Even though? Probably because. Not bashing religion, but bashing what people do with it.

Nacho Mama didn’t say anything of value. He or she only made an argument about the odds of something happening if an object was or was not present.

That object could be a gun,a knife or a car.

The argument made was neither pro or anti…it was just a logical argument about odds.

Not sure why a thank you is in order?

Thank you!

“The only way the issue will be solved is when parties of goodwill can agree, before the argument begins, on mutually acceptable basis of evidence that could be used to accurately describe and measure the problem and indicate evidence-based solutions.”

Are you referring to the analysis of guns in homes/states and the rate to teenage deaths/suicides, or are you referring to another argument of whether or not citizens should own guns?

I suppose you must be correct, if you are referring to the accidentlal and suicide rate of teenage death from guns…the same would have to be true of knives, rope, tall buildings and cocain…

Oh what a peaceful world, full of faries and unicorns, that existed prior to the gun. (not counting the occasional canabalistic tribal genocide).

The above cannot be true.

Chances of a suicidal teen killing themselves with a gun if a gun does not exist where the teen exists: ZERO.

Chances of a suicidial teen killing themselves with a gun if a gun exits where the teen exists: GREATER THAN ZERO.

Ergo: Having a gun in the same place and time as a suicidal teen (or any person) does increase or decrease (even by the tiniest little bit) if the choice is between totally not having a gun and totally having a gun.

It is not possible to be shot by a gun if a gun does not exist near you.

As the above suggests correctly, it does stand to reason, that the complete arming of every place where there is a human would not necessarily lead to gunshot wounds on people every place where there are humans — the gun must go off, etc.

But it also follows that the removal of all guns would prevent all gunshot wounds.

But that sentiment is just as absurd as the above captioned statement.

The human urge is not to prevent merely a type of wounding — gunshots — but to eliminate, or at least appreciably reduce interpersonal violence.

Most interpersonal violence in the United States that ends in unlawful death involve in some way the use of a gun.

But, we are stuck in a feedback loop because both ‘sides’ of the debate are arguing asymetrically.

Is the concern over violence, or is it over guns? One view would wish it to be over violence, with guns, as mere inanimate objects, absolved any role, which is ridiculous because only guns cause gunshot deaths. Another ‘side,’ sees the chance at a quick, technical solution that seems to have little cost — get rid of the guns, which is ridiculous because guns are not a cause but a method — the cause of violence is indeed people. The cause of gun violence is violent people with guns.

As shown, especially by the above captioned quote, we are long way from resolving the issue, since the terms of the argument are pre-arranged by the debaters to be unsolveable.

The only way the issue will be solved is when parties of goodwill can agree, before the argument begins, on mutually acceptable basis of evidence that could be used to accurately describe and measure the problem and indicate evidence-based solutions.

Until then, we’ll get all this absurd back-and-forth.

Those figures are staggering! How impressive is it that the top 1% of income earners were able to raise their after tax income by 157%?

Equally impressive is that 60% off all Americans were able to increase their after tax income by 10% or more!

Way to bring down the stats lower 40…

Turnip 5…

It is a tragedy any time a child accidently dies. But having a gun does not increase or decrease the likelyhood that a suicidal teen is or isn’t going to kill himself.

Also, there are far more acidental drownings ever year than there are accidental gun deaths…why not ban private pools?

The point is, accidents happen, they are horrible, but “it isn’t the gun stupid”…

Turnip 6…California is broke and will soon become the first “Federal State”. I don’t care what they do with their tolls, or anything else for that matter. They are an embarassment to the country and should be ashamed of themselves.