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Mental illness, mass shootings, and the politics of American firearms (2015)

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Re: Mental illness, mass shootings, and the politics of American firearms (2015)

#261

Post by philistine »

nemo44x wrote: post #254
a_square_peg wrote: post #221

Maybe slightly off-topic, but I think this is a part of a larger trend of a declining empire - its inability to solve problems that have already become non-issues in other societies. From big issues like healthcare to small stuff like getting rid of pennies, I'm amazed at how the US is beholden to special interest groups under the guise of democracy and freedom, as well as its exceptionalism. One can see this in dysf…

America is ready to go from our republic phase into our empire phase. We only need our Caesar…

You have him already.

Re: Mental illness, mass shootings, and the politics of American firearms (2015)

#262

Post by softcactus »

tomrod wrote: post #244
softcactus wrote: post #186

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The Gun Solution proposed here is one of the more measured and level-headed assessments I have come across. The proposals it puts forth make a lot of sense, but I think it is missing a few things: 1. It completely ignores non-fatal gun injuries. I cant find a source atm but I believe around 40% of non-fatal gun injuries are accidental. To me, this is an indication that SOME level of training is required. Even if it's…

> Because we all exist in our own media echo chambers. I disagree strongly. Some do, in the US it is typically right-wing though smaller left-wing media echo chambers exist. But mainstream US media is not an echo chamber.

I am not sure I would categorize them as echo chambers (Fox being the exception) but their agenda is certainly not to represent the truth. They sensationalize and craft narratives, usually by lying through omission, or not covering stories at all. A recent example, Google "Steven Donziger CNN" and you will notice that there isn't a single story about him from the network even though his case is one of the most newsworthy of the decade.

Re: Mental illness, mass shootings, and the politics of American firearms (2015)

#263

Post by jorblumesea »

beloch wrote: post #83

Canada is the U.S.'s neighbour and is probably closer, culturally, than any other nation. Gun ownership is also high in Canada. In terms of guns per capita, the U.S. is #1 by a long shot, but Canada is #7 [1]. In Canada, guns owned per capita is one third of what it is in the U.S.. Canada also has mass shootings. The annual deaths from mass shootings per capita in Canada is 0.032, which is about one third that of the…

I think it's pretty well established that high rates of gun ownership and proliferation of firearms produce mass shootings. Anyone who tries to argue otherwise has their head stuck in the sand.

Re: Mental illness, mass shootings, and the politics of American firearms (2015)

#264

Post by WheatM »

freediver wrote: post #2

I sincerely hope this does not descend into a flamewar. We can't have discussion about this in an intellectually stimulating way in congress, we can't have this discussion in the media, we obviously can't have this discussion on social media so HN is the last bastion of hope. It is a multi-faceted problem with a lot of complexity. The fact stands that USA has a school shooting problem [1] unlike any other country in…

No post body was provided.

Re: Mental illness, mass shootings, and the politics of American firearms (2015)

#265

Post by jonathanfoster »

For those interested in learning more about this topic, I recommend checking out the Violence Project by Jillian Peterson and James Densley [1]. This book opened my eyes to how complicated and multivariate this problem really is. It's much more complicated than simply guns and mental illness.

[1] https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56969516-the-violence-pr...

Re: Mental illness, mass shootings, and the politics of American firearms (2015)

#266

Post by yardstick »

bifrost wrote: post #81
EugeneOZ wrote: post #73

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As a foreigner, I have an impression that americans can buy a gun at 18, but cun buy a cigarette at 21. Maybe I’m wrong, but still... Call me an “old-timer” but I do think you could use better psychological tests before letting them buy a gun.

Its because buying a gun is a civil right. Smoking is not. That said, the 21yo requirement may be unconstitutional as well.

What limits, if any, does the 2nd amendment or the rest of the constitution place on the type of arms?

Eg should you be allowed to use - pistols? - rifles? - machine guns? - explosive / armour piercing bullets? - grenades? - nuclear bombs? - chemical weapons? - biological weapons?

Basically I’m asking where is the line drawn.

Because I don’t think the constitution sets such limits, no distinction for weapons of mass destruction, etc yet the country has found ways to limit people holding chemical weapons and more serious ordinance.

Re: Mental illness, mass shootings, and the politics of American firearms (2015)

#267

Post by dsizzle »

maxerickson wrote: post #161
freediver wrote: post #2

I sincerely hope this does not descend into a flamewar. We can't have discussion about this in an intellectually stimulating way in congress, we can't have this discussion in the media, we obviously can't have this discussion on social media so HN is the last bastion of hope. It is a multi-faceted problem with a lot of complexity. The fact stands that USA has a school shooting problem [1] unlike any other country in…

Can an 18 year old Serbian walk into a store and buy whatever guns they want? Can they buy a large amount of ammunition? You hand wave away ease of access, but it probably matters. It certainly matters at the margin.

Wasn't sure if these were rhetorical questions (I didn't know so I just looked), but gun laws in Serbia are relatively restrictive. You can't buy automatic or semiautomatic weapons, and registration — including background checks and safety training — is required for all gun owners. https://www.gunpolicy.org/firearms/region/serbia

Re: Mental illness, mass shootings, and the politics of American firearms (2015)

#268

Post by gjs278 »

blounderdoo wrote: post #247
artificialLimbs wrote: post #158

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well no one has said it yet and I don’t have a precious study to trot out, but: My >80 year old friend has suggested to me that this kind of problem didn’t exist before we started handing out pharmaceutical drugs of the variety that ‘handle’ mental illness. Sidebar semi-related story time: my wife got her Masters in childhood education and went directly to work for a public high school after. She was a.. I forget, co…

Sorry, no. Precisely nobody employed by a school district is getting involved in medication nor diagnosis for children. Nobody. Not even in Texas, and especially not a new grad with “assistant” in their title. Nurses might dispense prescriptions as prescribed but that is a firm end to the involvement in a child’s medical situation. Your wife’s master’s degree does not permit diagnosis of mental health and suggestion…

No post body was provided.

Re: Mental illness, mass shootings, and the politics of American firearms (2015)

#269

Post by iamgopal »

Guns should be removed in its totality. After that if anybody wants they should allow to hold data based intellectual discussion about meaning of the constitution etc. If while we discuss all constitutional rights that were designed almost half millennia ago, people are getting killed, than drastic measures even if temporarily, are necessary.

Re: Mental illness, mass shootings, and the politics of American firearms (2015)

#270

Post by katbyte »

BobbyJo wrote: post #257
a_square_peg wrote: post #221

Maybe slightly off-topic, but I think this is a part of a larger trend of a declining empire - its inability to solve problems that have already become non-issues in other societies. From big issues like healthcare to small stuff like getting rid of pennies, I'm amazed at how the US is beholden to special interest groups under the guise of democracy and freedom, as well as its exceptionalism. One can see this in dysf…

I honestly don't see this as a symptom of that. Economic and tax base problems, where our best knowledge can point to us doing the "wrong" thing, or at least not doing the "right" thing, sure. Those objective things that we mess up are indicative of systemic issues. Some people just aren't scared of guns, or of a world where everyone has one, regardless of the real risk such a world would entail. Differences within t…

Scared of guns or not, they seem to be willing to put "guns" before lives. children's lives. Unwilling to make even the smallest compromise to prevent mass shootings like so many other countries have.
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