So, since 2002 when the movie was released, nothing has changed? No new data has emerged that could help form a more complete picture?
Somehow, I'm not content to let one movie answer all of my questions. I don't think about gun control much, but maybe others do and are satisfied with Michael Moore's decade-old answer.
Hang on now, I don't remember arguing that it hadn't been studied.
I did say this:
- I can't help but wonder why the question of what makes consumers want to own handguns isn't explored with more interest.
I wasn't saying that I thought it hadn't been done, I was saying that I don't understand why it's not a question that seems to be explored by people in general. I know in my experience, I don't hear people asking "why do people want to own guns?" I hear people saying, "we should do X about guns!"
I also have not seen any studies related to that topic, or come across people discussing it. Sure, I haven't looked very hard, but I do check out link aggregators and try to stay informed. I feel like I would have come across something of that nature if it's something the general public were concerned about.
And what I'm saying is that when a major-release documentary makes $60m worldwide in box office alone, it's a misnomer to say that it isn't being explored "with interest."
I'm guessing you don't have any gun-nut family members. I have this discussion with dreary regularity.
Again, I said "with more interest". I generally don't talk about gun issues on the internet, so maybe what I've been saying is late to the party for those that discuss these things often. Anyway, I learn best by interacting with people who know something about issues I take interest in, rather than by reading alone.
I do have family members that are gun nuts, but they're not Americans, so this discussion doesn't happen within my family. As for my family in America, they don't own guns or if they do, views on gun-related issues are generally not something we talk about. We have other conversations over and over again.
- So, since 2002 when the movie was released, nothing has changed? No new data has emerged that could help form a more complete picture?
Maybe we'll get some new data soon, since it's no longer illegal to use federal money to study gun violence (yes, it was illegal; that's how fucked we are).
It's telling that someone like you, a well informed, intelligent person, didn't know this was a thing. I also consider myself reasonably well informed, and I didn't know it was a thing until they had a bunch of coverage about it after the Sandy Hook shootings.
This points to a vast media failure. In their attempts to not look like raging liberals, they fear even nudging the boat that is the NRA. Scientific inquiry isn't political when done properly. Fear of information is far worse than any gun law that could be passed. Censorship is the thing that offends me most in life.
At this point, I don't know that it is censorship as one might automatically think of it, but the effects of misdirection, and intentional obfuscation are the same.
I can understand that people are interested in maintaining the status quo, but an unwillingness to change is hurting the U.S. (and other countries) on many fronts. If I had to choose the one thing that I am most offended by, I would have to say it's fear; it limits the possible at all levels and twists the elegant and the functional into something less, far too often.
It's not traditional censorship, in the sense that no one is explicitly telling them not to print something. But it is implicit censorship, in the sense that they won't run certain important stories for fear of a giant backlash. Implicit or explicit, it's still censorship, and it's still wrong.