What do you Think?


NrrdGrrl! Discussion Forum: Vent: What do you Think?
By Fashion Queen on Monday, July 13, 1998 - 04:52 pm:

Reading over some past converstions here I noticed that there is (correct me if I am wrong) quite a lot of violence between teenagers in American schools.

I just have one question..... DO YOU THINK THAT IF THERE WERE LESS GUNS IN AMERICA, THERE WOULD BE LESS VIOLENCE??

Is it true, that in certain situations, Americans have brought guns to school? In Britain this would NEVER happen as guns are illegal, therefore harder to get hold of.

I don't know much about this..... I was just wondering. I have nothing against your country if thats what you think 'cos I to the USA on holiday (vacation) all the time.


By Mandy on Tuesday, July 14, 1998 - 03:12 am:

I live in Canada..well as far east as you can get in Canada andwe've had some violent situations in our schools but not with guns. Just some stupid hormone drenched stupidity fit. Kinda like in the Outsiders with their rumble or in the Rebel Without a Cause and their chicken race. The violence here doesn't really have any deep and disturbed meaning, its just out boredom and mostly syupidity.

If guns weren't so easily accessed then I think there might be a slight drop in the rates and percentages, but then again I don't blame it all on the avaliability of guns. I watched the news and read about all those highschool shootings...I pitied the fools who had done the heinous deeds, but I don't blame it solely on the avalibility to the guns in which they got ahold of.

I don't blame it on television either. Maybe I've some screwed up sick and twisted mentality (femmementality)I just think that everyone has this certain level "evilness" in them.And when its become to much they've got to get it out before they end up doing the unthinkable...kill themselves. So then with the help of societies images of big strong men with guns (i.e. G.i. Joe even though he's a fictional toy he still portrays something of an adonis to the younger males), and shows that have a gun shoot out on every corner (even if your just watching the news) pushes it all to the edge creating a little killer. Maybe my theory is deeply rooted in my liking of Lord of The Flies and the theme of how everyone has a part of evil, in some it builds up and is only tested once or twice with mannerly outburst, while in other they become so engrossed with evil that they violently lash out in any means possiable.

der...my thoughts aren't coherrent...i know what i want to say but can't get it out the same way. I guess I should just answer the question. No I don't think if there were less guns in America that there would be less violence. You could kill someone with a pillow, mind you it wouldn't be easy but you could still do it. Violence can be anything these days, its not limited to guns.

* I am not greatly educated on guns and their harm. What I know is what I know from news broadcast or school assigments. I personally am against all fire arms whether they are for protection or for mischief. Hell, I don't even like paintball because you've to shoot a gun.
I'm sucha wuss...anyhow..thats all...


By Laurel on Friday, July 17, 1998 - 01:02 pm:

Mandy: I don't blame violence on guns per se, because people have been violent since the beginning of time. But I think availability of guns is somewhat to blame for the school shootings because if the kids in Arkansas (for example) had had knives instead, they would not have been able to kill five people and injure many others. They would have been easier to overpower.

I also do not blame the media for violence. I've heard of people who murdered someone after watching a violent movie, but you know that lots of other people watched the movie too and they did not go out and kill someone. Not a very good excuse.

About everyone having evil in them, I have a question. You seem to think people are born evil, but what do you think about the possibility that environment is involved? Like that kids might be violent if they abused?


By Gilmoure on Monday, August 24, 1998 - 05:59 pm:

I think the hard part would be to crack down on guns in the U.S. There are so many of them, if all the law abiding folks gave them up, then criminalls would have them. Or get them in across the border. Look at them try to stop drugs coming in. How does Canada keep them out. I remember being asked if I had any guns when I was crossing over on my way to Calgary. I just said no and went on in. Didn't think about it 'til now.

G


By Nie on Wednesday, September 2, 1998 - 06:31 pm:

The Bill of Rights states that all Americans have the right to bear arms. Changing the constitution would be incredibly difficult, considering that a relatively small potion of the population is for completely abolishing the ownership of firearms in the US. I personally feel that we would be better off as a nation if we got rid of guns, but the likelihood of that ever happening...


By Anonymous on Thursday, September 3, 1998 - 12:03 am:

I think one problem with the Bill of Rights is that most people today don't seem to understand the context it was written in. The right to bear arms is not so you can blow away that jerk who incites your road rage, it is so you can participate in revolution if need be. I don't think most of the gun related violence today is revolutionary in any constructive sense of the word.
The one thing that always picks me is that people say well, guns don't create violence. That is true, but most forms of violence are not as deadly without the help of a gun. Face it, there may be other weapons, but a gun is a violent tool that most people don't have the awareness to use responsibly.
Probably the worst example of this is the whole "buy a gun, feel powerful" campaign for women sponsored by the NRA. How ridiculous! Guns are not going to eliminate or change the roots of violence to anyone in society, just up ante for violence and your chances of getting killed.


By Anonymous on Thursday, September 3, 1998 - 02:37 am:

actually guns are illegal to have in the US, it's just never enforced. The supreme court ruled that the bill of rights said the right to bear arms is for the sole purpose of maintaining a good militia. In another case, they said that the United States milita is the National Guard, thus making the right to bear arms illegal for anyone else. I forgot which cases these were stated in, but you can look up some gun control sites that state which ones they are in Yahoo.

Vijay
vijay.a.kher@vanderbilt.edy


By Anonymous on Thursday, September 3, 1998 - 02:38 am:

actually guns are illegal to have in the US, it's just never enforced. The supreme court ruled that the bill of rights said the right to bear arms is for the sole purpose of maintaining a good militia. In another case, they said that the United States milita is the National Guard, thus making the right to bear arms illegal for anyone else. I forgot which cases these were stated in, but you can look up some gun control sites that state which ones they are in Yahoo.

Vijay
vijay.a.kher@vanderbilt.edu


By Celia Gardner on Friday, November 6, 1998 - 07:59 am:

If there were less guns, there would not be less violence, just less gunshot wounds. My aunt teaches at a school in London, where pupils have attacked teachers with chairs.

To get rid of violence, don't just get rid of one type of weapon.


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