There was a bicycle stolen last week in Tokyo. No other crime to report.

@Deiter sheepole
Sheep People
Sheeple
??????

Point by point:

1. For men, this would be true, I imagine. But that doesn't mean the gun causes the suicide.

2. Stipulated, most people aren't crime victims statistically. But in places with concealed carry laws, I have seen studies showing the crime rate went down; logically, criminals know they have a chance of being shot themselves.

3. I will take that chance, compared to the possibility of bringing a finger to a gunfight.

4. I will not willingly take any life except to save my own or someone else's. And I prefer that burden on my "soul" if you want to call it that, over being killed myself.

Police response time to a 911 call averages 11 minutes, meaning it could be even more. I am not willing to wait that long if someone is breaking in to my property. And it's animal cruelty to keep a dog cooped up in my apartment for the possible 16 hour shifts that I work.

War ended slavery in America, ended Nazi domination of Europe, expelled Saddam Hussein from Kuwait. The threat of war kept nuclear weapons out of Cuba. Sometimes talk is insufficient and violence must be met with violence. It's a fact of life. I don't revel in it but I accept it.

Also, this was a satire post.

@Paul

Point by point:

1. For men, this would be true, I imagine. But that doesn't mean the gun causes the suicide.
   A- If I get upset, I'm going to write a letter. If you get upset, your going to get your gun

2. Studies showing the US crime rate went down; logically, criminals know they have a chance of being shot themselves.
   A- If Europe (per capita) crime rate is half of America for lack of guns. Then Japan is half the crime rate as Europe with even less gun. Your logic is greatly flawed

3. I will take that chance, compared to the possibility of bringing a finger to a gunfight.
   A- Any fool can pull a trigger, I can't imagine running out of ideas to kill anyone in my lifetime.
   Where do you live? Iraq..

4. I will not willingly take any life except to save my own or someone else's.
   A- US troops kill ten fold or a hundred fold of their enemies, most by guns. To prove to us killing is wrong. Domestic or overseas, guns make hippocrites and can give you a licence to kill, by law, not by ethics. Plus an express ticket to hell on earth.

Police response time to a 911 call averages 11 minutes.
A- There is no creasure that gives more loyalty, friendship, unconditional love than a dog. Why would you not adopted a dog into your family. I don't trust any family member to give a bullet up for me better than a dog.
Why call authorities when the UNjustice system and Troops empires kill more innocent people than any other group in human history. Violence will never stop violence, killing will never stop killing, it only increases it, no better tool designed to kill than a gun to do that meaningless job.

@Castlepaloma
A) I mention this because men statistically commit suicide by firearms more than other methods. Someone "getting upset" enough to commit suicide will do so, whether a gun is available or by some other method. Women statistically choose drug overdose most often. Women also attempt suicide more often, but their methods are less instantly lethal, meaning they succeed less often than men. [en.wikipedia.org]
Your logic is greatly flawed.

B) It's not simply guns. Europe and Japan have very different and much older cultures. Theirs tend to emphasize the group over the individual, especially Japan. America still idealizes the frontier culture and ethos, the rugged individual, the cowboy. What did the cowboy carry? Right. America is a gun culture. Wishing won't change it to Europe or Japan overnight. 150 years ago, it was expected for a man to carry a pistol openly on his hip and justice was delivered via the gunfight. In 150 years, we may be calmed down some more.

The rest of your response was non-responsive. I see no point in addressing it, as you went on a rant.

@Deiter You're correct, that's why a .338 rifle would be a ridiculous choice for home defense and why at all times an armed person must be aware of their surroundings.

What responsibility should be expected? To exercise all possible care and caution, to seek training in self-defense scenarios, to mentally prepare for such events, and to use deadly force only as a last resort.

For the record, I disagree with almost everything the NRA has ever written or said.

I believe you have a misapprehension about so-called Stand Your Ground laws. They merely state that a person in public is not required to retreat in the face of an aggressor, but may respond with reasonable force. Retreating can actually put one in more danger than standing firm, since it can be seen as weakness and invite pursuit and attack. If retreating is reasonable and practical, of course I encourage it and would do it; but the law should not require it.

