Kmart worker shot during dispute at Philadelphia store
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0
ilcub76
Another reason not to put your nose where it doesn't belong. Domestic disputes are best left to the parties involved.
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smithinjapan
ilcub: "Another reason not to put your nose where it doesn't belong. Domestic disputes are best left to the parties involved."
No kidding... people everywhere overreact, and no country is an exception. The reason you always here about people in the US overreacting is because it's usually a case like this, where death could EASILY have been avoided were there better gun laws. Hell, even Helter_Skelter admitted the US should take a page from Switzerland's book, where he admitted that despite having so many guns they have almost zero gun-related deaths.
0
skipthesong
death could EASILY have been avoided were there better gun laws"
You don't have even the slightest opinion about the hard thug culture? This is one reason why Switzerland doesn't hve a problem.
In the US it's good to be bad!
But, I think in any normal culture, intervening would be the appropriate action.. maybe the girl seemed to be in a lot worse situation than what the article reports. If it were my daughter in that situation, I would hope someone would lend a hand. You do know there are those types that can't let their girl go.
0
cleo
Without the gun factor this is one incident in which a couple of blokes would have given each other black eyes and bloody noses.
Hard thugs aren't so hard when all they have to stand up with is their own two fists.
0
elbudamexicano
This dork with a gun at Kmart just shows why America is so messed up. Any dorky thug looser who can fork out a couple of dollars for a hand gun can go out and "take matters into their own hands" in this case, the angry boyfriend trying to scare his girlfriend or maybe EX-girlfriend to obey him and the poor dude who try to do the right thing gets shot by this scum bag. I hope this Philly scum bug gets the death penalty a.s.a.p!
0
smithinjapan
The saddest part of course is that a man died because some lout had a gun and got a little upset. Again, had it been fists there would have been no death here, and perhaps the man could have realized the err of his ways. As it is, and another sad point, the man is now going to go to prison for life, or possibly worse. I wonder if he'll get as angry in prison when someone tries to intervene in a fight with him there -- that is, intervene so they can join in on the beating.
When are people going to learn that snapping and killing someone is not the answer to being irritated? Don't they realize that being in prison for life is probably going to provide plenty of examples of MUCH MUCH WORSE conditions, with no escape??
0
Weasel
Well, (not to go off on a tangent) Philly does allow the death penalty for 1st degree murder (premeditated murder) and 17 other aggravated situations (I.E. "second degree" murder - heat of passion crimes). The only kicker is that there
0
adaydream
Hey, this is just another example where allowing concealed handguns is stupid.
I have no problem with having weapons to hunt with and protect your home. But carrying handguns as an everyday course of action makes too many weapons available for this kind of incident. < :-)
0
Weasel
(hit the enter button early...) has only been 3 executions since 1976, and you've got at least 228 people on death row in PA. Most likely, he'll get life in prison for being a thug.
0
Nippon5
With out the gun he would of stabbed him, hit him with a tire iron, or what ever he had to in order to kill the man.. Guns dont make you a killer.. People kill all the time everywhere without guns.. Tighter gun control wouldnt make this type of crime "EASY to avoid it" would make it harder by a small margin to get a gun for someone legally but not for an illegal gun..Also I dont here (or Hear) about this type of overreaction in the US any more then I hear of overreactions in any other country. Like the Guy on the Bus in Canada who cut off another mans head, that was a tad overreacting.
Just because he used a gun doesnt mean he would of let the guy walk away with a black eye.. Sorry Cleo but you havent been in many fights or seen real fights, when a man is willing to kill someone it doesnt matter what weapon he has, hes going to try and kill someone..
Guns that most criminals use are not legal guns, and are obtained in illegal ways. If you ban guns in the US they will just get them on the black market(street) anyways . Gun control is something they need to enforce more in the US (even though it will not effect illegal weapons that much) but a ban is just not going to work, just like taking booze away didnt...
0
adaydream
**Guns dont make you a killer.. People kill all the time everywhere without guns. **
Oh I love that. It's always the NRA and gun non-control advocates who have this imfamous statement.
With out the gun he would of stabbed him, hit him with a tire iron, or what ever he had to in order to kill the man. That's a stupid statement.
