If America solves its gang problem, can we expect gun violence to go down?
Reduction in gun violence is a likely outcome of eliminating gangs, although the gangs of today hardly have the impact that they’ve had in the past.Remember Hillary’s “Super Predators?”The 1990’s had seen a dramatic increase in the rise of youth gangs and an equivalent spike in youth violence. While the gangs certainly drove a great deal of violence, there was a multiplying effect. The rise of inner city violence also led to more youth acquiring firearms - often out of protection and almost always acquired illegally.Guns encouraged the acquisition of more guns. An arms race helped spur dramatic increases in violence. The opposite should be true as well, especially of some inner cities. Reduce the ability for gangs to exist, reduces violence, and in turn reduces the perceived need for extra self defense.
Why does America have a gun problem and how can we solve it?
Samyr El-Refaie,Why are you asking this question? This very question has been asked and answered on Quora in just about all the forms it can be twisted into.Just do a Quora search under gun control, gun problem, or anything else and include the word gun.Let me give you my analysis of the answers I have red.Americans do not want to “solve” the gun problem because there is no “gun problem”.We have two problems:The first problem is that when gun violence does happen, the News Media grabs it like a dog grabs a bone and won’t let go of it. Then, every year thereafter there are memorials of these occurrences. When you end up with ten or twenty such memorials, year after year, it does seem like there is an epidemic of shootings.The Second problem is that the U.S. has a very large population compared to European countries. India and China are the two countries which are larger in population. Of course, they do not advertise their murder rates, nor do they keep harping on the subject. The fact is that when you examine the percentages, according to our population, in comparison, we are about average in murder rate. Be it by gun or other instruments.Perhaps there is a third problem: It is “Natural” for other nations to think that their governments can protect them, because they know nothing else. U.S. citizens know that the government cannot protect and at times chooses not to protect them.You see, all other countries the populations derive their rights from their governments. The United States is the only nation where the government derives its functions and right of existence from its citizens. This I believe is the source of most of the confusion.Anyway, that’s my opinion…
Why doesn’t America solve its gun problem?
Why doesn’t America solve a whole lot of problems it has? Guns, health, abortion rights, gerrymandering etc?Because its political systems are dysfunctional.Gun laws, single payer health care, abortion rights, independent setting of electoral boundaries, were all topics in Australia and the other advanced economies 40 years ago. We all had national conversations about these subjects, we all benchmarked against other countries, we mostly introduced broadly similar legislation to address these problems.And these problems were solved. They aren’t even stuff we bother talking about internally anymore; this stuff was successfully resolved 40 years ago.But 40 years on the US is still talking about this stuff, rather than doing anything about it.The problem seems to be that every proposal is looked at in ideological terms. Doesn’t matter that the US would save a fortune and provide better services with a single payer healthcare system; this is “socialism” and socialism is bad. Doesn’t matter if rational gun laws would reduce gun deaths; gun laws are needed to stop the US becoming like Nazi Germany.What the US needs is pragmatic government that can analyse issues on their own merits, and not turn them into some partisan ideological issues. If the US can’t even pass legislation protecting “dreamers”, what hope does it have on gun laws?
What is America's solution to its gun problem?
Keep the NRA around; they've done everything they can to propagandize people into thinking guns are the solution to the problems guns cause
Is there any possible solution to gun violence in America?
Well, let’s look at Canada. Canada doesn’t have all those shootings. You do have access to weapons in Canada, but you have to have permit and take the proper courses. Canada also has universal health care, so if you have serious psychological issues that can be addressed. There are also a lot of lonely and angry white males and loneliness is increasing in the United States in general, and some men respond to that by using violence. Women respond to it in other ways. Women are responding to the increasing pressures they feel in the US by committing suicide. These men in shootings are committing suicide and taking others with them. America is becoming too much of a social darwinist and selfish place if you ask me and leaves many women and men feeling angry. We think of the upset men, but women also committing suicide in higher and higher numbers is also what we should be talking about. It shows America needs to fundamentally change. And to my Republican friends, yes, we need universal health care. We need fewer pressures on family. We need soldiers and marines to be able to easily go and get treatment. We would rather than our men and women not commit suicide or take others out with them before doing so. That’s my take. Look Canada. Do you see constant shootings in the country with fewer economic disparities and universal health care and a need to have a permit and pass tests and take a course to have guns? No. Society is failing too many American men and women. It’s time to change.U.S. Suicide Rates Are Rising Faster Among Women Than MenThe number of people dying by suicide in the United States has risen by about 30 percent in the past two decades. And while the majority of suicide-related deaths today are among boys and men, a study published Thursday by the National Center for Health Statistics finds that the number of girls and women taking their own lives is rising.Canada's Handgun Laws Are Stricter Than You ThinkAfter passing the test, Canadians can apply for a Possession and Acquisition Licence (PAL) for restricted firearms. An application requires a photo, references, disclosure of mental health history, criminal history, and current/prior conjugal partners. Having said that, it is possible to lie about things like your mental health history. The RCMP will do a background check to look for criminal records. In some cases, they may interview a person or their references. The fee is $80.
What do gun proponents think is the solution for America's gun problem and to reduce the number of mass shootings (and gun-related killings generally)?
Guns exist in the United States because we here in the US have a belief that most of the rest of the world doesn’t seem to have: self-defense is the best defense. Who is better at defending you then you? Where ever you go, there you are. You have the capability of being the first responder where ever you go. Emergency services aren't first responders, they are typically last responders. It is very likely that by the time a cop shows up whatever happened is already over.Further, we in the US believe that the defense of our own country lies in the hand of ALL the people, not just the military. That include the defense of our country against our own government if need be. Therefore, guns could be said to be part of the bedrock of the foundation of this country. You can’t get rid of the Second Amendment without abolishing all of the rest.So guns essentially can’t be removed. They are fundamental to the continued existence of this country. So how do we mitigate their negative effects?Abolish “Gun Free Zones” at least for people not carrying a CCW permit, if not for everyone.Stop scaring the shit out of everyone that has never handled a gun. Guns don’t go off by themselves generally, there is a safe way to handle them, and respecting them generally doesn’t lead to accidents. Teach people about guns, especially from an early age. If it is appropriate to teach children about masturbation in 5th grade, then I think they can handle some safe firearms handling training.Allow those that wish it, the reasonable ability to get a federally-recognized state CCW that is valid in all 50 states without question or harassment. This Fed CCW permit needs to come with the requisite permission to also transport that defensive weapon across states lines without reprisal.Stop allowing the media to lead the narrative that guns kill innocent people while completely ignoring the times when single mothers slay home invaders while their kids are asleep in the next room, or a near rape-victim puts a bullet in her attacker’s skull.De-stigmatize gun ownership and the legitimate use of firearms.These are just a few off the top of my head and is not meant to be a prioritized, all-inclusive list. Anyone is welcome to leave a comment with more ideas.