ZoWie wrote: ↑Wed Jan 25, 2023 11:06 am
Somehow we made it through 200 years as a growing and consolidating country without having this problem. We had lots of weapons around, but we also had common sense gun regulation and a social taboo against acting out personal problems by shooting up the school, work place, dance hall, whatever. Something changed.
The "Wild West" actually had fewer of these problems than we do. Much of the current concept of US history comes from highly fictionalized wild west shows, which staged outlandish cowboys and Indians morality plays for mass consumption, and were about as much like real life as superhero movies are today.
The main difference that I see right now is the gun lobby, and after that the tendency for privileged classes to react with fear when other identity groups demand their equal rights. Both have become as American as apple pie. It rubs off.
What I love is when international bodies put out travel warnings for the United States. I've seen some real winners in the past few years.
Is the gun lobby today what it once was? I personally don’t hear much from it anymore.
I think there are several issues that affect the problem of gun violence.
1. We have a lot of weapons in this country. We had a lot of weapons when I was growing up. I drove to school everyday with my shotgun behind the seat of my truck. Lots of folks did. We hunted. We never dreamed of using them to settle a dispute. So something has changed. I do think there are way more assault style weapons in circulation. That has changed.
2. Mental Health - There are a significant number of people with issues that go unnoticed and untreated. I am not suggesting that everyone with problems is dangerous. I am suggesting that folks who resort to violence especially mass violence are off the reservation.
3. Crime - Lately there has been a rise in violent crime in many metropolitan areas. Folks tend to buy weapons when they don’t feel safe.
4. Law Enforcement - We have fewer cops on the street and we have DA’s that turn repeat offenders back onto the streets. Again, people buy weapons when they do not feel safe.
Passing new gun legislation at a time when people don’t feel safe in their homes or on the street is a difficult task. We needs more cops and we need DA’s who are willing to lock up repeat offenders. Otherwise there is no respect for the law and people are left with no other choice than to look after their own safety.