At least during the time he's hunting for a tire iron or something else to kill with he'd have had the time to avoid the killing. But when it's 1 second to puill the gun and then the next second he's killing. Having no gun so available, this death probably wouldn't have happened. < :-)
0
adaydream
Also, you don't watch the news very often. I hear about deaths by guns every night on the news.
I hear very few reports where someone is killed with something other than a gun. < :-)
0
bamboohat
I'll bet of the K-mart AND the girl were all carrying guns this wouldn't have happened. The guy probably wouldnt' have followed her into the store had he thought all the employees were armed.
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smithinjapan
Nippon5: "With out the gun he would of stabbed him, hit him with a tire iron, or what ever he had to in order to kill the man.."
Prove it. I can prove to you that because he was allowed to carry a concealed weapon, a man is dead. Nowhere can you prove that even if he was carrying a concealed knife (hopefully not in his pocket! ouch!), a tire-iron (or took the time to look around for one), or some sort of device to try and fustigate the victim with that he could have succeeded in doing so.
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usaexpat
my mother told me that on black friday a worker got trampled to death at a Walmart. If you've everseen the Christmas sales in America, people just get crazy. The best advice is stay the hell away, the deals aren't worth it.
0
usaexpat
Smith, your liberal agenda is blinding you to the truth about human violence. Are there no killings in Japan? Well, guns are strictly regulated here compared to the US and people, stab, bludgeon or whatever to kill. People will kill with their bare hands if they are so motivated. This guy happened to have a gun but if he had a knife or a baseball bat the result would have been the same.
0
smithinjapan
usaexpat: "This guy happened to have a gun but if he had a knife or a baseball bat the result would have been the same."
Again, prove it. You guys have the dumbest defense for guns ever. He killed the man in the heat of the moment by pulling out a gun and firing a few times and hitting the guy. The man never had a chance to try and fend off, block, or use his physical strength to stop the man. Had the same heat of the moment attack occurred with ANY other the result would certainly NOT have been the same. Even with a knife the victim in this case would have had time to react and possibly fight the man off. A bat? Do you think the guy went off shopping with his lady-friend with a bat in his hands?
Give it a rest, expat. And if you're going to throw in the death rates of other countries like Japan, you need to compare first the gun-related deaths in both countries (something like 600 times as many in the US) and THEN compare the other forms of murder. If you handed the nuts in Japan guns then you could bet your life (and probably would) that the rate would rocket some 1000 per cent. The fact of the matter is, though, that they don't have guns even remotely close to being as readily available as in the US, and as such the murder rate using guns isn't even remotely as close.
That's not a 'liberal agenda', it's a cold, hard fact.
0
cleo
No usaexpat, your pro-gun agenda is blinding you to the truth about human violence.
The per capital murder rate in the US is 0.042802; in Japan it is 0.00499933. Some 8.5 times lower. All these people running round with murder in their hearts just searching for a weapon, any weapon, or ready to kill with their bare hands, are in your imagination.
It's interesting that the pro-gun folk always end up coming round to the observation that Americans are all crazy, murderous thugs (their observation, not mine) and so they need weapons to protect themselves from each other. All the more reason, I would have thought, not to let them have guns. Like giving a pyromaniac a box of matches and some oil-soaked rags.
0
OssanAmerica
"Nippon5: "With out the gun he would of stabbed him, hit him with a tire "iron, or what ever he had to in order to kill the man.."
He was ALLOWED to carry a concealed weapon? Where did you you find any information stating that the perpetrator possesed a valid concealed carry permit?
0
smithinjapan
Ossan: "He was ALLOWED to carry a concealed weapon? Where did you you find any information stating that the perpetrator possesed a valid concealed carry permit?"
Okay, so let's say he wasn't. I'm willing to bet that he was still allowed to have it at home, and I'm willing to bet a whole lot of Americans carry their guns around either on their person, in their bags, or cars. I'm also willing to bet we'll read about the next shooting deaths within the week, and that they'll still be plenty of fools on here saying that guns are a good thing and that guns aren't the prime weapon of the murder but the PEOPLE are, etc.... well, unless god forbid it's a loved one, and then it's always the 'why' that was too late.