@Paul4747

I don't get your suicide logic. Still suicide overall kill more people than wars and homocide combined.

I thought the US was the greatest country in the world, up to the 90s. It's where I lived often and made most of my money.

Today US has turn into the new USSR in most part. Number one in Prisons, Wars, crimes in the Industrial nations and angels. Guns and marrijanna have been used against us led by US everywhere in the world..

Even our love lives have been much divided and conquered.
My rant is designed radar for detecting BS levels. In order to move far away from the US ground zero when the insanity hits the fan with depression and War.
Colombia is so beautiful these days. I won't forget the good times in the US. There will be starving or obese Americans in need of my natural food care packages.

@Deiter Dieter, you're putting words in my mouth. When did I ever advocate using a firearm "indiscriminately"?

My original reply was: "To exercise all possible care and caution, to seek training in self-defense scenarios, to mentally prepare for such events, and to use deadly force only as a last resort. (emphasis added)" That is the exact opposite of indiscriminate.

As to your scenarios: According to the FBI Uniform Crime Report, there were an estimated 319,356 robberies last year, or 98 per 100,000 Americans. There were an estimated 810,825 aggravated assaults (assaults using a gun, cutting or blunt weapon) in addition to simple assaults. All in all, 1,247,321 violent crimes were estimated in 2017. That's only those reported to law enforcement.

Given the current population, that's roughly 1 chance in 300 of being the victim of a violent crime, including robbery, assault, rape, and murder. If a person can deter the worst from happening by retreating, then great. But if they must deter it by drawing a handgun, also great. And if worst comes to worst and someone attacks them, I say they have the right to defend themselves, not a duty to run away. You say that's indiscriminate use of a gun. I don't agree. (Please note, "attacks". Not "scares" or "humiliates". I'm irked that you think so little of me. I've worked in the prison system for 19 years, unarmed, in housing units with 120 prisoners to 1 of me. If I were so easily frightened, I wouldn't still be on the job.)

You (or someone) mentioned the Zimmerman case. That was a case of a neighborhood vigilante looking for trouble. He did not stand his ground, he went looking for what he considered a suspicious person. He was wrong all the way down the line and had no excuses for putting himself in that situation. The first rule is to be aware of and avoid potential danger. Don't walk down dark alleys, would be a shorthand rule. But if you find yourself in a threatening situation, retreat if possible, defend yourself if you have no choice.

What part of that sounds like "indiscriminate" to you?

@Castlepaloma You said: "If I get upset, I'm going to write a letter. If you get upset, your going to get your gun." That doesn't follow. Suicidal people WILL try to commit suicide, they don't just write letters. Whereas "getting upset" doesn't lead straight to "I'm going to off myself."

Having guns available does not increase the likelihood of suicide. I'm not going to list the many methods, but believe me, there are many. And if a person determined to kill themselves doesn't have one, they will use another.

Also, America is still the greatest nation in the world, once we kick out the Current Resident. But hey, you enjoy your little country, there.

@Seeker3CO I may need spectacles for reading but by no means am I blind FYI.

@Seeker3CO Then try to see it this way, Guns alone DO NOT kill people, People with Guns KILL other people.

@Seeker3CO Australia has had Gun Laws for over 2 Decades now and only the criminal Elements, mostly, do the moaning, so WHAT the Fuck is wrong with America?

Give guns to children too!!!!

The NRA starts with Grimms fairytales to educate children about guns in school. With stories like the Hansel and Gretel.

No wonder armed toddlers kill more people than terrorist do.

@Castlepaloma sounds grim to me! and by the way, that is not the purpose of dark fairy tales (meaning most of them); check out bruno bettekheim's book, the uses of enchantment.

g

@genessa

I know, the Grimm's brothers were famous Philosopher. They wrote children stories on the side. The stories that children get, and many aldults don't.

