Let's talk a lot about gun control

[ritaxis]

By now, apparently even the New York Times has deigned to pick up what Nate Silver's been saying about our national gun conversation, which is that the gun nuts have shouted down the conversation completely. I saw it in Language Log.

It's way past time to do the opposite. Let's talk about gun control, a lot, and not just against it.  Make sure the word itself loses the stigma it has unwarrantedly got.

I would say that "gun control" belongs in the same category as "traffic control" but there are seriously people out there who don't believe that speed, roads, or automobile design ought to be regulated either. Let's out-talk them, too.

Damn straight we need gun control in this country. Nbody needs an arsenal. Most of the puffery about hunting is bullshit. Of course hunters can have a couple guns. That's not hard to secure.

You know what else we need? Disincentives for gun manufacturers. Hold them goddamned well responsible for the results of their irresponsible behavior, just like we do car manufacturers. Incentives, even, for them to shift production to something that is more conducive to life and the quality of life.  While we're at it, taser control. We're having an unacceptable number of people killed by police using tasers.

Just say the words "gun control," along with some statement about how much you think we need, in some public place this week.

Comments

[heleninwales.livejournal.com]

Every time there is a tragedy, sane people hope that this time people will be shocked enough to do something, but the moment passes and then it's business as usual.

As you say, control doesn't mean banning and removing, it means controlling so that use of guns is sensible.

Recently a man was arrested for smuggling guns into the UK and selling them illegally. He was buying them in the US, perfectly openly and legally. But who needs to buy 10 handguns at a time? And having bought one batch, how could he get away with going back and repeatedly buying more? How is this sensible?

Better control would not only make it harder for guns to be misused in the US but also help prevent them getting into countries where they are illegal.

[dd-b.livejournal.com]

What you're asking for here is a major imposition on a constitutionally protected civil right. Furthermore, it won't accomplish anything like what you want to accomplish; it will make things worse not better in the fight against crime. Finally, the entire history of gun control (especially in the USA, but not limited to here) is deeply racist.

Finally, you just *might*, possibly, have found an idiot idea that enough left-wing types could get behind that it might, just possibly, be able to undo most of the damage that the right just did to itself in this last election. Good move!

[ritaxis.livejournal.com]

What? I said we should talk about it, and I said I had my own opinions.

So you think that the present situation is the best of all possible worlds, and to talk about it is a dangerous thing that could cause worse disasters than weekly mass murders.

Okay, we talked about it.

I'll continue to talk about it with people who have more nuanced contributions to make to the conversation.

[heleninwales.livejournal.com]

As someone said on Twitter: One man tries to smuggle a bomb onto a plane in his shoe. He fails, but ever since, everyone has had to remove their shoes at airport security. Numerous mass murders and hundreds of deaths, but apparently we can't even talk about doing something to prevent it. :(

[madwriter.livejournal.com]

Don't call it "gun control". Call it a "well-regulated militia".

[eve_n_furter]

Agreed, gun control is kind of an obvious need in a peaceful society (at least to me it is). I've read that some have wanted to answer the latest school shooting tragedy with more armed guards inside schools... WRONG ANSWER!

And since I keep seeing you around, how about being LJ friends? I'm no regular commenter, but I like grownup company and meanings, especially since I'm a grown woman myself (even if it doesn't seem like it at all times). But I also know that I keep a journal that is a bit far out at times, so no pressure, it's just a suggestion. :)

[ritaxis.livejournal.com]

sure, we can do that.

[eve_n_furter]

Okay. It's done. :)