# "I am not anti-guns. I am anti-bullet holes in my patients." **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 9, 2018, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-not-anti-guns-i-am-anti-bullet-holes-in-my-patients/824268 "2018-11-09T23:42:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 10
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2018, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-not-anti-guns-i-am-anti-bullet-holes-in-my-patients/824268/181 "2018-11-14T19:50:28Z")
> [@madmonk28](#): > > Reducing gun deaths. > > [Massachusetts has an answer to America’s gun problem | Vox](https://www.vox.com/2018/11/13/17658028/massachusetts-gun-control-laws-licenses) > > BTW, I’m still waiting on some cites on your claims on Dr. Melinek, I know she lives in SF, but it’s not clear to me what jurisdictions she works in and in what capacity. You were very sure that she lied about the number of gunshot victims she sees, but I’m going to need some cites. Regardless of the content of the article, bringing up New Hampshire and then not coming back to it is bizarre. The murder rate in NH is 40% of Massachusetts. > [@Lamoral](#): > > Could you explain to me what happened with guns in Australia and Japan? Because as I understand it, there is close to a total ban on guns in those countries. If guns are available to civilians there, I’m pretty sure they are limited to hunting weapons. This country (America) has a very strong concept of people owning weapons for defense, not just hunting. Maybe this concept was never part of Australian culture but it is most definitely part of American culture. When people talk about instituting the types of gun laws of Australia and Japan, in America, how exactly do they think this is going to be done? Arguably true about Japan, but Australia has tons of guns. It’s just especially high in rural areas. And they do ban some certain categories of firearm, which doesn’t always make sense, California-style (something like pump action rifles = ok, pump shotguns = not for some reason). “Hunting weapon” doesn’t mean anything. It’s any weapon taken on a hunting trip. Pretty much all are suitable for some hunting purposes and not for others. Some jurisdictions may restrict calibers to a minimum, or require certain calibers in high-density areas, but there’s no category of hunting weapons. ---
**Author:** ![Urbanredneck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ea5d25/32.png) [@Urbanredneck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urbanredneck)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2018, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-not-anti-guns-i-am-anti-bullet-holes-in-my-patients/824268/182 "2018-11-14T19:58:53Z")
> [@Cheesesteak](#): > > You do realize that 70% of the people in this country don’t own any guns at all. > > The ability to own a gun doesn’t protect you. In fact, the ability to own a gun makes you far less safe because it means that other people have that ability too. One way to (theoretically) balance out that increased risk is to actually own a gun, but only 30% of Americans choose to do so. 70% of our population isn’t afraid to be anti-gun, because that’s exactly how they live. > > Frankly, I think the only reason that 70% isn’t more forcefully anti-gun is the ridiculous hysterics that the remaining 30% employ when even the most timid regulations are proposed. Developed countries across the globe have fully functional societies without being awash in guns, and without tens of thousands of gun-related deaths. I dont know where you get your numbers but that 70% who dont own guns? Well maybe they live in a safe community where they dont need them? Maybe they are too old or too young? Maybe they dont qualify due to being in trouble or having mental issues (its hard to actually buy a gun)? In the video both the girls try to buy a gun but find out they dont qualify (too young, must be over 21). They also might not be able to afford one. But the point is YOU DONT KNOW how much of that 70% number are people who dont own a gun because they dont want to. There could be many reasons but its wrong of you to ASSUME that those 70% dont own guns because they are anti gun or something. Heck up till 2 months ago I also didnt own a gun (I bought a shotgun to try out skeet shooting). Now if you can somehow PROVE that those 70% dont own guns because they dont want them, then go ahead. BTW, we do have strict gun laws in the USA. ---
**Author:** ![JB99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/439d5e/32.png) [@JB99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JB99)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2018, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-not-anti-guns-i-am-anti-bullet-holes-in-my-patients/824268/183 "2018-11-14T20:05:41Z")
> [@Urbanredneck](#): > > BTW, we do have strict gun laws in the USA. Clearly not strict enough. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2018, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-not-anti-guns-i-am-anti-bullet-holes-in-my-patients/824268/184 "2018-11-14T20:11:17Z")
