General Discussion

Captain Stern

(2,248 posts)

48. He's right.

Sun Aug 4, 2019, 03:27 PM

Aug 2019

Even as far as a percentage of murders committed with guns go, the shootings that happened yesterday are a small percentage.

These shootings touch us more than the shootings that happen every single day because they're dramatic. They're dramatic because a whole bunch of people get murdered at one time. We've come to accept the slow drip of murders that are committed with guns every single day.

Whenever one of these types of shootings is committed with an 'assualt' rifle, there are a lot of calls to ban 'assault' rifles.....but when one of them is committed by someone using a hand gun or shotgun..not so much. That's always puzzled me.

If the goal is to save lives, and if we're assuming we can do that by banning certain sorts of guns....why in the heck are we concentrating on 'assault' weapons, or any kind of rifle? Shouldn't we be trying to get rid of the actual kind of gun that kills the most people?

Handguns kill far more people than any kind of rifle. It's not even close.

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Mass shootings overblown? Neil deGrasse Tyson suggests that's the case... [View all] True Dough Aug 2019 OP

Yeah well Sorry Neil jcgoldie Aug 2019 #1

Sadly, lots of innocent children die everyday due to medical errors, the flu, and car accidents Polybius Aug 2019 #12

Don't forget child abuse, human trafficking and child sexual abuse.. N/T graeme_macquarrie Aug 2019 #32

Those are accidents and the government has laws to minimize them. Kablooie Aug 2019 #33

Medical errors are entirely preventable VMA131Marine Aug 2019 #35

They are accidents in that the doctor did not intend to harm deliberately. Kablooie Aug 2019 #39

I can't believe you wrote that thinking it would be a good answer VMA131Marine Aug 2019 #147

Post removed Post removed Aug 2019 #46

Medical errors are not intentional. Most are just mistakes StarfishSaver Aug 2019 #68

in fact, our "leaders" are on the side of the weapons factory, and actively lobby for/praise them as CharleyDog Aug 2019 #59

Yes, that's a good way to make the distinction. emmaverybo Aug 2019 #77

There is no organization that dontates to Republicans to promote car accidents. tinrobot Aug 2019 #140

He's right, and our "If it bleeds, it leads" news media doesn't help one bit. Archae Aug 2019 #2

No he's not, Trump influenced terrorism on PoC is deplorable and not what we expect uponit7771 Aug 2019 #11

No. It sounds like he supports mass shootings. Trying to make it okay. rockfordfile Aug 2019 #97

My friend JackInGreen Aug 2019 #113

Intentional violence stands apart from the rest eleny Aug 2019 #3

Let's not forget heart disease and cancer dalton99a Aug 2019 #4

What does that have to do with right-wing terrorist mass shootings? rockfordfile Aug 2019 #98

Smart people often say and do stupid things. johnp3907 Aug 2019 #5

Except for the last one Cartoonist Aug 2019 #6

Niel, none of those were Trump influenced terrorist attacks. Come on man, context matters uponit7771 Aug 2019 #7

Exactly. dalton99a Aug 2019 #10

Really? graeme_macquarrie Aug 2019 #37

6 of the 9 people killed in Ohio were black Donald Trump is stoking racial animus against PoC ... uponit7771 Aug 2019 #41

So an avowed leftist- graeme_macquarrie Aug 2019 #120

No one on the left has demonized people at clubs as invaders or people who infest so your false uponit7771 Aug 2019 #126

That's funny.. graeme_macquarrie Aug 2019 #143

6 of the 9 people killed in Ohio were black, it sure looks like it was racially motivated because .. uponit7771 Aug 2019 #145

And weapons of mass murder. Dayton killed 9 people in 30 seconds. yardwork Aug 2019 #63

Most right-wing mass shootings are influenced by other right-wing pos rockfordfile Aug 2019 #99

Yet what is different with the others? They are both preventable and we TRY to do so hlthe2b Aug 2019 #8

This UniteFightBack Aug 2019 #44

Love this response from Jaboukie Young-White... targetpractice Aug 2019 #9

Agree BBG Aug 2019 #13

It's not helping Hav Aug 2019 #14

Very well put(nt) Retrograde Aug 2019 #51

I bet Republicans love him ❤️❤️❤️❤️ live love laugh Aug 2019 #15

Yep, every Тяцмр humper on my Facebook feed is posting this. BlueTsunami2018 Aug 2019 #114

I don't see how mass murder can be covered too strenuously. lpbk2713 Aug 2019 #16

