Feeling Safe in the United States
- Thread starter Azahul
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I gotta ask this, playing devil's advocate here in the shady part of town. Suppose someone does come up to you, got you surprised, pulls a knife and gets far too close for comfort demanding your wallet. What are you going to do? He's close enough to shank you at any given moment.Your not a badass, your an average, everyday dude who can aim down the sights and hit your mark in a controlled environment. This is not a controlled scenario. You fuck it up, you could die.Ieyke said:
Oh, and don't think about giving him your money, and then just shooting him as he runs away with it. I know that shit won't fly with the US Police. What has your little glock accomplished?
I'm not against guns. But, really? You really think it's going to do anything for you other than get you hurt, killed, or knee-deep in shit?
No, there's been calls for it after two cops were shot in Manchester, but no-one pays attention to that. Mainly because whenever a politician mentions it, most of the police and basically all the police chiefs go, "What? No, fuck that."Gilhelmi said:
Fuck, I'm moving there as soon as I get out of college. I never want to see the Midwest again.Tony said:Always afraid of getting shot one day (I'm American) TAKE ME TO JAPAN!!!Angie7F said:I'm from Perth and Tokyo, but I have never seen guns there.
the only time I really saw guns was after I started working for the military in Japan, and then when I went to SAn Diego to visit relatives.
Even mugging in Japan is like pushing and shoving followed by a sprint down the ally.
The most horrific murder that happened recently is of a guy being beaten by a bunch of guys in a club with baseball bats.
Other than that, it is a peaceful as this.
OT: I very rarely see someone walking around with a firearm on them, and I live in a very pro-gun area with lots of people who are farmers or like to hunt. I can definitely see why someone might though, especially in a city. I'm not sure if you get this, but most cities here have areas that you simply DO NOT go to, especially at night. Not because you might get hassled or mugged, but because you could get fucking raped or stabbed/shot. While in most cases it's not necessary to carry a gun, in a lot of others it's definitely better than nothing.
- Feb 7, 2011
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In that scenario I'd say, if you're carrying a gun, completely unconcealed on your hip, and someone still has the balls to rob you at knife-point, they deserve to take your wallet. Seriously, how many people would attempt to rob someone they know is carrying a gun (which they can plainly see) when there's so many other people they can rob who are not carrying any kind of weapon? 99.9% of the time, if the guy with the knife sees his intended target has a gun, he isn't going to go for them, even if he does have the drop on them, because it's just not worth the increased danger.BeerTent said:
I think you've got some sort of psychological hang-up about guns. I might be wrong if you've been trotting around South America or Africa very much then your just overrating theres many places with high gun densities than the states and those will typically be military hardware rather than the hunting rifles and handguns that make up the majority of American guns.
I can honestly tell you this as an American, there are a lot of us who own guns singularly for the feeling of power and control it gives them. (I.E. the most terrible reason to own a tool thats only purpose is to kill people.) They are cowards who like to hide at the end of the barrel, who openly carry their weapons in order to let everyone else in the room know that they are tough. Its an intimidation factor involved in carrying a gun around that some people genuinely want.
So you saw a guy show a gun to his friend.
And nothing bad happened?
Listen, if that's all that happened, suck it up.
Now, if you heard gunshots outside, I'd sympathize. I've never even heard a gunshot and I live in Chicago.
And nothing bad happened?
Listen, if that's all that happened, suck it up.
Now, if you heard gunshots outside, I'd sympathize. I've never even heard a gunshot and I live in Chicago.
Doesn't that part of the American constitution about the right to bear arms more about having armed militias, rather than arming individuals?
OT: All this gun culture discussion is really interesting. The observations I've made thus far as simple enough;
- Those who live in cultures where guns are commonplace don't feel safe unless everyone's armed.
- Those who live in cultures where guns are rare don't feel safe when people are armed.
As several others in this thread, I live in Australia. We never really had a gun culture, and there were always some restrictions on firearms. But the tipping point in favour of pervasive gun control came about due to the Port Arthur Massacre [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_Arthur_massacre_%28Australia%29], wherein one well-armed man gunned down 35 people and injured 23 others (and is to date one of the deadliest mass shootings to have occurred).
I'd just written up a little thing on gun control laws but that's not really what this thread is about...
The only other comment is my discussions with a former security guard was that carrying a gun made him feel like a target.
OT: All this gun culture discussion is really interesting. The observations I've made thus far as simple enough;
- Those who live in cultures where guns are commonplace don't feel safe unless everyone's armed.
- Those who live in cultures where guns are rare don't feel safe when people are armed.