> [@control-z](#): > > I’d like to see less red tape in owning a car, more hospital oversight if it is helpful in lowering costs and/or improving patient outcomes, and no I don’t think we need pool fence laws. I just sold two cars and bought one, and there was precious little red tape. What kind of red tape do you mean? As for pool fence laws, they are meant to keep kids from drowning. Where is your cutoff for enough dead kids to make it worth forcing people to be responsible? ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2018, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-not-anti-guns-i-am-anti-bullet-holes-in-my-patients/824268/185 "2018-11-14T20:16:31Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > the CDC conducted a major two-year independent study of various regulatory laws in 2003. The investigation considered bans on specified firearms or ammunition; gun registration; concealed-weapon carry; and zero-tolerance for firearms in schools. The study concluded there was “insufficient evidence to determine the effectiveness of any firearms laws or combinations of laws reviewed for preventing violence.” > \* > Let me make that clear: The CDC itself determined that was " _insufficient evidence to determine the effectiveness of any firearms laws or combinations of laws reviewed for preventing violence.”_ > > So there is a scientific study that shows that \*\*Gun Laws in the USA can not be shown to reduce violence. \*\* They are absolutely right. Gun Laws in the USA do NOT reduce violence. I wonder why that is? I mean, gun laws in other places reduce violence a whole hell of a lot. Take Vancouver, a city of 600k people. It’s a city with a fair number of sketchy areas, particularly the Downtown Eastside. I visited their Police Museum over the summer with my family and noted their homicide rate in one of their displays. It’s in the teens! Last year they had their “highest murder rate in a decade”… 17. It’s a city the size of Baltimore and they had 17 murders, in a whole year. Baltimore manages that in under 3 weeks. Why do our gun laws do NOTHING when gun laws in other places work? Could it possibly be because our gun laws focus on > [@](#): > > bans on specified firearms or ammunition; gun registration; concealed-weapon carry; and zero-tolerance for firearms in schools instead of actually reducing the number of guns in the country? No wonder they don’t do shit for reducing violence. ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2018, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-not-anti-guns-i-am-anti-bullet-holes-in-my-patients/824268/186 "2018-11-14T20:17:59Z")
> [@Urbanredneck](#): > > Now if you can somehow PROVE that those 70% dont own guns because they dont want them, then go ahead. Are guns too expensive to own? Are they really hard to get? If they wanted them, they would have them. Q.E.D. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2018, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-not-anti-guns-i-am-anti-bullet-holes-in-my-patients/824268/187 "2018-11-14T20:30:33Z")
> [@JB99](#): > > Great! Then you should already be aware of the fact that Australia practically eliminated mass shootings and drastically reduced their suicide rate. > > Because Australians are not Americans. You’re right about that. Let me spell it out for you: > Americans are fucking morons. > Australians are actual adult human beings. > > Turns out, that’s a pretty big difference, and it turns out that’s why Australia can solve their gun violence and Americans cannot. When did this get sent to the Pit?? I must have missed that. But thanks for the insults…appreciate it. At least you seem to understand that there is a difference, so I guess that’s something. ---
**Author:** ![JB99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/439d5e/32.png) [@JB99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JB99)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2018, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-not-anti-guns-i-am-anti-bullet-holes-in-my-patients/824268/188 "2018-11-14T20:45:02Z")
> [@XT](#): > > When did this get sent to the Pit?? I must have missed that. But thanks for the insults…appreciate it. > > At least you seem to understand that there is a difference, so I guess that’s something. I don’t see any insults. At least, none directed at you. Clearly, Australians must be smarter than Americans because Australians have solved their gun problem while Americans appear befuddled and confused. I guess it must be magic, then, because we Americans clearly just can’t figure it out. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2018, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-not-anti-guns-i-am-anti-bullet-holes-in-my-patients/824268/189 "2018-11-14T20:48:13Z")