0
usaexpat
I am neither pro-gun nor anti-gun cleo. My point is that people kill people not guns. Yes America is crazy, the level of violence is astonishing. Most of the killing is done with illegal weapons however so banning guns doesn't keep them out of the hands of criminals. I am all ears if you have a solution. And Smith your betting about whether this guy was allowed to carry a gun is not proof any more than my assumption that a knife would have done equally well.
0
yawmin
If you think this was caused by legal gun permits, your crazy. Regardless of gun permits or not, he would have killed. Do you think if carrying guns is illegal, it will deter criminals from doing it? Does making drugs or prostitution illegal stop it? I live in texas where we (if you have no felonies and take a gun safety and marksman course) you can carry a handgun. I think its a right we should take advantage of. In those states where there are no concealed carry permits, citizens are easy pickins for criminals who would disregard the law anyway. In houston, alot of people are armed, and thugs may think twice about robbing someone because of this simple fact. What about school or mall shootings? (ie WA last year) an albanian gunman was killed by an off duty police officer before he could inflict major casulaties. what about at VT? maybe it could have been prevented if we re-evaluated those unwarranted fears. There are home invasions, car jackings, armed robberies at places of business. I dont know about yall, but when im walking with my 8yr old daughter in a parking lot to my car at night, i feel safe to know i have a 45. by my side. Those who are anti-guns, if your life was threatend by a gunman, and you were saved by a responsible citizen who took adavantage of their right to carry, im sure you would change your tune. but probably not, because liberals are pretty brainwashed into listening to their higher ups.
0
yawmin
smith, im sure he did have guns at his house, almost everyone does. Its the second ammendment. Guns are dangerous yeah, but you shouldnt rely on the goverment to take care of every aspect in your life. remember katrina? If you are in this situation (an innocent bystander in a shootout) and someone with a permit saved you, youd tell them about how they shouldt have had the right to carry that? regardless who has guns, guns destroy. They are already in the hands of criminals. . . so. . how do you reason with criminals? the same way as terrorists?
0
OssanAmerica
Are you aware that what you so flippantly dismiss is at the core of the entire gun issue?
ALLOWED by WHOM?? His mother? He was 35 years old and hadf his own apartment. I use the past tense because he just shot himself in the head before the police could arrest him.
Legally or illegally? Or does that make any difference to you?
No kidding. You really ought to study up on the topic befotre flooding the board with your EMO about these "horrible guns". Which BTW still don't kill as many people as cars.
0
adaydream
yawmin - Regardless of gun permits or not, he would have killed.
B/S, without a gun he would have had to look for a weapon to kill with. That time alone and the victom could have gotten away.
Like I mentioned earlier, adaydream at 11:06 PM JST - 3rd December Also, you don't watch the news very often. I hear about deaths by guns every night on the news. I hear very few reports where someone is killed with something other than a gun. < :-)
I don't know when I last heard about someone being murdered by other than a gub in a long time. < :-)
0
yawmin
adaydream,
you are confused. You dont need a permit to buy a gun or steal a gun. If you want to legally carry a side arm in some states, you need to obtain a permit through proper classes and training and background checks. I dont think he would have been eligible for this. I dont think it would have mattered. Even if he couldnt buy a gun legally, he could have easily stolen one. You cannot take guns off the streets now. There are to0 many that are serial scrapes and stolen to account for all of them. i dont understand what your saying. maybe what your saying looks good on paper, but its not reality.
0
cleo
Because they're apparently everywhere. I see that yawmin is one of those who wants to tell us that guns are necessary because America is such a dangerous place and Americans are all running around just looking for someone to shoot.
citizens are easy pickins for criminals.... thugs may think twice about robbing someone .... What about school or mall shootings? .... what about at VT?.... There are home invasions, car jackings, armed robberies at places of business.
I don't understand why ordinary Americans don't get riled by this kind of slur on your country. I for one don't believe Americans are all crazy would-be criminals and murderers. The ones I've met at least haven't been. Maybe they don't let the crazy ones out of the country.
How sad. And how horribly worrying for a parent, to think that a child isn't safe out unless accompanied by an armed escort. If I lived where you live, yawmin, I would relocate, immediately, for the sake of my children, and not waste time boasting about the firepower in my pocket.
