I love Americans, but there is something seriously wrong over there…

Still got a problem with guns though. 9 children under the age of 5 were shot in New York while I was there; through the front door…

But if the perpetrator hadn’t had access to guns they would have just waved a knife through the letterbox… or something.

The real issue that should be debated is the lack of investment / support for mental health issues within the US. This is really where a lot of the issues arise and many people fall between the gaps in society due to lack of funding of mental health issues on free government healthcare schemes and of being on low income to be able to afford private health cover.

You may have a point – but you do realise that most issues aren’t as simple as that don’t you? Amazingly enough, events can have more than one contributory factor, and sometimes it’s ok to talk about just one of them.

It takes a special brand of logic to suggest that America doesn’t have a problem with violence and in particular gun violence. Whether that problem is largely related to certain areas is a completely different issue.

Also, America might be vast geographically compared to the UK but the population is only 5 times greater.

You may have a point – but you do realise that most issues aren’t as simple as that don’t you? Amazingly enough, events can have more than one contributory factor, and sometimes it’s ok to talk about just one of them.

Events can have more than one contributory factor, but usually there is a fundamental initatiator which in a lot of cases is mental health issues. Tackle the root cause and the impacts go away.

Also, America might be vast geographically compared to the UK but the population is only 5 times greater.

‘s why they need guns; they’re farther apart…

Events can have more than one contributory factor, but usually there is a fundamental initatiator which in a lot of cases is mental health issues. Tackle the root cause and the impacts go away.

OK, but you could try and tackle the mental health issues and America’s weird infatuation with guns. The two aren’t mutually exclusive.

‘s why they need guns; they’re farther apart…

We use knives in the UK because we don’t have as far to reach to get someone? 😈

Also, America might be vast geographically compared to the UK but the population is only 5 times greater.

I bet they have a higher urban population density though. Lots of empty spaces are pretty irrelevant when there’s nobody in them.

…which in a lot of cases is mental health issues. Tackle the root cause and the impacts go away.

Is it? For the spree type killings the like of which we have seen in Washington I’d tend to agree however the bulk of the gun deaths aren’t the result of situations like this.

Agreed. For the mass killings, predominantly it is mental health disorders, for other gun killings, well its predominantly gang related issues, followed by self protection and others etc. The main difference between the US and the UK (if you really do want to compare the two) is that Gang related violence is gun compared to knife. There is some gun related crime, but with guns not as available they settle for the next best thing. End product / intent is the same though. Death.

Aren’t the majority business disputes which can’t be settled through legal channels? Easily fixed by bringing prohibition to an end.

So, as far as I can glean from some reading up on this, it’s not about the ‘automatic-ness’ of the guns that count, as most people killed in the US by guns are killed by handguns.
And it is true that the US is way behind the South American countries when it comes to gun deaths. However, when you compare the rate of gun deaths per capita against ‘developed’ countries, the US is off the scale. This suggests that the US is ‘underdeveloped’ in its approach to gun control.
There certainly seems to be an attitude that guns are the answer to everything, including gun crime. Quite how that reverse logic became so seemingly widespread is beyond me, but then the idea of violence as a solution to problems seems to be quite popular too, given the history of US foreign policy.

the idea of violence as a solution to problems seems to be quite popular

This is something I’ve noticed in everyday society too – you can see it in lots of movies too. Take Back to the Future as an example. Inoccuous light family movie, but the main point of the story is how McFly Sr becomes a successful man and sorts his life out – through violence. But it’s ok, of course, because it’s violence against the baddie….

Lots of movies do this, but there are still movies that resolve issues without violence. It’s not obvious til you start looking, cos we’re all so conditioned to the good guy punching out the bad guy.

Then there are all the facebook funny pictures where people post jokes about doing violence to people who annoy them. Ok sure, they aren’t going to, but it’s part of the language, part of the social landscape.

Q. How many NRA members does it take to change a lightbulb?
A. More guns.

I bet they have a higher urban population density though. Lots of empty spaces are pretty irrelevant when there’s nobody in them.

82% live in city or urban areas.

Quite how that reverse logic became so seemingly widespread is beyond me

It isn’t really widespread. It is more a very vocal and well-funded minority.

grum – Member

Could have sworn you’ve said you were American on previous threads.

LHS has indeed implied that. He’s mentioned having “dual passports” and being unaffected by visas requirements for the United States.

He’s mentioned having “dual passports” and being unaffected by visas requirements for the United States.

Working for the NSA will do that for you 😉

Unless he’s ET.

…or a Mexican?

Christ – have my own little stalkers!! Dual passports does not make one American. The assumption of my nationality is more than likely born from your own engrained prejudices.

The assumption of my nationality is more than likely born from your own engrained prejudices.

No, it’s more likely to be in response to what you post on here. You know, making references to “a large family containing British, Americans and the odd Canadian thrown in for good mix”. That sort of thing might lead people to arrive to perfectly reasonable conclusions, such as the one that grum came to.

Criticism of US political policies does not automatically signify “prejudice”. Indeed the title of this thread sums it up nicely : “I love Americans, but there is something seriously wrong over there…”

Your constant and longstanding accusations of prejudice against Americans on this forum reflects more paranoia on your part than reality imo.

There is imo some prejudice towards the US and its citizens on this forum, but nowhere to the extent that you suggest. And criticism of US government policy does not automatically equate to criticism of the American people. Indeed the American people themselves are often the most critical of US government policies – and so they should be.

What he said.

I agree, overall on this forum the prejudice is no more than is gifted to other nations (french, Aussies etc). There are certain individuals however who’s colours are worn very visibly on their sleeves. Anyway, whilst I appreciate your deep interest in my personal life, maybe we should move on from this.

Wow there are products out there for small-dicked rednecked-scared of shadows idiots shocker.

Get over it. The fact that their own President cant stop them shows how corrupt and impotent their leaders/system is.

A load of small children were murdered and the NRA said ‘the good guys need more guns’.

America will one day be at civil war again. Maybe a 100yrs but it can’t stay together once they cant afford to pay for invasions or regimes anymore abroad.

I rest my case 😆

There is imo some prejudice towards the US and its citizens on this forum across the entire planet generally

y’all have a nice day now 🙂

I agree, overall on this forum the prejudice is no more than is gifted to other nations (french, Aussies etc). There are certain individuals however who’s colours are worn very visibly on their sleeves. Anyway, whilst I appreciate your deep interest in my personal life, maybe we should move on from this.

I’m not sure why you think pretending America doesn’t have a problem with gun crime, quoting meaningless figures about London knife crime and calling people ‘toothless goons’ and ‘stalkers’ is raising the level of the debate.

Amen. Where ever the US go there are deaths. Due to the vast use of chemical warfare Vietnamese are still dying/birth defects today..

I refer you to my previous comment, not sure baiting further pointless discussion will be fruitful to anyone’s day! Let’s move on.

Historically Hora, the same can be said of the UK. When in glass houses…..