Mass shootings are not responsible for many deaths compared to other causes. What countries have banned all firearms? You may be surprised to learn that there is no correlation between firearms in civilian hands and shootings...but be not dismayed, there is a cultural connection. The countries with fewer shootings are those countries with fewer minorities. Take Iceland for instance: [nbcnews.com] The statistics are reveling as to the number of shootings in the U.S. Consider this: [cnn.com]

@dahermit That doesn't seem to add up for me because it seems like in the US all the mass shootings occur with white males killing other white people. So how does racial composition of a nation factor into it?

@TomMcGiverin How many "mass shooting" deaths are there a year? (do an internet search). How many "gun deaths" are there a year (do an internet search). "Mass shootings" albeit publicised to ad nauseum, are not responsible for a significant cause of death compared to other causes (250,000 a year to medical mistakes, 70,000 a year to drug overdoses, etc.) "Public mass shootings are a small slice of gun deaths" "68 deaths due to mass shootings in 2018" [washingtonpost.com] Have you ever heard of the Bath, MI school massacre? Not likely...ask yourself why you have never heard of it and you may begin to understand the media's role in perpetuating mass shootings.

Did you mean "more gun laws"?

In which case I agree, more laws don't really change much. What we need is a better mental health system and universal health care.

@Paul4747, thanks for the correction. At the end of the day, we both think that a proper solution to protect the citizens never has been put in practice. Which is a shame.

They need guns to hold us as slaves.

Drugs and guns have been used against us. In order to control and own us. I perfer to lead my own life, who can do it better?

It's actually guns and religious Republicans that are the nightmare.

Seriously? Please supply the precise quote.

@BestWithoutGods "To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining, the Militia..." For those of you who do not have a copy of the Constitution on your desk. Article one, Section eight of the constitution, along with giving power to the Federal government, mandates that they arm the militia (all males of specified age). However, the intention of the Second Amendment may or may not have shifted the requirement for the Federal Government to provide arms, to the people. Second Amendment: "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and ear Arms, shall not be infringed."

@dahermit I'd say that militias are outdated. Today we have standing armies and other branches of the military, and we have the National Guard, ready to go into combat. Nobody takes their own firearms into the military. The military supplies them. Because the reason for the Second Amendment no longer exists, I suggest it be repealed.

@BestWithoutGods Repeal it...it only takes an amendment to do so.

@BestWithoutGods "I'd say that militias are outdated. Today we have standing armies and other branches of the military, and we have the National Guard, ready to go into combat. Nobody takes their own firearms into the military. The military supplies them. Because the reason for the Second Amendment no longer exists, I suggest it be repealed."
What exists today will not be what exists tomorrow. Your military is perceived to be your protector today...will it always be so? Guess who is commander and chief of your military. No democracy has endured forever. All have failed...ours will too. You may be witnessing it now. What was a Democratic Republic is morphing into an oligarchy of the wealthy. And it is now you wish the people to give up their arms? You seem oblivious to what is going on in our government as we speak.

@dahermit I am well aware that we have a Fake President Chump in the White House. He is a real and present danger. But rather than storm the White House with torches, pitchforks and firearms, I would rather see him lawfully impeached and removed.

@Seeker3CO missed that! I kinda thought it had to be.

@Seeker3CO Thanks for clarifying! Lol!

Those mosquito can kill you at a greater rate than guns can. Yours better off killing those mosquito with a sludge hammer ⚒.

@Castlepaloma

I’ve tried the sledgehammer route. I always sink to the bottom of the pool. At least with a pistol in each hand I can freestyle, no problem.

@Radioscope
Lol!

One gun happy gun person tried to convince me that hammers as a weapon kill more people than guns do.

If that were true. Thor would be leading NATO. Also, murdering someone by hammer into a bloody hamburger. Would be too gross and too personal.

@Seeker3CO Now that would certainly earn me the respect of my neighbors! HA!

@Deveno

Or their Disrespect for more likely killing yourself or someone you known, rather than the criminal.