0
yawmin
my suburb is the 6th safest in US. dont feel sorry for me in fine, i never have been assualted. Guns are everywhere in america, if you want to pretend that arnt, ignorance is bliss. I love my family to the point where im doing everything i can to make sure random events such as this k mart incident would play out differently. In the course they say that the odds are you will never have to pull out your gun, but if your family was threatend, what would you do? complain?
0
cleo
That doesn't seem to be saying much. I imagine if you put out a list of 'the safest suburbs in Japan' you'd be laughed off the street. It would be meaningless.
Why not love your family to the point of taking them out of harm's way, instead of preparing to involve your 8-year-old daughter in a shoot-out?
0
smithinjapan
usexpat: "And Smith your betting about whether this guy was allowed to carry a gun is not proof any more than my assumption that a knife would have done equally well."
A lot of you guys are having trouble reading. I didn't say I bet he was allowed to CARRY a gun, I said I bet he was allowed to OWN one. I fully admitted that I was quick to say he was allowed to carry the concealed weapon and that he may have been doing so illegally. However, saying my bet that he was allowed to have a gun is the same as betting the victim would still be dead if it were a knife is ludicrous.
0
smithinjapan
yawmin: Well, you go ahead and pull out your gun to help your family. All that's going to happen is some other Joe Blow on the street sees a guy with a gun (you) and doesn't know what's going on, but wants to protect HIS family, so he pulls out HIS gun; lady Republican down the street sees some guy with a gun and pulls out hers, etc. etc. Then before you know it you have everyone in the neighbourhood in a shoot out with no one to blame, all of which could have been avoided if there were none of the guns to begin with.
0
Nippon5
Smith I have arrested many guys in my years that had committed murder with other then guns. So I guess my experience is much more then yours on these types of matters. I cant guarentee he would of killed with out the gun, but I can prove it wasnt a concealed weapon. He wasnt a legal gun owner and the gun wasnt legal, he waved it when he came in, therefore it wasnt a C&C issue... Also Smith he most likely wasnt allowerd to have it at home since he was already a felon.. according to the local paper..
Adaydream.. a stupid statment is to say the man only killed because he had a gun... simple and very stupid statement.. Akaharbara showed very well a Knife can kill just as fast, didnt it? No one is saying the gun isnt a factor, but to make the ignorant statement it was the guns fault is just retarded. People who want to kill will do it with what ever they have.. Let me hit you with a tire iron and see if it takes more then one second. And also I dont watch the news everyday, but I worked as a law enforcment officer for years so I guess I didnt need to watch it on the couch. On top of all that the guy could of carried a knife, or any other weapon in to Kmart as easily as he carried the gun..
Even though the Mod deleted the information I posted that showed the US isnt even in the top ten of the highest per capital in murders, it still is valuable information. Do some research and find out that the US isnt the murder capital you would like to make it. Also considering I can go out right now and buy a gun in Japan(they sell both hunting weapons and sports weapons here) . Here is a link to how to get a gun in Japan legal (you can also get a one illegal, but I wont explain that method) http://www.recguns.com/Sources/IIB3a.html Cleo
Im not a NRA member nor would I ever support them since they spend money foolishly in Washington, but I am a licenced C&C permit holder, I used a gun for many years in my line of work, and I have had to shoot people in the line of duty. I didnt do it with glee (like many on here think gun owners do) and I have to live with the fact I have taken human lives. Even with all that I still think if a person is trained and licensed they should be able to own a weapon (Im not talking a 50 cal machine gun, Im talking a hunting weapon or a small caliber pistol for protection)
0
yawmin
i respect all your opinions, you do what you will, cest la vie. Ive never been involved in shoot outs, but they are becomming increasingly common, its absurd to be so idealistic to think something random couldt happen to you. I mean thats why people keep fire extinguisers and first aid kits. Its about being prepared in the event. This stuff is more prevalent now, so you either adapt, or become a potential victim. Like i said, i respect opposing view, but im saying anyplace in the world is violent. people didnt expect what happend in india, and UK has been having problems with knife violence. Mexico drug cartels are running rampant and beheadings. hmmm. . . I respect you. im not trying to change your mind.