> [@JB99](#): > > I don’t see any insults. At least, none directed at you. > > Clearly, Australians must be smarter than Americans because Australians have solved their gun problem while Americans appear befuddled and confused. I guess it must be magic, then, because we Americans clearly just can’t figure it out. It’s not clear to me at all that Australians are smarter than Americans…it’s clear that they are different than Americans with different priorities and history. It’s IS clear to me that you don’t like Americans (whether you are one or not…I’m guessing you are, but maybe not) and clear to me that you like to paint with a broad brush, over generalize and that you think that differences=stupid when the differences are ones you don’t agree with. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2018, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-not-anti-guns-i-am-anti-bullet-holes-in-my-patients/824268/190 "2018-11-14T21:02:58Z")
> [@Cheesesteak](#): > > They are absolutely right. Gun Laws in the USA do NOT reduce violence. > > I wonder why that is? > > I mean, gun laws in other places reduce violence a whole hell of a lot… > > Why do our gun laws do NOTHING when gun laws in other places work? … > > Could it possibly be because our gun laws focus oninstead of actually reducing the number of guns in the country? No wonder they don’t do shit for reducing violence. It is not clear that gun laws work elsewhere either. True Western European nations general have fairly strong gun laws and low crime rates. But if you compare ALL nations, not just cherry pick a few, the fact is that the USA is right in the middle of the pack in murders. There are many nations (Mexico) with strong gun laws but very high homicide, and other nations (Finland, Switzerland) with many guns but few murders. If you dont cherry pick the nations you want, there is no correlation. Your penultimate sentence makes no sense? ---
**Author:** ![JB99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/439d5e/32.png) [@JB99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JB99)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2018, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-not-anti-guns-i-am-anti-bullet-holes-in-my-patients/824268/191 "2018-11-14T21:03:50Z")
> [@XT](#): > > It’s not clear to me at all that Australians are smarter than Americans…it’s clear that they are different than Americans with different priorities and history. It’s IS clear to me that you don’t like Americans (whether you are one or not…I’m guessing you are, but maybe not) and clear to me that you like to paint with a broad brush, over generalize and that you think that differences=stupid when the differences are ones you don’t agree with. “Differences = stupid” when people are making excuses to avoid taking responsibility for human lives. In fact, I’m not even sure I would use the word “stupid” for that. Words like “evil,” or perhaps “amoral.” I mean, if someone was ignorant about the success other countries have had in reducing their gun violence, they could at least claim ignorance as an excuse for their bad decisions. But these people aren’t ignorant. They know the situation and they know what works, and they refuse to implement it. They would rather hurl insults at children, and say grieving parents have no souls, and claim that murdered schoolkids are crisis actors, because all of those things allow them to avoid responsibility for solving America’s epidemic of mass shootings. And they do all of these things because owning their stupid fucking metal toys is more important than saving human lives. So, yeah, aside from ‘stupid,’ and ‘evil,’ I’m not sure what other words would apply to such a situation. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2018, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-not-anti-guns-i-am-anti-bullet-holes-in-my-patients/824268/192 "2018-11-14T21:13:00Z")
> [@JB99](#): > > “Differences = stupid” when people are making excuses to avoid taking responsibility for human lives. > > In fact, I’m not even sure I would use the word “stupid” for that. Words like “evil,” or perhaps “amoral.” > > I mean, if someone was ignorant about the success other countries have had in reducing their gun violence, they could at least claim ignorance. But these people aren’t ignorant. They know the situation and they know what works, and they refuse to implement it. They would rather hurl insults at children, and say grieving parents have no souls, and claim that murdered schoolkids are crisis actors, because all of those things allow them to avoid responsibility for solving America’s epidemic of mass shootings. And they do all of these things because owning their stupid fucking metal toys is more important than saving human lives. > > So, yeah, aside