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comment by jleopold
jleopold  ·  3320 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: How would you stop mass shootings?

In places like the UK though there have been increases in stabbings, which has lead to tightening of knife laws. That's unfortunate because knives are are extremely useful tools. I agree that there likely won't be an increase in bombings, but there will likely be an increase in stabbings. So, like you said we won't stop violence, it will just start looking different. Less deadly maybe, but knives inflict a different kind of damage that is still extremely traumatic. It is hard to commit mass murder with a knife though.





War  ·  3320 days ago  ·  link  ·  

The last bit you mentioned is very important. The thing about the UK is that in comparison betweens guns and knives they have still had a whole lot less violent crime. I haven't delve to deep into the statistics, but some reports had crime overall at a lower rate. Guns make it a hell of a lot easier to kill people, and in some cases easier to kill a lot of people.

OftenBen  ·  3319 days ago  ·  link  ·  

So does home depot.

War  ·  3319 days ago  ·  link  ·  

The premise of the question is how to stop mass shootings, not how to stop violence. There is literally evidence in every democratic state in the world that has very strict gun laws that they deter mass shootings.

briandmyers  ·  3320 days ago  ·  link  ·  

    It is hard to commit mass murder with a knife though.

Very true, and it also takes a braver person to commit suicide with a knife vs with a gun. Handguns especially make it easy to do certain things that should be difficult to do.

OftenBen  ·  3320 days ago  ·  link  ·  

    it also takes a braver person to commit suicide with a knife vs with a gun.

Not sure that matters.

saintcanice  ·  3320 days ago  ·  link  ·  

It does. The fact that more women than men survive suicide attempts is down to the fact that more men use guns in their suicide attempts (whereas women more often use drugs/poison, which are easier to survive).

http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/bering-in-mind/sex-and-suicide-why-do-more-men-than-women-kill-themselves/

OftenBen  ·  3320 days ago  ·  link  ·  

That's a how, not a why. And you're essentially calling people who commit suicide by firearm cowards, because they pick a method that is proven to be effective.

saintcanice  ·  3319 days ago  ·  link  ·  

Why what? Why do more men buy guns than women? Why do people commit suicide? What are you talking about? You didn't think the method of choice was relevant to the outcome, but it is.

I'm not calling anyone a coward, very far from it. That's your interpretation, not mine. Please don't put words in my mouth. ETA: I see - you though I was responding to the "braver person" part but I was responding to the easy/difficult part.

briandmyers  ·  3320 days ago  ·  link  ·  

I do - less access to guns --> fewer suicides, I suspect.

OftenBen  ·  3320 days ago  ·  link  ·  

Huh, it's almost like there is a slippery slope here.

And people will seek out alternative ways to hurt others.

Huh.