more guns because there is more crime, more crime because there are more guns?

[SlowwHand]

Bull****, Che.
You don't keep criminals from having guns.

[faded glory]

Really Mark, then why the switch to the right? Why is it such a big issue? eh?

[Ecthy]

even better question:

more post count reduction because there's more spam, more spam becuase there are more post o**** reductions?

[Saint Marcus]

Really Mark, then why the switch to the right? Why is it such a big issue? eh?

Just because people feel unsafe doesn't mean it is unsafe.

That was also in The Economist btw.

[chequita guevara]

Originally posted by SlowwHand
Bull****, Che.
You don't keep criminals from having guns.

In the City of Chicago, only police officers are allowed to own hand guns. Obviously, it's fairly easy for criminals to get guns by going down to Texas and purchasing large quantities and bringing them up to sell on the black market. Doesn't change the fact that the crime rate in Chicago has dropped, despite victims not being able to carry guns legally.

Since the drop in crime is more or less universal across the US, it makes sense that something other than local policies are having an effect. A much more likly cause must be found in broad demographic trends. The one constant throughout the US was a rising economy. When people aren't as desperate economically, they are less likely to turn to violent crime.

[Tom201]

The Media + Rightwing Politicians always report about high crimerates, etc blabla. While in Reality crime rates have slightly droped. Its all about scaring ppl. to get quotes/votes.

[Ecthy]

I don't get why people still post in threads on gun matters. I thought these had died out months ago already, if not years!

[Saint Marcus]

The Media + Rightwing Politicians always report about high crimerates, etc blabla. While in Reality crime rates have slightly droped. Its all about scaring ppl. to get quotes/votes.

exactly.

[Ecthy]

now if that was not a sound piece of information, Marcus...

[Saint Marcus]

Homicides, per 100,000 people

USA: 9
EU: 1.2

what's the reason for that difference?

[chequita guevara]

It's not an either or proposition. More guns lead to more crime, and more crime leads to more guns. The availablity of guns, however, means that crime is more likely to escalate to lethal levels. It also means that domestic squabbles are more likely to escalate to murder. It also leads to acciental shootings and easier suicides.

However, we aren't getting rid of our guns, so just shut up about it.

[Saint Marcus]

More guns lead to more crime, and more crime leads to more guns

Spiral of Verelendung so to speak.

we aren't getting rid of our guns

why not? as you point out, guns aren't exactly healthy in a society.

[Az]

I kinda think that if one wants to murder someone, he could do it with a knife. You know, those huge chef ones. Or even a cleaver.

[Ecthy]

like the Butcher's cleaver in Diablo?

[chequita guevara]

Originally posted by Dalgetti
I kinda think that if one wants to murder someone, he could do it with a knife.

It's true, but having a knife in the house isn't as dangerous as having a gun in the house. It's also a lot easier to escape someone with a knife than someone with a gun. For some reason, it's easier to grab a gun in the heat of an argument than it is to grab a knife.

St Marcus, we aren't getting rid of our guns because it' a deeply held belief that we have a right to have guns in the US. Besides, the guns are already out there, and there's no way we could could collect even half, I'll wager. Plus, criminals aren't about to turn in their guns just because it's against the law. Most of the guns in criminal hands are illegally obtained as it is, either via theft or by purchasing them from straw buyers.

Frankly, a lot of our gun wielding criminal problems would be solved if Texas didn't have such lax laws. They are the gun suppliers for the criminal element in the US.