Should the United States Ban Guns?
While watching the following video I realized how many great content creators there are on YouTube, and how much better off they would be here on Steemit.
Watch as Gray Winsler does a fabulous job of summarizing both sides of the gun control debate in the US. Whether your agree with him or not I'm sure you can agree he'd make an amazing addition to our community:
This is a very thoughtful video on a controversial topic. I am in the UK so it is hard for me to truly understand the American situation.
Guns are paradoxically very alien for me and also quite fascinating. It is becoming more common to see armed police in England these days but it is still a relative rarity and there is very strict control of public gun possession.
Summary:
- It is hard for people on the extremes of both sides to see each other's points of view.
- Guns have a unique place in American culture due to historical reasons that most other nations do not have.
- Gun violence in the US is "rarer" than the popular perception.
- Both sides do share common ground e.g. few people would argue against preventing people who are criminals or mentally ill from obtaining guns.
- Politicians tend to use this issue for their own gains and much of the deadlock is created by them.
He makes his points in a very sensible and calm way without bashing either side which is very refreshing.
Whether you agree with him or not, I believe that Winsler would be a fantastic voice to add to the Steemit community. He has 15K followers, has videos with hundreds of thousands of views, but you know he hasn't made a penny off of them.
What do you think? Join the discussion & let’s get Gray on Steemit!
Please watch the video and post your thoughts in the comments. It is only 10 minutes long.
Please also like and comment on the video on Youtube, reach out to him on Twitter (https://twitter.com/GrayWinsler) and let him know that you came across his video on Steemit.
What do you think, should we use the comments to invite him over to steemit? We'd be doing him a favour!
A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.
so...no.
No ARM should be banned, or even regulated.
Yes I understand where you are coming from. I would like to have the option here in England too but I think most people think I am crazy! The thing is over here the criminals can still get guns. We regular people can't and I don't care if you are Chuck Norris himself no amount of Kung Fu is going to help in that situation you need a gun yourself.
I think as long as people are properly vetted for mental illness/crime it should not be a problem.
Did you see the video? See what you think of this young guys approach - I think he would be great to get on here.
nope, didn't see the video. I might get around to it.
The way I see it, individual people CAN be sane. Beyond a certain number, about two hundred, any group is NOT. So how can the sane be 'vetted' and 'licensed' by the insane?
Furthermore..only those wishing to do you harm would want you to be unable to protect yourself.
Interesting perspective.
I don't think banning anything really has the desired effect. Creates a black market (aka more crime), those who intend violence still get it.
Plus observation seems to indicate people really get fascinated by things that are concealed from them.
Not sure why people think guns would be any different. The fact of the matter is that what happens in that video could still happen whether guns are banned or not. The guns are NOT the reason that happened. Guns were a tool they chose to use. Once they were at that stage acquiring them illegally would likely not be anything to stop them. They'd likely be fine with it. Where there is a will there is a way. Knives, home made weapons, bombs, poison, are all things they can use as well. Banning stops nothing.
To stop this... critical thinking... tolerance... change education... look at all factors... don't look for a quick scapegoat that fits another agenda.
EDIT: As to the Mass Knifings... they are happening... NOW
http://www.cnn.com/2016/07/25/world/japan-knife-attack-deaths/
There was one in Texas as well...
Then there was the guy that used a vehicle to kill people...
We need to do something but BANNING doesn't actually stop things. I can't find any proof that anything we've banned has really stopped anything. Though I am still open to finding examples...
Interesting points. Have you watched the video? It is very even handed and not very long. Well worth watching.
Agreed
Yes. It is one of the most sensible and non-hysterical dissections I have seen. Further it breaks the main issues down and summarises them very well. It is beautifully put together.
That guy, is incredible calm and well tempered. Im following him in youtube and twitter now. Would love to follow him in steemit though
Yes me too. I started following as soon as I saw the video. He would be a great addition to Steemit:)
beanz has beat me to it to put a comment about this post in the youtube vid.
Yep I watched it... I had my post written. Was almost all the way through the video when I posted it. I edited and added some more when I completed the video. Overall, good video.
