thesultanofsheight Posted October 8, 2015 Share Posted October 8, 2015 This was quite a shocking news article tonight http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3265116/French-train-attack-hero-Spencer-Stone-STABBED-Sacramento.html So the guy who thwarted a terrorist attack on a train in France by punching out an armed gunman not so long ago gets almost stabbed to death outside a gay bar in his home town in the USA. All this so soon after another mass High School shooting in the USA. and you do have to wonder how many of the worlds problems are caused by Americans just being Americans? They now appear to be safer in Europe casually confronting real terrorists, than they are in their own country going to a bar for a few beers with friends. I must remember this next time I complete my ESTA to go to the States where I have to provide all sorts of ridiculous personal data to US Homeland Security to verify that I am safe to be given access to a country full of gun and knife wielding manics hell bent on instigating murder sprees. I also note that ironically they're looking for two Asian men driving a Toyota Camry. That must be about 2 million suspects they're going to have to go through. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GD4ELI Posted October 9, 2015 Share Posted October 9, 2015 I must remember this next time I complete my ESTA to go to the States where I have to provide all sorts of ridiculous personal data to US Homeland Security to verify that I am safe to be given access to a country full of gun and knife wielding manics hell bent on instigating murder sprees. So why go to the US? It's a crazy country. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhumsaa Posted October 9, 2015 Share Posted October 9, 2015 http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/oct/09/ben-carson-claims-jewish-people-might-have-stopped-holocaust-if-they-had-guns Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmanx Posted October 9, 2015 Share Posted October 9, 2015 http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/oct/09/ben-carson-claims-jewish-people-might-have-stopped-holocaust-if-they-had-guns Ben Carson is as fit to take political office as I am to perform brain surgery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guzzi Posted October 9, 2015 Share Posted October 9, 2015 This was quite a shocking news article tonight http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3265116/French-train-attack-hero-Spencer-Stone-STABBED-Sacramento.html So the guy who thwarted a terrorist attack on a train in France by punching out an armed gunman not so long ago gets almost stabbed to death outside a gay bar in his home town in the USA. All this so soon after another mass High School shooting in the USA. and you do have to wonder how many of the worlds problems are caused by Americans just being Americans? They now appear to be safer in Europe casually confronting real terrorists, than they are in their own country going to a bar for a few beers with friends. I must remember this next time I complete my ESTA to go to the States where I have to provide all sorts of ridiculous personal data to US Homeland Security to verify that I am safe to be given access to a country full of gun and knife wielding manics hell bent on instigating murder sprees. I also note that ironically they're looking for two Asian men driving a Toyota Camry. That must be about 2 million suspects they're going to have to go through. I take your point, but I have always been pleasantly surprised by the generous hospitality and politeness that I have encountered in the US. Whenever we stopped at a corner, poring over a map, very often someone offered a "Can I help you, Sir?", and the atmosphere at a baseball game we attended earlier this year contrasted starkly with the hostile, jeering, sweary climate of a football (soccer) match. It's a large and diverse country, and violence is a minority activity, so perhaps it's to be expected that visitors don't usually see or fall victim to it. But of course, there is a glaring issue that the US has to confront. Gun ownership. I hate to go there, as it always just results in a fruitless and surprising libertarian - vs- liberal debate. I say 'surprising' as we nearly all live far away from the nation where it has any relevance. But it is so glaring that it can't be avoided. 10,000 odd deaths from gun violence in 2015, 20,000 odd injuries. 560 of those victims were children. Is that a justifiable cost of an outdated constitutional right? Those 2nd amendment rights belonged to 18th Century, post-revolutionary period and to a time when the average American might need to put down a slave rebellion at short notice. They have no place in a civilised, democratic country. The people hold their government accountable through the ballot box, not the gun. http://www.gunviolencearchive.org Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albert Tatlock Posted October 9, 2015 Share Posted October 9, 2015 Baseball? Ah, you mean Rounders. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guzzi Posted October 9, 2015 Share Posted October 9, 2015 Baseball? Ah, you mean Rounders. More style, more excitement, and much better hot-dogs! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmanx Posted October 9, 2015 Share Posted October 9, 2015 Its not about toppling a tyrannical government...its about measure who has the biggest barrel...sorry I meant penis. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
