Weapons. Yes or No? Why?

[Foogirl]

Completely valid statistics are definitely used by both sides in their favor. I think that alone says that there is no clear cut right answer to this. I do learn something every time I talk to those of you from a the anti-gun culture in the UK. I really see no easy or clear cut answer to the gun problem.

This was pretty much what I was getting at with the "fast and loose" comment. Statistics can be useful for sure, but mostly people naturally pick statistics which appear to support their argument, and usually these can be deconstructed and actually not show what they are claimed to show. There is also the issue of where the statistics come from and what they comprise.
But for me what a like for like comparison of statistics shows is, you are far more likely to be shot in the USA, a country with fairly relaxed gun control, than you are in the UK (or any other european country) which all have much stricter controls. I've yet to see any set of statistics which refutes that.

 

[TriChick]

I really don't have time to reply to all of you, but thank you to those of you who had a respectful debate. There are two ways of looking at this and I appreciate those of you who see that instead of only being concerned with being right.

Completely valid statistics are definitely used by both sides in their favor. I think that alone says that there is no clear cut right answer to this. I do learn something every time I talk to those of you from a the anti-gun culture in the UK. I really see no easy or clear cut answer to the gun problem.

I'm laughing at the statement "the gun ban hasn't been wildly successful in the UK".......it's great when Americans actually look at other countries' statistics, I only wish they would do so accurately, and not just try and find ones that support their own argument, look at the bigger picture, and look comparatively at your own country's also.

You know what, I had a reply written to you but I couldn't post it when I saw your tickers. That makes me so sad. I really hope you don't laugh and make mocking comments to your son when he says something you don't agree with. I hope you reserve that treatment for people on the internet because your computer gives you confidence. I would try to remember that there are actual people reading your messages and that making a comment solely to tell someone that you're laughing at them is mean spirited and certainly doesn't help make your argument in a debate.

Regardless of which side of the debate I'm on, I totally agree with Randianne's reaction to this line in particular. Not only is the quote offensive to Americans in general, but it negates your argument about being "open minded" and "looking at the big picture" by painting Americans with one brush and assuming that we are all too arrogant to conduct proper research. Please take the time to adhere to your own wishes for others.

 

[Piper84]

It's easy to get exasperated when you hear about the lies told by certain politically-motivated news channels in the US about current affairs in the UK and elsewhere just to further their owners' motives. Over-75s are left untreated for medical problems and left to die because treating them is not cost-effective, therefore medical care should not be socialised (lie to advance political motives), the "Muslim riots" in the Paris suburbs, which everyone else could see involved all types of different people (complete distortion of the facts to stoke the public's fears), police in the UK don't carry guns (this seems to be a popular misconception). MarineWAG may have responded in disbelief, but it's no worse than some of the other interjections in this thread.

 

[zanDark]

It really changes your view when you become a victim of gun violence doesn't it? The police are great, but they can't be everywhere at once..

I think it depends on the person. I've watched my father get shot and it's made me so anti-guns. I can't even stand BB guns or antique guns.

That said thank you for all your posts in this thread. They're very insightful and your points are so well explained and polite It's interesting to read and a good reminder that we shouldn't generalize so much when we disagree on something so important.