SoylentNews

Why Are Americans So Obsessed With Guns?

posted by on Monday January 09 2017, @08:49PM   
from the second-amendment dept.

mrpg writes:

The love of guns in the United States has been well documented, as have multiple mass shootings across the country such as those in Orlando, San Bernardino, Newtown, and Virginia. The ease of access to guns in American society comes at a shocking cost.

As of September 2016, almost 11,000 people have been killed as a result of gun violence. Despite this high death toll, mass shootings in America show no sign of disappearing.

The Stateside obsession with guns can appear baffling to UK observers unfamiliar with its origins. So just how did this gun culture become so deep-rooted in the American psyche?

BBC source: Why Are Americans so Obsessed with Guns?

Wikipedia: Gun politics in the United States

---

Original Submission

• Re:Three main reasons Re:Three main reasons (Score: 2) by EvilSS on Monday January 09 2017, @09:57PM

  by EvilSS (1456) on Monday January 09 2017, @09:57PM (#451674)

  The thing is, these people are not the ones committing most of the gun crimes. In the US we have a crime problem and that won't go away if the guns go away. Yes, the murder rate would go down but it wouldn't address the source of the issue, and other violent crimes would continue at about the same rate they are now. We have serious social, racial, and economic issues that should be the focus of our efforts if we want to actually reduce crime in America.

  Parent

  Starting Score:	1		point
  Karma-Bonus Modifier		+1
  Total Score:		2

• Re:Three main reasons Re:Three main reasons (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday January 10 2017, @06:15AM

  by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday January 10 2017, @06:15AM (#451910)

  We will always have a crime problem. No jobs, crime pays when work won't.
  Plain and simple as that.

  The problem we face now is how to avoid civil war. Our right wing media outlet, fox news is inciting literal civil war by promoting Black Lives Matter as terrorists and cops as heros.

  The rub is that cops aren't the only ones with guns. Eventually an oppressed people will fire back. Ever hear the name Custer?

  After all the black youth gunned down on the streets by the pigs lately. I have NO sympathy for murders.

  I remember Kent state.

  Parent

  • Re:Three main reasons Re:Three main reasons (Score: 1) by khallow on Tuesday January 10 2017, @08:36AM

    by khallow (3766) on Tuesday January 10 2017, @08:36AM (#451947) Journal

    Our right wing media outlet, fox news is inciting literal civil war by promoting Black Lives Matter as terrorists and cops as heros.

    Too bad there aren't any other media outlets.

    Parent

    • Re:Three main reasons Re:Three main reasons (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday January 10 2017, @11:55AM

      by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday January 10 2017, @11:55AM (#451987)

      Ever hear of an echo chamber?
      Cops are watching Fox et.al. and being encouraged to shoot BLM terrorists.
      Blacks are watching lefty MSM and hearing that the cops are murdering peaceful blacks with impunity, BLM heroes are their only hope.

      Both sides are encouraging this.

      Parent

      • Re:Three main reasons (Score: 1) by khallow on Thursday January 12 2017, @02:01AM

        by khallow (3766) on Thursday January 12 2017, @02:01AM (#452814) Journal

        Oh, so now there are two sides? Might there be a third?

        Parent

• Re:Three main reasons (Score: 2) by mhajicek on Tuesday January 10 2017, @07:05PM

  by mhajicek (51) on Tuesday January 10 2017, @07:05PM (#452185)

  Actually if you look up the stats, places and times with more gums, and especially with some form of legal carry, have noticeably less violent crime. Especially rape.

  --
  The spacelike surfaces of time foliations can have a cusp at the surface of discontinuity. - P. Hajicek

  Parent