from ‘stupid,’ and ‘evil,’ I’m not sure what other words would apply to such a situation. And it’s militantly unsurprising you moved from stupid to amoral and then evil…it’s pretty much evident you feel that way. It’s also clear that you simply don’t understand the actual issue. It’s not that Americans don’t understand how other countries can do this while we can’t. That’s the fundamental disconnect you have on this issue. I understand perfectly why and how other countries have implemented or imposed on many cases gun control on their citizens or population. Americans, as a whole, don’t WANT to do that as we have a different outlook on personal gun ownership. To YOU they are ‘stupid fucking metal toys’, but that’s YOUR opinion, and one you use as a yardstick to call an entire nation stupid, evil and amoral. Would be like me saying that X country is stupid, evil and amoral because they allow their citizens to drink alcohol or smoke tobacco or myriad other things societies allow that WILL kill a non-zero number of their citizens. At any rate, I don’t think this discussion is profitable to either of us. You clearly want to rail against Americans for their stupid, evil and amoral ways, and myself, I don’t see that there is much that can be done aside from howling at the moon. Until and unless a majority of Americans WANT to ban guns, or even heavily restrict them it’s not going to happen. And pointing at the Australians is essentially meaningless, since Australians aren’t Americans and Australia isn’t America. To YOU that means Americans are stupid, ignorant savages who are evil as well, but to me it simply means we are different, with a different history and different priorities. Or to put it a different way and to paraphrase Austin Powers dad, the two things I really hate are people who are intolerant of other people (or paint with broad brushes and say silly things) and…the DUTCH! ---
**Author:** ![JB99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/439d5e/32.png) [@JB99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JB99)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2018, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-not-anti-guns-i-am-anti-bullet-holes-in-my-patients/824268/193 "2018-11-14T21:13:52Z")
And because you missed my earlier post, I’d like to emphasize that I AM an American gun owner. My beef is with specifically with high-capacity, semi-automatic guns that serve no useful function whatsoever, the evil sons of bitches at the NRA who make a killing off of exploiting American fear and stupidity, and the mouth-breathing retards who believe their bullshit. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2018, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-not-anti-guns-i-am-anti-bullet-holes-in-my-patients/824268/194 "2018-11-14T21:16:05Z")
> [@JB99](#): > > And because you missed my earlier post, I’d like to emphasize that I AM an American gun owner. My beef is with specifically with high-capacity, semi-automatic guns that serve no useful function whatsoever, the evil sons of bitches at the NRA who make a killing off of exploiting American fear and stupidity, and the mouth-breathing retards who believe their bullshit. High-capacity, semi-automatic guns are a huge fun to shoot. And are very rarely used in crimes. No reason to target them, other than media attacks. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2018, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-not-anti-guns-i-am-anti-bullet-holes-in-my-patients/824268/195 "2018-11-14T21:19:41Z")
> [@JB99](#): > > And because you missed my earlier post, I’d like to emphasize that I AM an American gun owner. My beef is with specifically with high-capacity, semi-automatic guns that serve no useful function whatsoever, the evil sons of bitches at the NRA who make a killing off of exploiting American fear and stupidity, and the mouth-breathing retards who believe their bullshit. Again, that’s your opinion, and one that isn’t currently a majority view. I kind of figured you were an American…no one hates the US like home grown USers. 😛 Personally, I don’t think that banning high capacity magazines has much point, but certainly if you COULD ban semi-automatic guns that would have an impact. Unfortunately, the majority of guns are semi-automatic, so gun rights advocates would rightfully see that as an attempt to basically ban a large percentage of guns. So, not very likely unless there is a real sea change in the political climate, which I’m not seeing. At that point you might as well just go whole hog and ban them all, which is just as likely. Even if you could do it, which you can’t, you’d have the issue of there being more guns in the US than people. In Australia they basically had a buy back, but that’s really not going to be an option in the US as you’d be hard pressed to get the funding and the logistics of just getting all those weapons or even a large percentage of them would be a nightmare. ---
