# How would The US react if 6 people were killed and 24 mangled by Cougars in Highland Park on July 4th? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 4, 2022, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-the-us-react-if-6-people-were-killed-and-24-mangled-by-cougars-in-highland-park-on-july-4th/967416 "2022-07-04T19:11:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2022, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-the-us-react-if-6-people-were-killed-and-24-mangled-by-cougars-in-highland-park-on-july-4th/967416/21 "2022-07-04T19:36:13Z")
> [@Crane](#): > > Doesn’t that strike you as odd. It strikes me as heartbreaking, but not “odd,” because the political battle lines that have been drawn over the Second Amendment are so well-defined that none of this surprises me anymore. ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2022, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-the-us-react-if-6-people-were-killed-and-24-mangled-by-cougars-in-highland-park-on-july-4th/967416/22 "2022-07-04T19:36:27Z")
They’d demand that everyone be issued a gun and a cougar hunting license, because that’s the only way to end the cougar menace. Replace “cougar” with “bad guy with a gun” in that sentence, and it’s how the right wing has responded to every mass shooting, so why would you expect any different? ---
**Author:** ![ExTank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@ExTank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ExTank)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2022, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-the-us-react-if-6-people-were-killed-and-24-mangled-by-cougars-in-highland-park-on-july-4th/967416/23 "2022-07-04T19:36:48Z")
Agree to disagree, and leave it at that. ---
**Author:** ![Crane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crane/32/3495_2.png) [@Crane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crane)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2022, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-the-us-react-if-6-people-were-killed-and-24-mangled-by-cougars-in-highland-park-on-july-4th/967416/24 "2022-07-04T20:17:19Z")
I’ll bet there would be interest in who might have owned the Cougars and who might have sold them. Probably no interest in the manufacturer. ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2022, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-the-us-react-if-6-people-were-killed-and-24-mangled-by-cougars-in-highland-park-on-july-4th/967416/25 "2022-07-04T20:27:15Z")
I’m sure we’d react quite strongly because cougers attacking human beings are an uncommon occurance whereas gun violence is expected. We’re used to it. If I told you we lost 117 each day to couger attacks in 2021 you’d be alarmed. But if I told you we lost 117 each day to automobile accidents you’d just shrug your shoulders. It’s sad but it’s not alarming. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2022, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-the-us-react-if-6-people-were-killed-and-24-mangled-by-cougars-in-highland-park-on-july-4th/967416/26 "2022-07-04T20:50:42Z")
The simple answer is, guns were normalized. Cougars are not. Same way as if 1 million Americans were killed by an enemy nation, rather than dying of Covid. The Joker said it best in The Dark Knight, people are okay with almost any horrible thing as long as it’s part of the plan (what’s considered normal.) But they freak out at anything that’s not normalized. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2022, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-the-us-react-if-6-people-were-killed-and-24-mangled-by-cougars-in-highland-park-on-july-4th/967416/27 "2022-07-04T21:22:12Z")
> [@Crane](#): > > So, why are guns different? Why is the analogy between cougars and guns, and not between cougars and shooters, or cougars and 18-20-year-old males? ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2022, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-the-us-react-if-6-people-were-killed-and-24-mangled-by-cougars-in-highland-park-on-july-4th/967416/28 "2022-07-04T21:29:53Z")
> [@bobot](#): > > As long as it’s guns, Americans don’t really give a shit, generally. Murder _is_ against the law, and fairly often prosecuted. Thus Americans _do_ care. Just not to the point of enacting gun laws that infringe on a basic Constitution right, put otherwise law abiding citizens in prison, and that really have little or no significant effect on violent crime. 20,000? Pah, a drop in the bucket. (sadly). 40,000 Americans die from second hand smoke, 400,000+ from smoking- yet we haven’t banned cigs. Not to mention, smoking is not a Constitutional right. But Americans don’t seem to care. Some epidemiologists estimate that somewhere between 1/3 to 2/3 of Covid deaths would have been preventable if masking, social distancing, and especially vaccines had been used by all, but one political wing seems opposed to those measures, and this means **500,000** American deaths to be laid at their doorstep. But Americans don’t seem to care. > [@Crane](#): > > Are you saying that the 2nd amendment is sacred and irrefutable? God will smite us if we discuss it? No, discuss all you want. Just realize that it would be politically impossible to repeal it. You may, if you so wish, state that the recent SCOTUS rulings are wrong, altho that doesn’t really get us anywhere. Joe Biden has suggested several gun control ideas that are Constitutional, such as requiring background checks on all sales, but the GOP has refused to pass them. Those ideas are pretty damn good, so all we need is at least a couple more Dem senators, which is doable, but 60 (D) would be better. So you want sane, constitutional gun control? VOTE DAMMIT, VOTE! It is that easy. ---
**Author:** ![Asuka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@Asuka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asuka)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2022, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-the-us-react-if-6-people-were-killed-and-24-mangled-by-cougars-in-highland-park-on-july-4th/967416/29 "2022-07-05T02:22:53Z")
Aren’t there problems with coyote attacks in the American Southwest that scientists are saying Americans aren’t taking seriously? I was just reading a book about a scientist who was FURIOUS after a coyote killed someone a few years ago that we “weren’t taking the threat seriously” ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2022, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-the-us-react-if-6-people-were-killed-and-24-mangled-by-cougars-in-highland-park-on-july-4th/967416/30 "2022-07-05T02:46:21Z")
Don’t we already have a case study for this but instead of cougars in Illinois, the threat is from alligators and crocodiles in Florida? ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2022, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-the-us-react-if-6-people-were-killed-and-24-mangled-by-cougars-in-highland-park-on-july-4th/967416/31 "2022-07-05T03:45:43Z")
