – we would acknowledge that gun violence is not one big problem with one big solution. It is millions of people with different risk profiles voting their self-interest as they see it.
So stop acting like one side is stupid. Both sides of the gun issue are scared, and both have legitimate reasons to be that way. Neither side is “right.”
I endorsed Clinton for president for my personal safety. I write about Trump’s powers of persuasion and it is not safe to live in California if people think you support Trump in any way. Also, I’m rich, so I don’t want anything to change in this country. The rest of you might have a different risk profile.
Very good and interesting points. Still, the single biggest reason that gun-control doesn't work is the 2nd Amendment. Realistically, the 2nd Amendment would need to be repealed or significantly modified via a new Constitutional Amendment before even "common sense" gun control is possible.
Here's the bigger reason that gun control is a futile effort. Amending the Constitution requires 3/4 of the states to vote in favor of it. Let's look at the worst losses by the GOP in recent memory: In order to pass a Constitutional Amendment, you have to have 12 or fewer dissenting states. It matters not one bit whether it's Wyoming or California dissenting. Every state gets equal say. So name for me 38 states that would definitely vote for a repeal or modification of the 2nd Amendment.
Thanks for being honest, in most of what you indicate is spot on.
I have always loved to target practice, since I was a teenager, I own firearms, for both target practice, and self defense. I truly hope that I do not have to use any of my firearms for self defense purposes, but if I do, I will.
I have gone to the range with a single magazine, and I have gone with several magazines, the latter is a better shooting experience, since you spend less time reloading; or at least so it seems.
None.
1st amendment is by far the deadliest Amendment. People speaking freely causes all hate, war etc etc.
Common sense already is what the 2A is. Its control of people that gun control people want.
Iguns cause fewer deaths in usa then many many other things. Guns are tools to defend and kill, and hunt with.
The 2A primary existense is for people to protect themselves from People like Clinton, The Government etc.
Lot of people carrying here. We did have a murder a couple weeks ago, the first one in the county in seven years. Can't remember a shooting other than that one either and no armed robberies for a couple years.
Good OP. I expected to read a lot of posts from 'rock throwers'. Guess they're still asleep.
I have lived most of my life in the 'general' South -- Oklahoma, Virginia, Arkansas, Texas and now Florida.
Many many people (Democrat and Republican both) are gun owners. Now its mostly a 22 rifle and one or more shotguns. Lots of deer rifles too.
There are simply too many gun owners in this country to ever change the mindset regarding the right of gun ownership. It is something people (me included) feel very strongly about. The president is right about one thing -- we love our guns. Its a hard thing to explain to people who don't own guns and who have not grown up hunting and shooting since they were teens.
An interesting, tongue in cheek take on gun control that is mostly right.
Why Gun Control Can?t Be Solved in the USA | Scott Adams' Blog
On average, Democrats (that’s my team*) use guns for shooting the innocent. We call that crime.
On average, Republicans use guns for sporting purposes and self-defense.
If you don’t believe me, you can check the statistics on the Internet that don’t exist. At least I couldn’t find any that looked credible.
But we do know that race and poverty are correlated. And we know that poverty and crime are correlated. And we know that race and political affiliation are correlated. Therefore, my team (Clinton) is more likely to use guns to shoot innocent people, whereas the other team (Trump) is more likely to use guns for sporting and defense.
That’s a gross generalization. Obviously. Your town might be totally different.
So it seems to me that gun control can’t be solved because Democrats are using guns to kill each other – and want it to stop – whereas Republicans are using guns to defend against Democrats. Psychologically, those are different risk profiles. And you can’t reconcile those interests, except on the margins. For example, both sides might agree that rocket launchers are a step too far. But Democrats are unlikely to talk Republicans out of gun ownership because it comes off as “Put down your gun so I can shoot you.”
Let’s all take a deep breath and shake off the mental discomfort I just induced in half of my readers. You can quibble with my unsupported assumptions about gun use, but keep in mind that my point is about psychology and about big group averages. If Republicans think they need guns to protect against Democrats, that’s their reality. And if Democrats believe guns make the world more dangerous for themselves, that is their reality. And they can both be right. Your risk profile is different from mine.
So let’s stop acting as if there is something like “common sense” gun control to be had if we all act reasonably. That’s not an option in this case because we all have different risk profiles when it comes to guns. My gun probably makes me safer, but perhaps yours makes you less safe. You can’t reconcile those interests.
Our situation in the United States is that people with different risk profiles are voting for their self-interests as they see it. There is no compromise to be had in this situation unless you brainwash one side or the other to see their self-interest differently. And I don’t see anyone with persuasion skills trying to do that on either side.
Fear always beats reason. So as long as Democrats are mostly using guns to shoot innocent people (intentionally or accidentally) and Republicans are mostly using guns for sport or self-defense, no compromise can be had.
If we had a real government – the kind that works – we would acknowledge that gun violence is not one big problem with one big solution. It is millions of people with different risk profiles voting their self-interest as they see it.
So stop acting like one side is stupid. Both sides of the gun issue are scared, and both have legitimate reasons to be that way. Neither side is “right.”
I endorsed Clinton for president for my personal safety. I write about Trump’s powers of persuasion and it is not safe to live in California if people think you support Trump in any way. Also, I’m rich, so I don’t want anything to change in this country. The rest of you might have a different risk profile.
you forgot to mention the mentally ill....and you have to be mentally ill to kill someone....or behead them?
If someone believes that killing someone b/c of their religion, is perfectly all right, then they to are mentally ill.
Very good and interesting points. Still, the single biggest reason that gun-control doesn't work is the 2nd Amendment. Realistically, the 2nd Amendment would need to be repealed or significantly modified via a new Constitutional Amendment before even "common sense" gun control is possible.
Here's the bigger reason that gun control is a futile effort. Amending the Constitution requires 3/4 of the states to vote in favor of it. Let's look at the worst losses by the GOP in recent memory: In order to pass a Constitutional Amendment, you have to have 12 or fewer dissenting states. It matters not one bit whether it's Wyoming or California dissenting. Every state gets equal say. So name for me 38 states that would definitely vote for a repeal or modification of the 2nd Amendment.
We have over 2000 gun laws. What else do you suggest? Even a complete "ban and confiscation" won't solve our people problem.
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