**Author:** ![JB99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/439d5e/32.png) [@JB99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JB99)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2018, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-not-anti-guns-i-am-anti-bullet-holes-in-my-patients/824268/196 "2018-11-14T21:23:19Z")
> [@XT](#): > > And it’s militantly unsurprising you moved from stupid to amoral and then evil…it’s pretty much evident you feel that way. It’s also clear that you simply don’t understand the actual issue. It’s not that Americans don’t understand how other countries can do this while we can’t. No, the fundamental disconnect is when I see people’s posts implying that this is some kind of great fucking mystery that no one can figure out. > [@](#): > > That’s the fundamental disconnect you have on this issue. I understand perfectly why and how other countries have implemented or imposed on many cases gun control on their citizens or population. Americans, as a whole, don’t WANT to do that as we have a different outlook on personal gun ownership. Well, it must be one or the other, so which is it? If they don’t understand, they’re stupid. If they do understand, but choose not to, they are evil. There you go. That’s it. > [@](#): > > To YOU they are ‘stupid fucking metal toys’, but that’s YOUR opinion, and one you use as a yardstick to call an entire nation stupid, evil and amoral. Would be like me saying that X country is stupid, evil and amoral because they allow their citizens to drink alcohol or smoke tobacco or myriad other things societies allow that WILL kill a non-zero number of their citizens. Well, any nation that produces this many mass killings and refuses to do anything about it must be stupid, or evil, or both. > [@](#): > > At any rate, I don’t think this discussion is profitable to either of us. You clearly want to rail against Americans for their stupid, evil and amoral ways, and myself, I don’t see that there is much that can be done aside from howling at the moon. I just explained to you what can be done. We know what can be done. We just choose not to do it. But I know you know this because… > [@](#): > > Until and unless a majority of Americans WANT to ban guns, or even heavily restrict them it’s not going to happen. Yes, that is the point. We know what can be done but we don’t want to do it. We CHOOSE to let people continue committing mass murder because we don’t want to do anything about it. Please don’t say you “don’t see that there is much to be done” when you very clearly do understand what CAN be done, you just believe it WON’T be done. We CAN fix this problem. We CHOOSE not to. > [@](#): > > And pointing at the Australians is essentially meaningless, since Australians aren’t Americans and Australia isn’t America. It’s called a ‘case study.’ > [@](#): > > To YOU that means Americans are stupid, ignorant savages who are evil as well, but to me it simply means we are different, with a different history and different priorities. Yes, America fetishizes their stupid fucking metal toys and Australia doesn’t. That’s not a difference worth respecting. > [@](#): > > Or to put it a different way and to paraphrase Austin Powers dad, the two things I really hate are people who are intolerant of other people (or paint with broad brushes and say silly things) and…the DUTCH! Yawn. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2018, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-not-anti-guns-i-am-anti-bullet-holes-in-my-patients/824268/197 "2018-11-14T21:24:05Z")
> [@XT](#): > > Personally, I don’t think that banning high capacity magazines has much point, but certainly if you COULD ban semi-automatic guns that would have an impact. Unfortunately, the majority of guns are semi-automatic, so gun rights advocates would rightfully see that as an attempt to basically ban a large percentage of guns. . Well, not semi-auto rifles, etc, since they are very rarely used in crimes. In fact, if you waved a magic wand and made them all go away here in the USA, it \*might \*reduce murders by 4%. Now if you include semi-auto _pistols_, which are very common, then I have no idea. They are used in a lot of crimes, no doubt. Certainly a magic wand\* poof \*would reduce murders for a bit, until revolvers took their place. ---