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Nippon5
http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/glance/firearmnonfatalno.htm
Seems gun violence has been dropping since 1993 in the US (even with the horrid no gun control lmao)
A review of the areas in the U.S. with the most restrictive firearm laws, including such areas as Washington, D.C., Chicago, IL, New York, NY, and the state of California, shows that these areas have some of the highest crime (especially violent) crime rates in the U.S. The crime rates in all of these areas exceeds the national average and they all have enacted in-depth restrictions on firearm ownership that includes licensing and registration schemes, various taxes, testing, and even bans on firearms. In essence, these areas have become a gun control supporters Utopia.
0
Nippon5
Smith said...
A lot of you guys are having trouble reading. I didn't say I bet he was allowed to CARRY a gun
But before he said...
I can prove to you that because he was allowed to carry a concealed weapon, a man is dead
Hrmm seems you did say he was allowed to carry the weapon....
Smith Said..
The saddest part of course is that a man died because some lout had a gun and got a little upset. Again, had it been fists there would have been no death here, and perhaps the man could have realized the err of his ways.
Also the man shot isnt dead he is in the hospital with critical injuries
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hevQnkKfLmod6Grk6VEF9CDuLdvAD94RA1L00
Guns can be used to do harm, but so can knives, sticks, bats, bow and arrow, blow gun, rope, and anything else someone wants to use... Weapons kill because people use them that way.. My brother in law has owned a Bow, a knife, a hunting rifle, and a pistol for 40+ years and strange he hasnt killed anyone with them.. Its not the weapom its the idiot attached to it that does the killing...
0
Betzee
I went on to the Philadelphia Inquirer site and learned the perpetrator had killed himself in the home he shared with his girlfriend and their three children. Moreover:
Birch, his mother said, worked as a security guard and was licensed to carry a gun.
"He had a license to kill," [his mother] said. "But not anyone like that."
Exactly how? By having everyone armed on the off-chance someone goes postal? How are you supposed to get anything accomplished under those circumstances? VT would quickly become a diploma mill.
I've lived in urban areas with high crimes and never had a problem taking reasonable safety precautions. I almost unconsciously notice if someone is following me so I would have avoided the fate of a neighbor who was robbed at gunpoint in broad daylight by someone who followed her home from the bank. Her husband had a gun but guess what? He was inside watching TV. You're best defense is common sense.
0
likeitis
Give me a choice and someone trying to harm me with a loaded gun comes dead last. Is it even necessary to spell out the reasons why?
Those who love their guns have really active imaginations. They always imagine scenerios where they are ready for anything. Thank you for that dose of reality. Maybe now they will consider all the other realities like playing with the kids, taking a shower, sitting on the toilet, etc. where if somebody pulled a gun they simply are not going to react fast enough. Better to just get rid of the things, because the guy who pulls his first to do harm is going to trump everybody else an incredible majority of the time.
0
smithinjapan
Nippon5: "Hrmm seems you did say he was allowed to carry the weapon...."
Oy vay! And this comes in your post immediately after you quote me as saying that you guys can't read well. Sigh... I guess you also missed the part I was immediately responding to when I said 'you can't read well' because in it I admitted that I was quick to say he was allowed to carry the gun, but that Ossan was replying to something he quoted in my NEXT post!
"Guns can be used to do harm, but so can knives, sticks, bats, bow and arrow, blow gun, rope, and anything else someone wants to use... Weapons kill because people use them that way.. My brother in law has owned a Bow, a knife, a hunting rifle, and a pistol for 40+ years and strange he hasnt killed anyone with them.. Its not the weapom its the idiot attached to it that does the killing..."
Still amongst the all-time lamest defenses for something are those of the gun-nutters. The idiot factor cannot be ruled out of murders, to be sure, but the chances of deaths occurring where guns are involved can be factored up a number of times.... bottom line. What's more, while they ARE always viewed as idiots after the fact, they may not be viewed as idiots before. Some are just your average Joe who suddenly snaps in the presence of extreme stress. What does he do? pulls out his gun and starts shooting. If there were no legal ownership of firearms outside of registered hunting rifles, this rate would drop phenomenally. Sure, there would still be murders -- anyone who thinks otherwise is a fool -- but saying, "Well, there are murders with knives, you know," is not a valid excuse for giving people weapons that can do MUCH more harm to a greater number of people, with no chance for reaction and/or defense.