While the OP is fairly silly in it’s efforts to pain everything as simple and entirely dismissive of counter arguments, I’ll throw a semi-serious answer at it. The answer is of course we’d eliminate them, because cougars aren’t guns. Duh. Which is why I think the OP is dishonest in trying to compare apples (not to oranges) to headcheese. Just not even vaguely similar. But dealing with the question, there are few to no vested interests in cougars: historical, family, economic or otherwise. There are few (virtually none) cougar property owners whose ownership rights would be compromised. And since it would be a simple fix (rather than a huge constitutional, social and political morass) to remove cougars as @Horatius points out - they would be hunted to extinction in weeks. To simplify, Americans (and humans in general) like simple solutions that don’t effect themselves. Very few people care about cougars past the ‘looks good in a nature documentary / spray-painted in a bitchin’ image on the side of a van’ - and as such they’d be eliminated if they were a clear threat. So I invite **Crane** to basically say what he wants about massive gun violence in the US, much of which I’d probably agree about, but I’ll still laugh at the insanity inherent in the analogy of the OP. ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2022, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-the-us-react-if-6-people-were-killed-and-24-mangled-by-cougars-in-highland-park-on-july-4th/967416/32 "2022-07-05T04:42:45Z")
> [@ParallelLines](#): > > And since it would be a simple fix (rather than a huge constitutional, social and political morass) to remove cougars as @Horatius points out - they would be hunted to extinction in weeks. I feel like you kind of missed the point of my second paragraph, there. ---
**Author:** ![phs3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8491ac/32.png) [@phs3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phs3)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2022, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-the-us-react-if-6-people-were-killed-and-24-mangled-by-cougars-in-highland-park-on-july-4th/967416/33 "2022-07-05T05:35:23Z")
Thoughts and prayers. Thoughts and prayers. Oh, and eradication of all animals larger than a housecat, because “you can never be too careful…all life is sacred and invaluable”. Except, if course, where guns are involved. Or unwanted kids, post-birth. ---
**Author:** ![Pavelb1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/439d5e/32.png) [@Pavelb1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pavelb1)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2022, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-the-us-react-if-6-people-were-killed-and-24-mangled-by-cougars-in-highland-park-on-july-4th/967416/34 "2022-07-05T05:49:00Z")
> [@Crane](#): > > Cougars would be considered an immediate threat and shot on sight. A major effort would be made to reduce the Cougar population. Even though there is no significant history of Cougars being aggressive. And that would be a BAD thing to do. So if you want to make an analogy how about make it fit your narrative better? Where did these cougars come from? Did they escape from someones personal, yet legal, petting zoo?? Then yes…laws would IMMEDIATLY get passed to make that sort of thing illegal…even though the other 100,000 Cougar owners did absolutely nothing wrong and it was this one muppets fault they escaped. Laws would be passed to punish all cougar owners. Damnit, still doesn’t fit. OKAY…Cougars escape ALL the time!! Ok, now were getting into that Joker quote made earlier. I don’t know man. ---
**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2022, 7:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-the-us-react-if-6-people-were-killed-and-24-mangled-by-cougars-in-highland-park-on-july-4th/967416/35 "2022-07-05T07:14:51Z")
> [@E-DUB](#): > > To paraphrase a saying: Guns aren’t people, people are people. Or: _“Guns Don’t Kill People, Bullets Do.”_ ---
**Author:** ![QMatic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/aeb1de/32.png) [@QMatic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QMatic)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2022, 9:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-the-us-react-if-6-people-were-killed-and-24-mangled-by-cougars-in-highland-park-on-july-4th/967416/36 "2022-07-05T09:04:38Z")
> [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](#): > > “Guns Don’t Kill People, Bullets Do.” Teeth and claws don’t kill people, cougars do ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2022, 9:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-the-us-react-if-6-people-were-killed-and-24-mangled-by-cougars-in-highland-park-on-july-4th/967416/37 "2022-07-05T09:12:48Z")
If it was a black panther and it killed white people, we’d have cougar control within the week. It the victims were black people, we’d call it gang related. ---
**Author:** ![CardboardBoxx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardboardboxx/32/7079_2.png) [@CardboardBoxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CardboardBoxx)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2022, 9:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-the-us-react-if-6-people-were-killed-and-24-mangled-by-cougars-in-highland-park-on-july-4th/967416/38 "2022-07-05T09:22:09Z")
They’d be arrested. The OP consistently capitalises the C in cougar, so must be using it as a proper noun, not as a big cat. This must be human members of a sports team, “the Cougars”. ---
**Author:** ![Crane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crane/32/3495_2.png) [@Crane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crane)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2022, 11:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-the-us-react-if-6-people-were-killed-and-24-mangled-by-cougars-in-highland-park-on-july-4th/967416/39 "2022-07-05T11:38:35Z")
> [@ParallelLines](#): > > The answer is of course we’d eliminate them That is the logical response. ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2022, 11:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-the-us-react-if-6-people-were-killed-and-24-mangled-by-cougars-in-highland-park-on-july-4th/967416/40 "2022-07-05T11:45:46Z")
In the OP, are we presuming the _existence_ or the _absence_ of a very powerful, generally well-funded lobbying organization called the NFA (National Feline Association) ? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-the-us-react-if-6-people-were-killed-and-24-mangled-by-cougars-in-highland-park-on-july-4th/967416.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-the-us-react-if-6-people-were-killed-and-24-mangled-by-cougars-in-highland-park-on-july-4th/967416.md?page=3)