Change your gun laws, America

[SecularMotion]

Since 9/11, the United States has responded aggressively to the danger of terrorism, taking extraordinary measures, invading two countries, launching military operations in many others, and spending more than $800?billion on homeland security. Americans have accepted an unprecedented expansion of government powers and invasions of their privacy to prevent such attacks. Since 9/11, 74 people have been killed in the United States by terrorists, according to the think tank New America. In that same period, more than 150,000 Americans have been killed in gun homicides, and we have done .?.?. nothing.

Our attitude seems to be one of fatalism. Another day, another mass shooting. Which is almost literally true. The Web site shootingtracker.com documents that in the first 207 days of 2015, the nation had 207 mass shootings. After one of these takes place now, everyone goes through a ritual of shock and horror, and then moves on, aware that nothing will change, accepting that this is just one of those quirks of American life. But it is 150,000 deaths. Almost three Vietnams.

After last week’s incident in Lafayette, La., the governor of the state and Republican presidential candidate, Bobby Jindal, pointed his finger at what has now become the standard explanation for these events: “Look, every time this happens, it seems like the person has a history of mental illness.”

But it makes little sense to focus on mental health. The United States has a gun homicide rate that is at least a dozen times higher than those of most other industrialized countries. It is 50 times higher than Germany’s, for instance. We don’t have 50 times as many mentally disturbed people as Germany does — but we do have many, many more guns.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/dont-give-up-the-fight-to-reduce-us-gun-violence/2015/07/30/5c7b375e-36e8-11e5-9739-170df8af8eb9_story.html

[Nuclear Unicorn]

1. The "gun homicide rate" trope again?

"Let's repeated the same refuted argument 18,000 different ways. I'm sure one of them will stick."

I'm still waiting for the Controllers to explain why nations with comparable gun ownership rates don't the corresponding gun violence rates. And while we're at it, also left unexplained is why some nations with no gun ownership rights have higher violent crime rates and/or suicides.

[ileus]

2. America needs 50 state CC...

[TeddyR]

3. Almost there

Only a few states don't permit CC, and I'm sure they'll get in line soon. Except perhaps DC - that poorly run city seems intent on wasting money on losing court fights, while the murder rate skyrockets, basically proving the point that only law-abiding citizens pay attention to gun laws.

[TeddyR]

4. I agree 100%

That we should not "give up the fight" to reduce gun violence. So let's work on making that happen -- don't blame guns or high capacity magazines, don't blame law-abiding guns owners, and don't conflate them with the Dylan Roofs of the world. Instead, let's focus on improving education and job opportunities for everyone, eliminating poverty and scaling back the war on drugs. Let's also improve mental health care.

[the band leader]

5. let's build more prisons and lock up all the violent criminals for a very long time.

Because that's the only thing that is going to significantly reduce the incidence of firearm homicide in America. And I guess if we're not willing to do that we'll all have to learn to accept armed citizens standing beside them at the grocery store and the mall and everywhere else because concealed carry is here to stay forever and as long as there remains an over abundance of violent criminals roaming the streets, there will be large numbers of Americans resorting to lawful concealed carry.

[Straw Man]

6. Oh boy ...

Since 9/11, the United States has responded aggressively to the danger of terrorism, taking extraordinary measures, invading two countries, launching military operations in many others, and spending more than $800?billion on homeland security. Americans have accepted an unprecedented expansion of government powers and invasions of their privacy to prevent such attacks.

So ... are you calling for similar misguided and heavy-handed responses to the problem of criminal violence?

Is "gun homicide" the only kind that matters to you?

[Eleanors38]

7. Hell, I thought the gun laws have been changing a lot over the last 20 yrs.

[beevul]

8. America HAS changed its gun laws.

Just not in the way that you or the opinion writer want.