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Google maps shows location of San Bruno shooting

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Re: Google maps shows location of San Bruno shooting

#71
post #12
post #8

So much for "hacker" news.

Is your contention that "hackers" aren't concerned with current social issues, or that they aren't concerned with the intersection of technology and society, or that they aren't concerned with public safety, or that they aren't interested in new features in widely used software and technological services?

I think most hackers are concerned with public safety. The problem is subgroups of hackers differ on how to achieve it. Some hackers want to remove the rights of people not involved in a crime (like, me) to defend themselves and protect their families (interestingly, they also complain of clear plastic backpacks for kids in school, which I agree is equally ineffective in stopping crime). Other hackers want to preserve the right to defend themselves and their families from crime.

Therefore the debate is not about hacking. It’s about a different view of the world.

Therefore, there are other forums better suited for the debate, which really has nothing to do with hacking (with some exceptions).

Re: Google maps shows location of San Bruno shooting

#72
post #31
post #13

Folks, the number of shooting crimes (including school shootings) in the United States is going down. I know times like this are the worst times to mention this fact, but it's true [0]. The media frenzy makes this look like some kind of out-of-control epidemic, but that's just not the case. This does not mean we should do nothing about them...any shooting is an event that should not happen. But it's important to real…

The link is not only factually wrong but also from a biased source. Mass shootings in the US: there have been 1,624 in 1,870 days https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-interactive/2017/oct/... See also: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mass_shootings_in_the_United_S...

I don't want to sound picky, but wikipedia isn't the best source on controversial topics.

Re: Google maps shows location of San Bruno shooting

#73
post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> That's exactly the case. Just because numbers are going down doesn't make it any less of an epidemic. 'Epidemic' is usually used to refer to the rate of spread of something. This sort of hyperbole is exactly why it's hard to have honest or productive discussions about this topic. > Suggesting people don't own assault rifles is not an "extreme reaction". I would assert that it depends on whether or not you feel alte…

I'm British, so I'm not really concerned by it. The US is collectively losing its mind, on many levels.

Well, it's a good thing that the countries are not tied to one another, Politically, Economically, Diplomatically, Socially. . .

Re: Google maps shows location of San Bruno shooting

#74

Earlier quoted context omitted.

First off, the term assault rifle probably isn’t what you think you’re referring to. Second, the reason effective conversations can’t be had on gun control is because of how emotional and out of touch the anti-gun crowd gets. A lot of this is due to activists and the media riling people up. Gun owners are all about safety and personal responsibility, and many do support sensible gun control laws. The problem is, as s…

Coming from a country where people don't have guns, I don't really see the problem with no guns. They're an awful public health risk. They have basically no advantages. Even for their use in suicide alone, they would be just as reasonable to ban as any commodity you could name - for instance, heroin, or dynamite, or crystal meth.

I also come from a near gun-less country, and think a similar system in America would work. However, there are some arguments in favor of guns that are not trivially ignored.

- Simply, guns are fun. Marksmanship is a serious sport of discipline and self-control.

- Hunting is also great recreation, is sometimes good for population control, and hunting is another reason for preserving and protecting nature.

- Self-defense. Sometimes, you need to use violence for self defense. Guns are a great way to apply violence.

- Independence. Partly, this ties in with self-defense above. Partly, this is about the government applying 'collective punishment' on all gun owners for the action of a very select few. Finally, some of this is about being able to resist a potential unjust government (i.e. the militia mentioned in the second amendment)

Now, all of these points have counter arguments. I think non of them hold up to the point of "we should keep semi-automatic weapons with 30 round magazines". But the arguments exist, and ignoring them isn't gonna help convince those that want to keep their guns.

Re: Google maps shows location of San Bruno shooting

#75
post #13

Folks, the number of shooting crimes (including school shootings) in the United States is going down. I know times like this are the worst times to mention this fact, but it's true [0]. The media frenzy makes this look like some kind of out-of-control epidemic, but that's just not the case. This does not mean we should do nothing about them...any shooting is an event that should not happen. But it's important to real…

Can you not start this discussion while the blood is still wet on the ground? What is wrong with you?

Re: Google maps shows location of San Bruno shooting

#76
post #30

Given that suicidal shooters often crave attention, this is the wrong signal to send.

> Given that suicidal shooters often crave attention, this is the wrong signal to send.

This CAN NOT be said enough. Blasting a name and attention (fame) leads to copycats.

Re: Google maps shows location of San Bruno shooting

#77

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Coming from a country where people don't have guns, I don't really see the problem with no guns. They're an awful public health risk. They have basically no advantages. Even for their use in suicide alone, they would be just as reasonable to ban as any commodity you could name - for instance, heroin, or dynamite, or crystal meth.

They absolutely have the advantage of putting a check on government power. The US is a very heterogeneous country (probably much more so than the country you’re referencing). Not all groups have a great relationship with the government and very sensibly feel that giving the government a monopoly on firearms is not in their best interest.

This argument is absurd. Most of the time, Americans can't organize enough to start a union, or even join one. The idea of Americans organizing an insurgency is ridiculous. The idea of Americans winning an insurgency, against the largest army in the world - an army that has more counter-insurgency experience than anybody except perhaps the IDF, is still more ridiculous. Guns will never check anything because the only thing that checks power is another powerful organization - a protest movement, or a union. Guns are what happen when a protest movement fails, and if you're relying on civilian-grade stuff at this point, your protest movement is screwed anyway.

Re: Google maps shows location of San Bruno shooting

#79
post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Then we need to figure out which numbers are correct. That shouldn't be rocket science. But either way, hysteria still isn't the way forward...it never is. I won't attempt to debate any of the points made in your article, as I'm not authority on the subject myself, but thanks for linking it. However, you might find this article written by a former member of the FiveThirtyEight team interesting: https://www.washington…

Is there some minimal number of school shootings that's acceptable? My position is that we clearly have shown that this country cannot be trusted with personal possession of firearms, so let's all calmly proceed towards no longer having them around.

Less is always better, and so we should jump on board with efforts that will reduce them.

At the same time, it was laid out in the Federalist Papers (No. 46) that the intention of our Second Amendment is to protect against government tyranny. To summarize the American philosophy: School shootings and gun violence are awful, but the possibility of a genocide or enslavement is worse.

I'm not enough of an expert in any field to speculate which is objectively better, however I've always personally believed that the U.S. will be safer when viewed in a longer timescale compared to our neighbors.

Re: Google maps shows location of San Bruno shooting

#80
post #22
post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's disingenuous to say that you're voicing opposition when you were saying that the shooting was staged.

Gallows humor, sorry. I hate Google.

Sure, you're free to do so, but this isn't at all relevant here.
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