As several others in this thread, I live in Australia. We never really had a gun culture, and there were always some restrictions on firearms. But the tipping point in favour of pervasive gun control came about due to the Port Arthur Massacre [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_Arthur_massacre_%28Australia%29], wherein one well-armed man gunned down 35 people and injured 23 others (and is to date one of the deadliest mass shootings to have occurred).
I'd just written up a little thing on gun control laws but that's not really what this thread is about...
The only other comment is my discussions with a former security guard was that carrying a gun made him feel like a target.
As Hornet0404 said, it was the context. Sorry, rereading my original post, I don't think I really explained what it was that I was getting at too well. See, in the Sudan, it was a Civil War and this guy with the assault rifle was a member of the militia. Knowing what the situation was like in that country, I knew with just about 100% certainty why it was that this guy was carrying a gun around, and was just as certain that the reason had nothing to do with me whatsoever. A war was on, he was involved in it, of course he has a gun.Helmholtz Watson said:
Carrying over to the United States, a country that is not engaged in some form of war on its home front, and you can kind of see why I would be more scared of a pistol. Because in that case, I don't know what the intention behind carrying the pistol is. A man with a gun is a lot more scary when I don't know why he has a gun. In the Sudan I did, and in the United States I didn't, thus making the pistol scarier than the assault rifle. For all I know the reason he has a gun is because he intends to commit a crime with it, and thus I get nervous.
See, I'm not unfamiliar with seeing guns around, even guns being paraded in plain sight on the streets. But I am unfamiliar with seeing guns in a civilian environment. Outside of the United States, I've mostly seen guns in situations where those carrying them are carrying them because they intend to fight a similarly armed enemy with them. With that experience, I hope it's clear why seeing a gun in a civilian setting might be rather unsettling for me.
As a Canadian who has been to the states a number of times I can honestly say I have never felt in the least bit scared. Hell, I'd be more scared of losing my passport and having to deal with their government than I would be of some dude showing off his new gun ;D
I can't even imagine why someone would be scared of guns, I really can't. Of course they theoretically could kill you, but so what? Are you afraid of kitchen knives? cars? dogs? getting on an airplane? going swimming in a river? The world is full of things that COULD kill you. It's really not a big deal.
Guns are just cool. Aesthetically, and in terms of the simple yet so well refined technology that operates them. There is something that's just plain desirable about guns. In the same way as say swords, trains, cars, furniture, various tools, etc. Really anything that has a beauty born out of that combination of function and craftsmanship.
It is certainly nothing to get bent out of shape about.
I can't even imagine why someone would be scared of guns, I really can't. Of course they theoretically could kill you, but so what? Are you afraid of kitchen knives? cars? dogs? getting on an airplane? going swimming in a river? The world is full of things that COULD kill you. It's really not a big deal.
Guns are just cool. Aesthetically, and in terms of the simple yet so well refined technology that operates them. There is something that's just plain desirable about guns. In the same way as say swords, trains, cars, furniture, various tools, etc. Really anything that has a beauty born out of that combination of function and craftsmanship.
It is certainly nothing to get bent out of shape about.
Azahul, I live around the area where you saw the gun. That's a pretty rare incident, at least in Washington. Not many people carry concealed firearms with them, unless its downtown Tacoma(near Seattle in western Washington), where there are a ton of gangs(with mostly illegal firearms). Im not sure its even legal to take out a concealed weapon in a public place like that, except for in self defense.
Even so, i think our gun laws are still a bit too relaxed. I believe in the 2nd amendment, but the ability to purchase a weapon is still too easy. Plus, no one needs an AR-15, like that guy who shot up the Dark Knight movie had.
Even so, i think our gun laws are still a bit too relaxed. I believe in the 2nd amendment, but the ability to purchase a weapon is still too easy. Plus, no one needs an AR-15, like that guy who shot up the Dark Knight movie had.
Unless you're in a bad part of the inner city, it's very unlikely that you would be involved in gun violence.
As for American culture, we've mythologized guns, this is going back all the way to our formation, an armed revolution. We LOVE guns, why do you think action films and first person shooters fly off the shelves here?
As for American culture, we've mythologized guns, this is going back all the way to our formation, an armed revolution. We LOVE guns, why do you think action films and first person shooters fly off the shelves here?
Well I live in the Upper Penninsula (UP) of Michigan and hunting has a big culture up here, we got a day off of school for opening day of deer season in exchange for going to school on MLK day unlike the people down state. So I am used to gun culture and I don't feel unsafe, we aren't all gun toting maniacs who shoot first and ask questions later. Generalizations are general.
Someone trying to defend themselves with a firearm, especially in a crowded place are very likely to kill innocence. It happens all the time. Some guy trying to play the hero and starting a shootout with another nutjob, but then ending up shooting a little girl in the face. Im not saying your wrong to carry a concealed firearm, but it should only be a last resort.Dangit2019 said: