Thursday, October 4, 2012

The Debate Question that Should Have Been Asked

 via Foreign Policy by Stephen M. Walt

"Since 9/11 the United States has spent hundreds of billions of dollars protecting Americans from "global terrorism." Yet the number of U.S. citizens killed by terrorists is very low. Since 9/11, in fact, the United States has lost on average fewer than 32 citizens per year to terrorist violence. Even if you include the 2,689 lives lost on 9/11, the annual average over the past 11 years is less than 275. And 9/11 was clearly an anomaly. 

By contrast, every year more than 30,000 Americans are killed by guns here in the United States, a rate higher than any other advanced industrial country. Given that extraordinary death toll, why have both of you failed to speak out about the need for more effective gun control, even after several recent mass killings? As president, what will each of you do to decrease the danger Americans face from domestic gun violence, which is far greater than the risk they face from global terrorism?"

6 comments:

  1. Don't you get the point? There is no support for gun control in this country. That's your answer.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. "There is no support for gun control in this country."

      What, like none?????

      Delete
    2. There is so little that it's inconsequential.

      Delete
  2. Polls routinely show 70-90% support among citizens for stricter gun regulation (see link below for example statistics). So don't give me your twisted "no support" BS, Greg. The problem is that our politicians bow down for some reason to the gun lobby. Time for them to get their priorities straight and represent the majority of their constituents, as well as protect the general welfare of the people against this clear public health crisis.

    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/daniel-gross/the-87-say-solutions-to-g_b_1939615.html

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hey Greg, ever notice that this guy ("Baldr Odinson") sounds quite a lot like the infamous "E.N."? Are some unemployed NKVD or CCP agents trolling the blog?

      Also, why would the citizens of this country, who practically riot when the government forces them to take their shoes off at the airport, decide to put up with the the greatest violation of their rights yet to be seriously proposed? There is more public consensus now than ever, that every reasonably law abiding, responsible and sane, citizen is endowed with (or otherwise possesses) the (constitutionally guaranteed) human right to possess a means to defend their life, liberty and property from encroachment by the hands of criminals, whether they be civilian or State.

      Delete
    2. I-A-N, I refuse to refer to him by that name, since it belongs to the Norse gods and he has no right to steal it. He quotes from polls, but look at the source: Dan Gross of the Brady Bunch. He looks like someone trying to sell you a bridge, and if you look into his background, you'll see that this has been his whole career.

      I'll trust the fact that gun control consistently fails. The voters don't elect politicians who support it. That's the poll that matters.

      Delete