I mean, just imagine if nuts in Japan were allowed to have handguns and automatic weapons at home! You wouldn't be reading, "Highschool girl stabs mom in Osaka" or, "72-year old Woman Stabs Two Females in Shibuya", you'd be reading about mass killings (or at least in the case of the girl how the mom was dead) left and right.
0
Nippon5
If all the legal gun owners would be removed from the 29k+ violent deaths a year it would still be 29k+ because its a very small number. In 2005 (the latest numbers available from the CDC shows 29k violent deaths from guns in a population of 300000 people "gurai" And Non fire arm Violent deaths is around 22k for 300 million "gurai"
The same trend shows for suicide..
The numbers show that gun related and non gun related is very close.
http://webapp.cdc.gov/cgi-bin/broker.exe
No one is saying guns are the best thing in the hands of an idiot, but guns are not the root of the evil. Even in this case the Gentleman had been arrested for multiple things related to abuse of this woman in the story. He wasnt just a guy who snapped, he was a guy who foretold what he was going to do and no one listened....
Think about this Smith.. when planning to kill someone people use what ever is the easiest for them to get at the time they are going to kill someone.. Its not an EXCUSE nor is it a Defense to state if someone wants to kill they will kill with what ever they have around. That is why the number of Violent deaths in the US is about the same between guns and other non fire arms.. If your theory was correct then a very high percentage of violent deaths in the US would be from guns, and a very low amount from other means. And Countries like britian wouldnt have a 50% ratio in violent deaths being from guns...
You state over and over that the amount of people getting killed would decrease if Guns are not a factor.... What would happen is this... If guns are outlawed in the US, normal folks wouldnt have one, Criminals would still get them from the black markets (just like they do here in Japan) and a deterrent for criminals will be gone... I dont think every fool should have a gun, but I also know if you remove them from the hands of the innocent the criminals will become more brazen in their actions.
What other proof does one need then the actual numbers that show violent crimes have decreased in states with C&C and areas with gun bans have hi gher then the national average rates for violent deaths.
Guns are here (blame the Chinese) and they are not going to disappear from the criminals hands no matter what you do, so to say banning guns will decrease violent crimes is just not a proven fact, all satistics show areas without guns have an increase in violent crimes, and guns are used as a majority in those crimes..
So show me some proof that areas that have adopted gun bans (after having guns available)have decreased violent crimes.. Just one official study from a goverment will work.....
0
SuperLib
So the solution to gun violence is....more guns?
0
Nippon5
Yea SuperLib thats the intelligent thing to come up with. Humans are human, and they have been killing each other since time begain. No one said more guns is a solution to anything, but taking guns away from the non violent ones isnt a solution either, is it? (at least according to all the evidence)..
The only thing you can do at this stage in the game is to teach people, and try to control the types available to the general public, but in the end as long weapons are available to buy people will kill with them. And if/when they are Banned people who are criminals will kill with them, Because they will still be able to get them
Next tell me the solution to war, hunger, disease, or any thing else no one has given a real workable solution to. Bitching is just that, and saying dumb statements like ban guns is just not going to so anything for anyone other then lip service. The facts are simple and very easy to follow, Guns are on the streets, Guns are available any where in the world, Humans kill each other with guns, small amount of non criminal people kill others with weapons (outside of war), Taking guns from the non criminals doesnt reduce violent crime, and last but not least most anti gun people have no viable solution but provide a lot of useless comments that dont make logical sense.. I.E. So the solution to gun violence is....more guns?
Hope that answered your question Super...
0
Betzee
Thank you. I really believe common sense is your best defense against being the victim of a crime. Gun ownership may in fact act as a type of "moral hazard" emboldening those who own them to take risks on the grounds they can protect themselves (and their families).
I work in a place that is not open to the general public. This lulls people into a false sense of security. Today an email went out reminding everyone who drops children off at the day-care center to lock their cars. In the space of the few minutes it takes to drop a kid off in the morning two unlocked vehicles had items removed. The perpetrator was obviously waiting for people whose guard was down as they went through their daily routine. (I'm sure it was as fast as my neighbor being relieved of her bank withdrawal.)
I wouldn't have been a victim of that crime either. Not because I don't have any kids, but because I reflexively lock my car door. Just like I keep an eye on who's behind me when I'm driving and wouldn't stop if I suspected someone was following me.
