Originally Posted By Chris in Atlanta Okay X, you asked me something, I have something I would like to know from you. In times past you have discussed now and then, how Japan is a safe country in spite of the fact that he citizens are not armed. Can you please offer a discussion on why that is, and if it would work in the USA and IF it works in England and New Zealand, etc... But the main point on how, why, and examples of what happens to people who break these laws. Surely someone still "carries" in Japan?
Originally Posted By Mr X I get the impression that this will be moved to WorldEvents sooner rather than later. Well, going backwards, I would say that very, VERY few people "carry" in Japan. Perhaps only some organized crime types. It's next to impossible to get a gun through any legal means (I recently learned it IS possible if you are a hunter to buy a rifle, but you have to jump through a MILLION hoops and there are no "gun stores" per se). So, I would say there are very few guns even IN the country since it would be a tough thing to smuggle in as well. I'm a little confused about your "in spite of the fact the citizens aren't armed" comment, since even an armed citizenship is irrelevant to the number of crimes attempted (thus the level of "safety"), only perhaps as some sort of deterrent but even then, if there are no home invasions (there are very few attempted in Japan afaik) or other attempted crimes, who needs any deterrents? Anyway, I can't say if it would work or not in America, but it's a moot point due to the second amendment. I would have to see some data on crime rates and gun deaths in side by side comparisons with cities having harsh gun control laws versus not. But I will say that the Japanese CULTURE is very different anyway, so that has as much to do with the low level of violent crime as lack of guns (there aren't a whole lot of knife wielding muggers running around either, even though knives are easy enough to get).
Originally Posted By RoadTrip I'm not X. I'm not nearly as smart or as well informed as X. But in my opinion... America is a violent society. It has been from the very beginning when settlers first fought with the natives and later fought with the British. Violence is glorified in American history, whether it is "Custer's Last Stand", "Shootout at the OK Corral", or the story of "Bonnie and Clyde". We thirst for stories of Jesse James and Al Capone and Tony Gambino. We glorify guns like no other country on earth. Frankly, we are a freaking evil country when it comes to violence. Undoubtedly the worst in the civilized world. But what the hey... we have our second amendment rights and even Obama is afraid to take that on. Meanwhile we die in greater numbers than any other nation on earth while the red state folks cling to their guns and their religion; somehow equating them as one and the same. Go figure. How did they get that belief from worshiping a peacenik like Jesus?
Originally Posted By Mr X Some more info... "Tokyo is the safest major city in the world. Only 59,000 licensed gun owners live in Tokyo. Per one million inhabitants, Tokyo has 40 reported muggings a year; New York has 11,000. The handgun murder rate is at least 200 times higher in America than Japan. The official homicide rate in Japan in 1988 was 1.2 homicide cases per 100,000 population, while in America it was 8.4 homocide cases per 100,000. Robbery is almost as rare as murder. Indeed, armed robbery and murder are both so rare that they usually make the national news, regardless of where they occur. Japan's robbery rate is 1.4 per 100,000 inhabitants. The reported American rate is 220.9. People walk anywhere in Japan at night, and carry large sums of cash." <a href="http://www.guncite.com/journals/dkjgc.html" target="_blank">http://www.guncite.com/journal...jgc.html</a>
Originally Posted By Mr X ***How did they get that belief from worshiping a peacenik like Jesus?*** That's an amazing conundrum, isn't it? Interesting post, RT. Thanks. (okay, you're "nearly" as smart and well informed as I )
Originally Posted By mawnck >>Frankly, we are a freaking evil country when it comes to violence. Undoubtedly the worst in the civilized world.<< Oh good ... we still qualify as civilized.
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Originally Posted By Chris in Atlanta >>>But what the hey... we have our second amendment rights and even Obama is afraid to take that on.<<< Ummmm... please don't toss this post into the heap labeled, "Insane Right Winger Spouting Lies about Obama the Socialist" But, no I don't think President Obama is "afraid" of anything when if comes to things within our borders, and quite honestly this may be the time we need someone like that. However, we just had one President like that, and that didn't end up so well, started good, ended not so good.