notwell Posted October 9, 2015 Share Posted October 9, 2015 This was quite a shocking news article tonight http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3265116/French-train-attack-hero-Spencer-Stone-STABBED-Sacramento.html So the guy who thwarted a terrorist attack on a train in France by punching out an armed gunman not so long ago gets almost stabbed to death outside a gay bar in his home town in the USA. All this so soon after another mass High School shooting in the USA. and you do have to wonder how many of the worlds problems are caused by Americans just being Americans? They now appear to be safer in Europe casually confronting real terrorists, than they are in their own country going to a bar for a few beers with friends. I must remember this next time I complete my ESTA to go to the States where I have to provide all sorts of ridiculous personal data to US Homeland Security to verify that I am safe to be given access to a country full of gun and knife wielding manics hell bent on instigating murder sprees. I also note that ironically they're looking for two Asian men driving a Toyota Camry. That must be about 2 million suspects they're going to have to go through. I take your point, but I have always been pleasantly surprised by the generous hospitality and politeness that I have encountered in the US. Whenever we stopped at a corner, poring over a map, very often someone offered a "Can I help you, Sir?", and the atmosphere at a baseball game we attended earlier this year contrasted starkly with the hostile, jeering, sweary climate of a football (soccer) match. It's a large and diverse country, and violence is a minority activity, so perhaps it's to be expected that visitors don't usually see or fall victim to it. But of course, there is a glaring issue that the US has to confront. Gun ownership. I hate to go there, as it always just results in a fruitless and surprising libertarian - vs- liberal debate. I say 'surprising' as we nearly all live far away from the nation where it has any relevance. But it is so glaring that it can't be avoided. 10,000 odd deaths from gun violence in 2015, 20,000 odd injuries. 560 of those victims were children. Is that a justifiable cost of an outdated constitutional right? Those 2nd amendment rights belonged to 18th Century, post-revolutionary period and to a time when the average American might need to put down a slave rebellion at short notice. They have no place in a civilised, democratic country. The people hold their government accountable through the ballot box, not the gun. http://www.gunviolencearchive.org The US is a great place to visit in the fair few times i've been there. The people are generally nice too. I agree the gun situation is out of control. There is no place for a gun in the house in a first world country. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mission Posted October 9, 2015 Share Posted October 9, 2015 Give them enough time and they'll run out of people to shoot eventually. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suckmyballs Posted October 9, 2015 Share Posted October 9, 2015 I must remember this next time I complete my ESTA to go to the States where I have to provide all sorts of ridiculous personal data to US Homeland Security to verify that I am safe to be given access to a country full of gun and knife wielding manics hell bent on instigating murder sprees. So why go to the US? It's a crazy country. To get away from people like you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GD4ELI Posted October 9, 2015 Share Posted October 9, 2015 So why go to the US? It's a crazy country. To get away from people like you. Ah - the return of PL / TSM. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suckmyballs Posted October 9, 2015 Share Posted October 9, 2015 Ah - the return of PL / TSM. Incorrect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manxy Posted October 9, 2015 Share Posted October 9, 2015 To have or to not have a gun? If a person doesn't have a gun, you could say that they wouldn't be able to defend themselves, family or property if someone else uses a gun. For no-one to have a gun, then I'd think this would be hard to achieve although DHS have recently purchased 62 million rounds of ammunition and maybe they're trying to dry up the amount of ammunition out there? The amount that's been bought over the years as mentioned in that article is staggering (2 billion rounds in 2012/13 for example) and how they can sustain those types of purchases could be considered as overkill. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guzzi Posted October 10, 2015 Share Posted October 10, 2015 To have or to not have a gun? If a person doesn't have a gun, you could say that they wouldn't be able to defend themselves, family or property if someone else uses a gun. For no-one to have a gun, then I'd think this would be hard to achieve although DHS have recently purchased 62 million rounds of ammunition and maybe they're trying to dry up the amount of ammunition out there? The amount that's been bought over the years as mentioned in that article is staggering (2 billion rounds in 2012/13 for example) and how they can sustain those types of purchases could be considered as overkill. With 10,000 odd people in the US dead already this year from gun-violence, there's no argument that can be made based on the benefit of being able to defend one's home. The cost in lives is completely disproportionate to the possible benefits. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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