**Author:** ![JB99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/439d5e/32.png) [@JB99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JB99)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2018, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-not-anti-guns-i-am-anti-bullet-holes-in-my-patients/824268/198 "2018-11-14T21:32:29Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > High-capacity, semi-automatic guns are a huge fun to shoot. And are very rarely used in crimes. No reason to target them, other than media attacks. I don’t give a flying fuck about your “fun.” I don’t. I really, truly, deeply don’t. Because there is no hobby on Earth whose ‘fun’ outweighs my child’s life. None. And yes, high-capacity, semi-automatic weapons are very frequently used in crimes and they are ESPECIALLY used in mass shootings. And in other countries, banning those SPECIFIC firearms - even while retaining low-capacity, slower-firing guns - did wonders to solve the problem of mass violence. Because here’s the thing: In a mass shooting, the only thing that matters is volume of fire. The guns that produce the greatest volume of fire are high-capacity, semi-automatics (short of an actual, belt-fed automatic weapon). Therefore, limiting the number of high-capacity, semi-automatic weapons with box magazines would limit the volume of fire a mass shooter is able to use. Limiting them to things like lever-action rifles and revolvers would reduce the rate of fire and the number of bullets that can be expended between reloads. Here’s an idea: Take a Glock to a shooting range, along with a Single Action Army. See which one can fire more rounds per minute. Go ahead. You come back and tell me how it went. Tell one of those people who got shot in Las Vegas how your ‘fun’ is more important than their life. Christ. I’ve shot so many M-4’s and 249’s I’m bored of it. I spent twenty years shooting the damned things and there’s nothing ‘fun’ left in it. And you know what? If you want to shoot things for fun, boy do I have the thing for you! It’s called the Single Action Shooting Society, and it’s gives you all the make-believe cowboy action your heart could desire. At least that way if you ever decide to snap or some troubled teenager steals your guns, there will be some kind of impediment to their reloading. Fuck your ‘fun.’ ---
**Author:** ![Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/budget_player_cadet/32/205_2.png) [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Budget_Player_Cadet)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2018, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-not-anti-guns-i-am-anti-bullet-holes-in-my-patients/824268/199 "2018-11-14T21:36:10Z")
> [@JB99](#): > > Clearly, Australians must be smarter than Americans because Australians have solved their gun problem while Americans appear befuddled and confused. I guess it must be magic, then, because we Americans clearly just can’t figure it out. [How does the onion put it so succinctly?](https://www.theonion.com/no-way-to-prevent-this-says-only-nation-where-this-r-1830308976) > [@XT](#): > > It’s not clear to me at all that Australians are smarter than Americans…it’s clear that they are different than Americans with different priorities and history. Yeah, they prioritize not having a mass shooting every fucking day over the ability for psychopaths to acquire totally unnecessary murder weapons. How could anyone imagine that Americans would be stupid for having that flipped? ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2018, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-not-anti-guns-i-am-anti-bullet-holes-in-my-patients/824268/200 "2018-11-14T21:44:48Z")
> [@JB99](#): > > I don’t give a flying fuck about your “fun.” I don’t. I really, truly, deeply don’t. Because there is no hobby on Earth whose ‘fun’ outweighs my child’s life. None. > > And yes, high-capacity, semi-automatic weapons are very frequently used in crimes and they are ESPECIALLY used in mass shootings. And in other countries, banning those SPECIFIC firearms - even while retaining low-capacity, slower-firing guns - did wonders to solve the problem of mass violence. You said they had no purpose. But they do. The NYT and the FBI disagrees with you on "high-capacity, semi-automatic weapons are very frequently used in crimes ". Rifles of all sorts are used in about 4% of crimes. > **[The Assault Weapon Myth (Published 2014)](https://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/14/sunday-review/the-assault-weapon-myth.html)** > > Handguns are used in the vast majority of murders each year. [Home | Bureau of Justice Statistics](https://www.bjs.gov/content/pub/pdf/GUIC.PDFThe) FBI’s Supplemental Homicide \*Reports show that 57% of all murders in 1993 were committed with handguns, 3% with rifles, 5% with shotguns, and 5% with firearms where the type was unknown. \* The actual figure is 3%, but 5% is unknown, so I rounded up. Yes, the media does indeed blame "assault weapons’ for mass shootings and indeed they are common there. However, mass shootings of that sort are extremely uncommon, despite media attention. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-not-anti-guns-i-am-anti-bullet-holes-in-my-patients/824268.md?page=9) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-not-anti-guns-i-am-anti-bullet-holes-in-my-patients/824268.md?page=11)