Originally Posted By Chris in Atlanta >>>the red state folks cling to their guns and their religion<<< My best friend in Phoenix went yesterday to purchase HER Glock P19 C. She said that the reason she was buying it is because she lives alone and has wanted to do so for a long time. She already has lessons scheduled with the local range and I think she is very able to defend herself should the need arise. There are other circumstances as well, recent events involving a certain individual, so she truly does have a need for this. Too bad she doesn't live in Japan, and I'm only partly joking. She is not Southern. She does not live in a Red state. She is not religious per se. So your comment RT is misplaced.
Originally Posted By Mr X ***X the stats in #4 are jaw dropping!*** Yeah, right? Actually, Mrs X guessed (when I asked her about this) that the mugging rate in NYC would be around 1,000 per year, and Tokyo 500. The actual percentage difference is truly stunning. But certainly guns are not the only reason (unless all 11,000 muggings in NYC, not to mention the 40 in Tokyo, were all accomplished at gunpoint). ***What are we doing wrong?*** Allowing the divide between sickeningly rich and desperately poor to continue to expand? I would cite that before I'd worry about firearms or the lack thereof.
Originally Posted By Chris in Atlanta >>>the red state folks cling to their guns and their religion<<< Yes its a very good piece of mind to be grounded and know what you believe in. I will admit in spite of the last example of my friend in Phoenix, that this statement IS true, but that there are other people in other states with other backgrounds that want to own guns as well. As for guns and religion, why should I NOT cling to them? I have specific RIGHTS to do so? Why would you want to take those rights from me? Do you say we should amend the constitution of the United States and take those rights away from me? Why is that? That's FUBAR.
Originally Posted By Mr X ***So your comment RT is misplaced.*** That's not fair based on only one example. Here's a story about crime in Japan (and it also speaks to some of the gestapo techniques by police mentioned in the article I linked to). An American associate of mine (a businessperson in good standing in the Tokyo area), arrived home to find himself the victim of an extremely rare home invasion. He found the criminal in his apartment. He threw the (Japanese) guy out the window (second floor apartment). Police came, sent the criminal away in an ambulance, and arrested my friend. The criminal, meanwhile, claimed that it was in fact HIS apartment, and that he was assaulted and thrown out the window by my friend. The police harshly interrogated my (American) friend for 10 hours straight, no water, food or bathroom breaks, all the while the actual criminal relaxed in a hospital bed. My friend would've been in even MORE trouble (perhaps), had his landlady not been called and asked to see to her injured "tenant" in the hospital. She went over, realized that the guy in the bed was NOT her tenant, and proceeded to the police department to ask what the heck was going on. The police released my friend without so much as an apology, after the landlady cleared things up. So, it's not like things are all roses and sunshine in the land of the rising sun. Stuff happens everywhere.
Originally Posted By Mr X ***Why would you want to take those rights from me?*** Whoever suggested that? If you're referring back to the Obama comment, I think he meant that they cling to that when all else sucks. Which is understandable. But also a little bit counter-productive, since they should be looking for ways to better their situation if possible. But nobody (Obama included) suggested that their right to cling to guns and religion should be curtailed afaik.
Originally Posted By Mr X ***But also a little bit counter-productive, since they should be looking for ways to better their situation if possible.*** In other words, kissing your weapon goodnight and thanking Jesus before going to sleep, while perhaps comforting, will do NOTHING to make your tomorrow any brighter. Unless your "tomorrow" consists of killing someone, and/or dying.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip <<But, no I don't think President Obama is "afraid" of anything when if comes to things within our borders,>> "Afraid" was probably the wrong word, but Obama did recently state that he was not going to push for renewal of the assault weapons ban. He said with popular opinion being what it is he knew there was no way it would get through congress so he wasn't going to waste his time on it.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip <<She is not Southern. She does not live in a Red state. She is not religious per se. So your comment RT is misplaced.>> Arizona may not be "southern", but it is as Red as a state can get!!
Originally Posted By hopemax Perhaps a better phrase would be "Obama sees bigger fish to fry than second amendment issues."