As a scientist, looking at raw numbers ... rustysgurl Aug 2019 #17

..and we take action to reduce all those other deaths delisen Aug 2019 #18

How about this statistic Snake Plissken Aug 2019 #19

Tyson has written some excellent gun condemnation in the past. He's wrong here, though. Hoyt Aug 2019 #20

Reminds me of Noam Chomsky. Intellectualization does nothing to address the triron Aug 2019 #21

Tyson is providing perspective IMO. The suicide and NoMoreRepugs Aug 2019 #22

But there is a large difference flotsam Aug 2019 #23

But how does this change the horror of these shootings?? Srkdqltr Aug 2019 #24

Neil deGrasse Tyson is correct. We need to take gun violence seriously aikoaiko Aug 2019 #25

How many suicides he lists were committed with guns? LisaL Aug 2019 #29

Most likely about half, statistically speaking graeme_macquarrie Aug 2019 #34

Probably a majority, but banning "assault weapons" or even... aikoaiko Aug 2019 #38

TN study 2016-17 suicide distrubution Lucid Dreamer Aug 2019 #92

Lol, ok! Nt USALiberal Aug 2019 #95

They are not the same. Of all course deaths are tragic. rockfordfile Aug 2019 #100

The difference is that these mass shootings were incited by the Potus spanone Aug 2019 #26

this is a thought he should have kept to himself longer than 24 hours after two mass murders n/t renate Aug 2019 #27

+1. "Did you get shot by a MAGA terrorist? Calm down, let's look at the statistics..." dalton99a Aug 2019 #36

Way to dilute. 50 Shades Of Blue Aug 2019 #28

I totally disagree. The mass shootings, while horrible on their own, also Vinca Aug 2019 #30

Maybe guns should be regulated in the same aggressive way medicine and automobiles are. hunter Aug 2019 #31

While his statistics may be accurate,... LudwigPastorius Aug 2019 #40

+1000 smirkymonkey Aug 2019 #60

He's absolutely right. pintobean Aug 2019 #42

His examples are bullshit. Blue_true Aug 2019 #69

Post removed Post removed Aug 2019 #101

Buy better weed, Neil. GeorgeGist Aug 2019 #43

Duh Blecht Aug 2019 #45

They're not even in the same category, Mr Tyson. Your numbers are losses we're SUPPOSED to reconcile ancianita Aug 2019 #47

He's right. Captain Stern Aug 2019 #48

Better chance of banning Jesus pbmus Aug 2019 #66

Hand guns don't belong in public either. We need laws for both if we ever want to start ooky Aug 2019 #87

No these shootings are hopefully wake up call to the right-wing fascist that are a major threat rockfordfile Aug 2019 #107

I don't understand what you're saying here. Captain Stern Aug 2019 #125

Often our emotions respond to the things we can change. Jim__ Aug 2019 #49

Imo, his point is not that mass shootings are overblown, but that the rest of these things don't get Oneironaut Aug 2019 #50

He is a smart guy so... skypilot Aug 2019 #91

I think this shows that he's a idiot. Maybe owes somebody something rockfordfile Aug 2019 #104

Which is not true. A lot of that gets attention as it should. rockfordfile Aug 2019 #102

300 to the Flu Everyman Jackal Aug 2019 #52

I really like him.. but he sure missed the boat on this one! All of the above mentioned save one Thekaspervote Aug 2019 #53

+1 bronxiteforever Aug 2019 #55

not all deaths are the same AlexSFCA Aug 2019 #54

Now think about how many more deaths we'd have John Fante Aug 2019 #56

Exactly! smirkymonkey Aug 2019 #61

Exactly. I'm old enough to remember what it took to pass seatbelt laws. yardwork Aug 2019 #65

Exactly. Who gives disease treestar Aug 2019 #79

Sorry, Neil, grumpyduck Aug 2019 #57

Wow what a completely terrible take. SlogginThroughIt Aug 2019 #58

Jeez. Logic fail, there. yardwork Aug 2019 #62

Accidents and Murder are two different things Neil. pwb Aug 2019 #64

Fuck you, Neil deGrasse Tyson! Kid Berwyn Aug 2019 #67

If I lost my kid or loved one to these right-wing terrorist, then I would be pissed by his remark. rockfordfile Aug 2019 #108

Each life is infinitely precious. Kid Berwyn Aug 2019 #109

I have to say that I'm on team Smash Mouth here: Initech Aug 2019 #70

He's right, of course. PoindexterOglethorpe Aug 2019 #71

he is not right, of course. all things are connected and he more than most should know this. Kurt V. Aug 2019 #73