Nor would I be a victim of check fraud like another neighbor who left bill payments out for the mailman to collect. Someone else got 'em first.....
0
cleo
What about people who aren't planning to kill anyone? But then something happens, they snap, and they just happen to have a loaded gun in their pocket 'for self-protection, it's the sensible thing to do'?
Yes, that's why we're all quaking in our boots here while all those undeterred criminals are shooting the place up. Be real.
You need a nationwide ban, not pockets here and there where people (criminals) can easily carry weapons over state borders. That, or instigate water-tight border crossings where everybody gets checked just as if they were entering a different country. That still wouldn't stop all movement of guns, but it would make it much more difficult. Otherwise it's a bit like slitting both your wrists, applying a tourniquet to one while the other continues gushing blood, and claiming that's 'proof' tourniquets don't work.
0
Nippon5
*What about people who aren't planning to kill anyone? But then something happens, they snap, and they just happen to have **a Knife **in their pocket 'for self-protection, it's the sensible thing to do'?*
Shaking in your boots in Japan Actually I am more afraid for my children here in Japan then I was in the states... So I guess it depends on where you live and what you know about the area. I lived in a state that had a very low murder rate, much lower then Tokyo and the Child death rate is almost 600 times less in the state I'm from then Tokyo.. Guns, Knives, rope, and anything else can kill or injure and the murder. Since I have been here there have been multiple gun murders, and injuries from guns.. They excist her even if you dont like it.
Considering you would need a world ban to make anything work in the US, your Idea is not very well thought out in reality.. Drugs are illegal in the US but that doesnt stop the flow from other countries to the US does it? Also 40 states in the US have C&C laws.. in those states the violent crime rate is decreasing.. In the other states (10) violent crime rate is increasing... California has a very high rate of violent crimes, and most of the illegal guns come from Mexico (and California has one of the tighter gun control laws.)..
Taking guns away from those who are responsible is a lot like cutting your wrist and putting a turniquet on it just to have a criminal shoot you in the head... then claiming and praising the tourniquet stopped the blood from the wrist but ignoring the fact the person is dead from a head shot wound...
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cleo
Nippon5
fine, keep the guns and knives and whathaveyou. Just ban the people.
Let me guess - because you're not allowed to carry a gun to 'protect' your children with here?
Tokyo is a giant metropolis with an average murder rate of 1.16 (1998-2002). That is slightly higher than the national average of 1.07 over the same period. If you want to compare your 'sixth safest suburb in the US' with its equivalent in Japan, you're talking in terms of an average per capita murder rate of somewhere in the region of 0.8. According to google the safest state in the US is New Hampshire - which over the same period had an average murder rate of 1.4.
http://hakusyo1.moj.go.jp/en/49/nfm/n4925351.html#H005003005001E
http://www.disastercenter.com/crime/nhcrime.htm
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Nippon5
Let me guess - because you're not allowed to carry a gun to 'protect' your children with here?
No not in the least. I carried a weapon for work, but I never carried when I wasnt required to. Also considering that the city I lived in was a major metro area also and only had a .9 murder rate (in 2005) and of that only .1 percent was a person under the age of 16.. On top of all that Tokyo has more child releated sexual and violent crimes in 2002 then my whole state did in 2005. I feel that alone is good enough reason to feel the way I do. I also in the many years I lived in my state did I ever have any try something to one of my kids, but in the year I have had them here I have had someone attempt to take one... So yes I feel that Tokyo is less safe then where I came from...
Facts are facts, most places in the US dont have violent crime like LA, New York and such. Some Americans dont live in fear every day of their lives. I never had any fear to let my kids play until dark in the states, but even my kids school here(in Japan) has them wear personal (police notifing) alarms on their necks everyday..
I hate to tell you this but your trying to lump one location and one persons experience into every location in the US..
Cleo.. in Eden you can have a perfect world, but in this reality you cant remove a major part of the power structure of the world. Guns are the sword and shield of modern times. Country base their power on their weapons so I just dont see them leaving anytime soon.. I wish we had a perfect world and everyone sang songs around a camp fire everynight, but we dont and its too late to make everyone into fluffy loving teddy bears. So guns are going to be around and we have to deal with them in an intelligent way, not just throw out the Eden factor of Banning all guns...
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BlackFlag
yeehaaw lancelot
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