Author Researching "The Kindness of America" Shot By Stranger

[fletch_talon]

Every item is dangerous if used properly.

I'm pretty sure no one wonders why there's gun laws, just why there's such stringent gun laws. Thing about violent criminals is they tend to not care if guns are illegal or not. And if you think being illegal makes something harder to get you've clearly never been to a good party.

Yes, don't give a car to someone who could drive drunk.

-Cars require a license and registration.
-The license in turn requires written and practical tests regarding safety and rules/laws and sometimes has provisional periods.
-There are generally different licenses required for different types of vehicle (cycle/auto/manual/truck).
-Some places have compulsory 3rd party insurance to protect people from accidents/misuse.
-There are regulations on where (roads) and how (fast) you can use it.
-And (in some places) there are regulations about what kinds of modifications are allowed to be made to your vehicle (if its to be used on public roads).

The original post says, and I quote:

And certain groups of Americans wonder why there are gun laws.

It doesn't say guns should be banned it says there are laws regarding the use and ownership of guns. Whilst any item can be misused, you'd be a fool to argue that cars and guns are not more dangerous than a good deal of other items.
So are gun laws more stringent (in America) than cars? Cuz I've never heard of having to pass your gun owner's test.

The only "stringent" gun laws that I know for certain exist in some parts of the States are:
-Background checks
-Waiting periods
-Gun registration

Apart from that I only seem to hear about how every farmer and his mum can own just about anything short of a minigun or rpg. About how people are allowed in some states to carry weapons with them as they walk around town.
Doesn't sound too harsh to me, pretty breezy compared to owning/driving a car. Though I suppose the big difference is that lack of knowledge of safety/rules for guns would generally only result in one or two injuries/deaths per incident compared to multiple in road accidents.
Nonetheless I'd see no problem with the kind of regulation applied to driving becoming more standard for firearms.

But then I'm wasting my time, you won't be swayed any more than I will. Its mainly the "other items (especially cars) are dangerous" argument when cars are more strongly regulated from what I see.
In saying that I would sincerely be interested in what people apparently consider stringent about US gun laws.

 

[The Wooster]

So much for kindness research, well, he did get a good one shot impression to be writing about...

I know I know...

 

[fletch_talon]

snip

Sorry, I was originally just responding to the "give cars to potential drunk drivers" post but then found the other two posts all of which were responding to one original post.

I mainly quoted your post due to the stringent part and it kinda relates to the car thing because it seems easier to own a gun than a car (or at least there aren't any tests involved, meaning no way to ensure someone knows how to safely use it).
I kind of get what you're saying, but personally I disagree with the idea that a gun should be used for self defence in public places.

I do however acknowledge that it has a lot to do with America's culture compared to Australia's where I live. Here I can walk down the street and never feel that I would find myself in need of a firearm. Sometimes I do think non-lethal self defence items should be legalised for public carry though then theres the issue of misuse due to people not treating them with proper respect due to the term "non-lethal".

Anyway I'm rambling. The world aint perfect and never will be, too many of my ideas are based on an ideal fantasy land.

 

[Corporal Yakob]

HA!

"The Kindness of America, except for that one dick who was totally a douchebag for shooting me."

 

[anonymity88]

Do we really need an article like this? The user base here hates America enough already.

Now now, don't tar us all with the same brush! I'm English and have no problem with America/Americans! Armed drunken lunatics though, they're a problem.

 

[Agow95]

That's really ironic, glad he's okay, thought he'd been killed when I saw read he'd been shot.

 

[kortin]

I was going "don't give dangerous items to idiots"

I'm going to assume that wasn't a crack at Americans in general (because, hey, I can be optimistic) and say that it's impossible to tell what ONE person is going to do with a gun.

 

[The Funslinger]

This is really going to trigger a negative backlash.

Hey, that's such a cheap shot

You wouldn't like it if someone joked about your misfortune like that. Maybe next time, it should be your turn in the barrel.

 

[fletch_talon]

Stuff

I agree that guns should have at least a small course before you can buy them, but you do have to go to a class and take a test and pass, and prove you know how to handle the weapon in order to carry it concealed (atleast in my state)

And mundane items arent the only ones that are very deadly. A bow for example needs not even the cursory checks that a gun or car does, nor does any kind of knife sword or axe.

That's good to hear about the safety class, I've never heard of that being the case in America.
As for the bow/knife/axe deal. I think the issue there is ease of use and, for lack of better words, range and threat.

Bows are completely legal without checks here as well, I own one myself, crossbows however are not and require a license.
The difference between the 2 is that you can carry a crossbow loaded and potentially concealed. A bow on the other hand requires time to draw and aim and can't be held "loaded" (drawn) reliably for long periods of time.
In saying that I wouldn't be adverse to the idea of a safety course and even license required for them. If there were license fees however I'd need to see them go towards having more places where I can shoot (Its legal on your property but its a pain in the arse trying to make it safe to do so) since there are hardly any ranges around, even if you join a club it seems you can only go on designated days.

As for knives and axes, besides the usual argument of their intended purpose being more domestic, there's also the fact that they're only effective at close range (throwing them is possible but just as easily results in the victim recieving the weapon and potentially using them against you). I think the main line of thought beyond intended use is that you can run from someone with a knife/axe/bat/halberd but not someone with a gun.

 

[Ed130 The Vanguard]

I was going "don't give dangerous items to idiots"

I'm going to assume that wasn't a crack at Americans in general (because, hey, I can be optimistic) and say that it's impossible to tell what ONE person is going to do with a gun.

The guy had several previous convictions. What I'm trying to say is it wouldn't be "the right to bear arms" but "the privilege to bear them"

 

[Formica Archonis]

People, on the whole, mean well. Individuals, however, are a complete crapshoot.

If I was ever so screwed that I needed to rely on the kindness of a stranger, I'd certainly do it, but I wouldn't make that gamble repeatedly when I didn't need to.

I might be too cynical for my own good, but this guy seems too idealistic for his own good.:/

 

[The Pinray]

Do we really need an article like this? The user base here hates America enough already.

Now now, don't tar us all with the same brush! I'm English and have no problem with America/Americans! Armed drunken lunatics though, they're a problem.

True enough. A big problem! My apologies, good man!

 

[Ed130 The Vanguard]

-snip-

http://www.timesunion.com/news/article/Hitchhiker-writing-Kindness-of-America-memoir-3625142.php

Last sentence of the article.

 

[Ed130 The Vanguard]

-snip-?

You meant the second amendment? Part of the Bill of Rights that was created in 1791? That particular law didn't envision assault weapons or other factors present in today's society. Besides your supreme court has ruled that restrictions regarding firearm possession are compatible with it.

 

[Urameshi13]

This, ladies and gentlemen, is why one should never ever EVER hitchhike...