Fantastic. I'm not sure either way but I love the way he has summarised the main points. It would be great if we could get him on there.
On the topic of knife attacks. Just google "Sweden knife attack", or grenade, or gun and you'll find even more examples of what you mention.
(I live there, so I know these things take place)
I've trained with some people that were absolutely amazing with a knife. If any of them went unstable it'd be a pretty terrifying thing. Yet it isn't like a KNIFE and a GUN are a Ouija board and a demon is jumping from them and possessing people. There are other factors. Getting rid of the tool they choose to use doesn't seem to address the actual factors at all.
Or a crossbow or even a modified air gun could do some serious damage. Or for that matter you could get a car and kill a hundred people in a few seconds if you wanted to.
Terrifying. I'd much rather worry about a guy running down the street with a gun.
Wow. That is scary but it doesn't look like it was anywhere near as bad as it could have been. The carnage created by cars on a daily basis is something we rarely hear about. I think it kills many more people. I'm not pro banning cars either though.
Yep. Banning is also rarely actually intended to solve the problem it claims to be. It creates a lucrative black market, and it is not unusual for the politicians pushing the bills to end up making a profit from it, or people lobbying them. It is much like INSIDER TRADING.
Or the drugs issue. Certain organisations may use that as a means of funding covert operations.
We have a lot of knife crime in the UK too not to mention gun crime. We also have bans on certain types of knives. It doesn't stop it.
Well just look at knife crime in the UK I'm sure I heard it was going up AND we also have gun crime, except over here the criminals get the guns and we as civilians have no chance!
Yep... If you already plan on committing a crime (violence, death, etc) then getting a tool that is banned and illegal is a non-issue. Why do you care if something is illegal if you already plan on committing a crime?
Exactly my point but people here don't get that.
Excellent point. You need only look at the years of prohibition to find evidence that your statement is solid. It's the same with marijuana, which at least 40% of the people I know smoke, in spite of its illegality.
In regards to guns, I feel that legalised gun ownership is the most powerful deterrent to gun crime. Many who argue for tougher gun control laws will speak of the high gun-related deaths in the States as ammunition for their argument. What they tend to conveniently leave out however, is that the overwhelming majority of instances where someone is killed or injured by a firearm are concentrated in the areas where gun control is at its peak.
It's understandable too. If you are an armed robber by trade, going from place to place and holding up stores or other places of business, then it benefits you greatly if you know that you and your accomplices are the only ones who are armed in the venue. You would be a lot less likely to attempt to commit an armed robbery if you knew that any one of the civilians in there with you could potentially be holding a concealed weapon. Your chances of success are greatly reduced in those circumstances, and your safety would be at serious risk. Sure, you may get the types who are in it for the thrill and not the money, and so would be willing to test those waters--but they are far rarer than the movies would lead you to think.
Criminals gain their power by being the only one in the room with the gun. Give everyone a weapon, and my guess is the crime rate would drop considerably. Yes, it's depressing that we live in a world where it seems you need to be armed in order to dissuade your fellow man from exploiting you, but alas that is how things are--for now.
You gave me an interesting but scary thought....
I earlier in another post referred to the world as currently being Backwards World.
An example I gave is that whistle blowers reporting a crime are now considered a criminal, and you can be an actual criminal and run for the highest office in the land.
So the actual Criminals can RULE. Apply that thought in connection with what I quoted to you above and things get a bit more clear, and a bit more scary.
A backwards world indeed. Right down to the very essence of survival. We are conditioned from birth to believe that success is measured in zeros. Darwinism brainwashes us into thinking that it is survival of the fittest--every man for himself, and that to get ahead you have to step on other people's dreams. This is backwards as fuck.
Success should be measured by the positive impact you are able to have on the people that you cross paths with in life, and to get ahead at the expense of other people's well-being should be considered inhumane. We all ought to help each other do better, together.
I am going to give your article a read in a moment because I have to agree with you. Just about everything is the exact opposite to how it should be--how it was intended to be.
I raised my children telling them that creating a thing is far more impressive than destroying a thing. One takes skill and effort, the other often does not.
Unfortunately, our enemies have gotten rather efficient at creating devices for the purpose of destroying everything that we hold dear.
Oh and while I'm at it... that article I linked you is where I referenced Backwards World earlier today. I did however, write an article that was directly inspired by this @thecryptofiend blog we are talking on here. It was basically me expanding upon what I said here. So the backwards world part of my blog on the word TRUTHER you might find interesting, but if you want a specific direct reference to this article it is this post: Mass violence... have instability and will then there is a way...
Agree. Even simple things like book that is banned, people want to read it even more because it is banned.
I've been kind of in this train of thought this week. This post I wrote a few days ago talks a great deal about what you just said.
Good point!
#1 get this guy on Steemit!
I'm of the "molon labe" crowd in America, so i realize my bias is to justify firearms ownership rights. i understand the case against disarming people, i just consider it a blunt force one-dimensional "solution" that ushers its own consequences:
-guns also save lives, permitting less capable to defend themselves against predators. Disarming those who care about the law is doing them a disservice.
-the video did a good job covering the purpose of the 2nd Amendment. Gun deaths MUST also include those inflicted on people by their own governments, and if you count the 20th century, Europe will be orders of magnitude ahead of the U.S. for centuries. The 2nd Amendment makes regimes like the Nazis, Spanish and Italian fascists, etc. much more unlikely to manifest in the U.S.
-Ending the Drug War would slash gun deaths by some massive %. Most gun violence in the U.S., at least, is caused by capital flows to gangs and subsequent gang violence. Banning guns doesn't even address this issue, just gives gangs an even greater asymmetric advantage over the rest of us. If there truly is a desire to cut gun violence, then first start with the low hanging fruit...end the Drug War and assess from there.
-Mass shootings have more to do with copycat psychology than guns. Deranged people will still try to mimic these events; certainly more difficult if they need to acquire weapons from the black market, but they will occur.
It's not always about stats, though, not that the stats even stack up in the anti-gun side of the argument. Just logically, it is counterproductive to disarm decent people who have never shown propensity to harm another. I'm one of these people. I've never considered harming another person in my life, and I regularly conceal carry my Glock. Disarming me and those who are similarly highly trained and responsible makes society less safe. Sure, disarming those with intent to murder would make society safer, but there are few better ways to screen than already exist with background checks.
I'm with you Brother! I'll be happy to turn over all my weapons just as soon as I run out of ammo...next year some time!
Lol:)
You only have a year's worth of ammo? Time to stock up while prices are coming down!
You have to be careful what you admit to online lol!
Great points mate and it should also be noted that banning people from having guns which we almost have here in the UK - you can get guns but it is very restricted, does not eliminate gun crime. The criminals can still get guns. That means that as a civilian you are at a double disadvantage. Even if you are a ninja you can't defend yourself against a criminal with a gun.
Also agree with you that governments like to ignore the deaths that they cause through war!
ha, yeah even ninjas are vulnerable to guns :)
Guns absolutely increase your ability to protect yourself, your family, and those around you. It's a tad immoral to deprive people of this right in hopes of simultaneously preventing extremely low frequency events. Not sure on the stats, but something like thousands of violent crimes are thwarted annually bc people have guns. Leaving these people vulnerable to predators is irresponsible, certainly doesn't make society as a whole safer.
Yes. Unfortunately we don't have the option here.
Sorry to hear that...hopefully you, and no one you care about, ever need one.
Thanks yes for sure.
I really like this guy and 100% agree we need to get him over here ASAP!!!
Yes it is rare to find someone who is so young and so rational but without being condescending in any way.
Stirred up some good discussion. Of course, dealing with Americans and guns, you usually will. I'm glad to see the discourse is civil.
How much irony is there in the fact that if the US were to ban guns that they'd have to send people with guns to take them?
This is a pretty powerful testimony as to the failure of gun control. Also note (it's probably been mentioned) that mass shootings happen in gun free zones. I'm in AZ, where concealed carry is permitted for everyone. It's very common to see someone carrying openly and there's no way to know who is carrying concealed. You know that several are.
The cops in our town are very aware that we probably have far more guns per capita than most areas of the country. They know that just about every house has one. And they are glad for it. Violent crime here is almost non-existent. There hasn't been a homicide in years (in the town).
Simple fact: You never hear about the mass shootings hat were thwarted by the person who had a gun, whether it was a gun-free zone or not. I know of a student at ASU who shot a man as he came through her window. She knew she was being stalked, couldn't get help, so asked a friend to help her. He took her out and helped her to buy a gun then taught her how to use it. What chance would she have had without it?
Yes the conversation has mostly been very rational:) Fascinating insights thanks for sharing. It is a side of the argument we don't hear ver often. Thanks for the video - it is very powerful!
I don't know the answer to that question, but I certainly find this guy's standup bit about it hilarious.
Yes he is funny:)
Which tells us how much the U.K. has changed. The right of self-defense, including with guns, used to be one of the Blackstone rights: it's mentioned explicitly in his Commentaries.
http://www.guncite.com/journals/senrpt/fgd-guar.html
I've been making private jokes about Sir William being banished from the Realm. :)
Thanks for the post.!
No problem. Great citation too. Please comment on the video on youtube and let's see if we can get him on here.
Just did it. I'm not that assertrive, even on-line, so I confined myself to a heads-up about your respect for him plus a link-drop (this post.) I hope he reads it & sees your praise.
Thank you so much mate! You are a great Steemian:)
I'm doin' what I can :)
Thanks we are all trying lol:)
You clearly are not someone who has studied the political theories that created the United States. Even a glimpse into the writings of the Philosophers who the US Constitution was based on would make this argument completely erroneous. Ban guns please.
The United States is founded with the guiding philosophy that we have the "Right to Rebel", which means we also have the Right to Defend ourselves. The Government never granted us these rights, they merely acknowledge them. Therefore the Government has no authority in the social contract that we created by allowing Representatives to represent us, to take away those rights. None, no legal authority at all.
Furthermore what most anti gun people do not comprehend 95% or something of the Gun crimes committed in America are done with ILLEGAL FIREARMS. You have to understand that Gun laws ONLY affect law abiding citizens.
If you want to see what America would be like with a gun ban, go look at Venezuela. They banned private firearm ownership and now the only people with guns are the completely corrupt police and the bad guys. Screw that.
Watch this film:
Not to mention that Hitler could never have pulled off what he did without his ban on guns. "To conquer a nation, first ban guns!"
@titusfrost Did you actually watch the video or read what any of what I wrote or indeed any of the comments? Your comment suggests not.
Actually I did watch that garbage video, all the way through. That kid's "middle ground stance" on the subject is total nonsense, he is clearly for gun legislation, and for banning "assault rifles", which is liberal nonsense. None of my counter points were addressed in that video and he has no leg to stand on when he is referencing False Flag staged shootings like Orlando. Furthermore I have had this debate with many Brits in the past in person and they just don't get it. You don't understand what you are talking about. You clearly don't get that taking legal guns away from people won't do anything about the illegal firearms which cause the bulk of the crimes. Did you watch the film I sent you in reply?
You clearly read nothing I posted or any of the discussion nor do you have the capability of understanding the concept of healthy debate.
Further your attitude and stance is so inflammatory that I suspect that you could well be a pro-gun control troll who is trying to portray people on that side of the argument as reactionary and argumentative.
Whether you agree with an argument or not it is possible to have a rational discussion but that is clearly not something you wish to have.
According to the FBI's website, states and cities in the US that have open carry laws have the lowest crime rates in the country. Why would criminals choose to carry out robberies in a place where people can openly carry guns when they could commit crimes in cities that do not permit a citizen to carry a gun. Makes sense, right?
Well if I was a criminal I would think twice - you would just go somewhere where there weren't guns:)
Exactly. this information is available right on the public website for the FBI, yet the MSM reports exactly the opposite information, that open carry laws create more crime and politicians often report the same thing. I get why politicians to so, but the mainstream media should be held accountable to the facts that are easily verifiable.
The mainstream media like to scare people and they are there to sell ads these days not provide journalism sadly.