Re:Since 2010, Gun Stores Have Grown 4.7 Times Faster Than t...
by mikeash on Wednesday January 20, 2016 @12:58PM
(#10939966)
The US suicide rate is about 12 per 100,000 per year, the UK's is about 6, Canada's is 10, Germany's is 9, France's is 12, looks like we are on the high end even if it's not totally consistent.
As for banning burgers and the rest, that's a totally separate question. One of the major problems with the American gun control debate is that all sides completely fail to separate questions of fact from questions of principle. The question of what effect a particular gun law will have is completely separate (although it may inform) the question of whether enacting that law is the right thing to do.
To say that it's better not to certain gun laws even though it would save lives, because the freedom is more important, is perfectly reasonable. But we have to actually figure out the "it would save lives" part first to get to that point in the discussion. If the law doesn't even work then you might as well not bother with the rest.
As for banning burgers and the rest, that's a totally separate question. One of the major problems with the American gun control debate is that all sides completely fail to separate questions of fact from questions of principle. The question of what effect a particular gun law will have is completely separate (although it may inform) the question of whether enacting that law is the right thing to do.
To say that it's better not to certain gun laws even though it would save lives, because the freedom is more important, is perfectly reasonable. But we have to actually figure out the "it would save lives" part first to get to that point in the discussion. If the law doesn't even work then you might as well not bother with the rest.