a thoughtful web.
Good ideas and conversation. No ads, no tracking.   Login or Take a Tour!
comment
swedishbadgergirl  ·  3589 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: An interesting pro-gun argument

I'm from a country with very strict gun laws and here the notion of pro-gun doesn't really exist.

Here guns are used exclusively for hunting, or shooting as a sport, but in the latter case the clubs usually have guns that you use when you shoot on a range and the only reason to have your own gun is if you're seriously good at it.

the notion of using guns for self-defense seems ridiculous here. We don't really have that as a wide-spread opinion or even one that would be taken seriously.

And I, as a not quite 100 pound, but not tall and imposing either that everyone having guns for defense is far worse than no-one having it.

I don't think it puts people on even footing, the woman is still going to feel scared of the mugger and a single guy isn't going to be able to fend of a carload of people by himself even with a gun.

I think that the idea with that being equal footing would be if the gun was used as some sort of diffuser, making the violent people back away but I don't think it would work like that. I think introducing a gun would ramp it up, because suddenly the mugger is fighting for his life and not possessions. there is no guarantee that the woman won't shoot you if you just stand still or back of so why not try to gain the upper hand?

I don't think a gun would truly make it equal or save anyone life. And the whole argument ledges on you thinking that anyone, and then for it to be fair everyone, should have the right to potentially kill people.

http://www.gunpolicy.org/firearms/region/united-states

http://www.gunpolicy.org/firearms/region/sweden

her is some data on gun policy in the US and sweden.

http://www.nationmaster.com/country-info/compare/Sweden/United-States/Crime

and here is some data about crime.

If you look at this it doesn't seem like guns minimize violence and I really don't buy this argument.