None of those are the same. The serious threat is from right-wing terrorist like the mass shooter rockfordfile Aug 2019 #117

We need to work on all those things on his list. Joe941 Aug 2019 #72

911 was fairly minor too, in the grand scheme of things. Crunchy Frog Aug 2019 #74

Well, screw all the other first responders injured in the line of duty jberryhill Aug 2019 #151

The rest are what we expect treestar Aug 2019 #75

I expect better from NdeGT. His tweet is devoid of empathy. VOX Aug 2019 #76

here is exactly what i thought of it........... my reply......... i then unfollowed him. Takket Aug 2019 #78

Just lost a lot of respect for the "star man".... Heartstrings Aug 2019 #80

You and me both! nt raccoon Aug 2019 #142

Were the last 24 hours' Alpeduez21 Aug 2019 #81

Data shows that obnoxiousdrunk Aug 2019 #82

IKR. skypilot Aug 2019 #94

WTF NdGT? nt Tommy_Carcetti Aug 2019 #83

Neil can be a little disconnected at times. Nt BootinUp Aug 2019 #84

With all due respect DFW Aug 2019 #85

4,084 African-Americans were lynched between 1877 and 1950 in the South femmedem Aug 2019 #86

So Neil, feel free to if jump off a building and throw your life away... ElementaryPenguin Aug 2019 #88

This is a really bad take melman Aug 2019 #89

Neil, the victims were intentionally murdered. Talitha Aug 2019 #90

We actually try to address those other problems Cosmocat Aug 2019 #93

What do I think? skypilot Aug 2019 #96

Anybody agrees with him is a republican. That has been their attempt right after the mass shooting rockfordfile Aug 2019 #103

False Equivalencies. MarcA Aug 2019 #105

WHAT THE FUCK is this SPURIOUS BULLSHIT? Goodheart Aug 2019 #106

His point is well taken customerserviceguy Aug 2019 #110

Apples and oranges. The trauma surrounding a mass shooting and murder differ IMO. 58Sunliner Aug 2019 #111

Scientist states compelling indication JackInGreen Aug 2019 #112

He's trying to minimize the right-wing terrorism in our country. rockfordfile Aug 2019 #119

But they do about how we perceive tragedy JackInGreen Aug 2019 #135

Another Example that Book Smart Doesn't Always Translate into Life Smart dlk Aug 2019 #115

I mean, it's why you shouldn't be paralyzed in fear about being shot at a mall Recursion Aug 2019 #116

Good points! n/t True Dough Aug 2019 #118

Any time a distinguished person of color makes a statement regarding a national situation, you know Judi Lynn Aug 2019 #121

As the OP who shared NDT's tweet with this forum True Dough Aug 2019 #133

There were 978 shootings in Chicago from Jan 1st to June 30th 2019 madville Aug 2019 #122

Majority with handguns, also. sir pball Aug 2019 #138

Here's what he means misanthrope Aug 2019 #123

Don't throw him under the bus for being right. Rainbow Droid Aug 2019 #124

You could also say that statistically those who died in 9/11 was rather 'irrelevant'. YOHABLO Aug 2019 #129

Well then I guess it's okay to get a AR and mow down a shopping mall full of children. YOHABLO Aug 2019 #127

If I could snap my fingers and get rid of either assault weapons or handguns, I'd pick handguns Recursion Aug 2019 #128

For everything on that list... logosoco Aug 2019 #130

200 car accidents--how many did that used to be in 48 hrs Neil??? Bengus81 Aug 2019 #131

And in the grand scheme of things, rounding up a few dozen Jews Ilsa Aug 2019 #132

Thank You Neil Kilgore Aug 2019 #134

"Car accidents" is a bullshit right-wing argument. BlueStater Aug 2019 #136

Tasteless and tone-deaf but that last stat is very telling. sir pball Aug 2019 #137

There's a big difference between intentional and unintentional deaths Generic Other Aug 2019 #139

He is right, it was insensitive to post that so soon after the shootings. elocs Aug 2019 #141

Maybe he's so smart and successful that he's not black anymore. milestogo Aug 2019 #144

NDT has apologized for his tweet on mass shootings True Dough Aug 2019 #146

Facts are facts, but DeminPennswoods Aug 2019 #148

Why did Neil use 48 hours as the time frame to talk about, though? aidbo Aug 2019 #149

Also some of his numbers seem suspect. aidbo Aug 2019 #150