Our trigger-happy generation

[SecularMotion]

The fear I refer to here is one that is created by American gun culture—a culture I admittedly did not grow up in and do not fully understand. I am a Chinese Australian Canadian who was raised in Beijing, Sydney, and Toronto. The closest I have been to an unholstered, loaded gun was when my family was pulled over for speeding in the Florida Keys and the officer approached us with his firearm raised. The first time I heard a gun discharge was during a rowing training camp in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.

While I believe the precedent and tradition behind American gun culture is rich, one would have to be blind to neglect the dangers it brings American society. When I say danger, however, I do not refer to the palpable: homicide rates, suicide rates, mass killings. I refer to the systematic fear created amongst communities as well as amongst the policemen who put their lives on the line for the sake of service.

Civilians live in the fear that others have firearms and thus feel the need to defend themselves with guns. This psychological mentality of fear and self-defence propagates a culture of paranoia, ironically making both civilian life and policing even more dangerous.

A statistic often cited when criticizing the American police force is the frequency with which they draw their firearms. One can blame this statistic on poor police training or disturbing power dynamics. However, I contend that in the case of Peter Liang, as well as in many other cases, the cycle of fear caused by American gun culture is the root of the problem.

http://columbiaspectator.com/opinion/2016/03/01/our-trigger-happy-generation

[ileus]

1. Chinese, Australian, Canadian....someone loves labels.

[Orrex]

2. .

[rjsquirrel]

3. Or maybe they moved twice?

Americans love labels too.

Anyway he is right. The rest of the civilized world wonders what the fuck is wrong with Americans to fetishize tools of violence as signs of masculinity.

The most common use of a gun other than hunting or target practice is suicide. So there's that. Maybe soon the nutters will just start offing themselves and each other once open carry extends to churches and nursery schools and the like.


My daily mockery of pathetic overcompensating white male middle-aged raging DU gun nuts herewith commences. As soon as they wake up and finish putting in the dentures.

They only hang out here as trolls. They think that it's their mission to shout down and intimidate liberals. Not one of them is an honest democrat or liberal. They obviously don't support either dem presidential candidate because gun control is in the platform.

So ask yourself why a bunch of screaming, hateful, uncompromising gun nutters would settle in on a democratic community website.

The answer is that they are wimps and bullies. That's also why they like guns so much. They need them to feel manly.

Also it makes them go nuts with impotent rage when they can't intimidate someone by shouting out their usual NRA rhetorical talking point bullshit. And when that someone knows and has experience with guns and violence.

Hi RKBA boys. I have you mostly on ignore but that's only because I don't care what you have to say, not because I'm scared of your widdle guns.

[Press Virginia]

5. You really, really hate inanimate objects

what is a gun nut anyway?

[Straw Man]

8. Cheerleading for suicide?

The most common use of a gun other than hunting or target practice is suicide. So there's that. Maybe soon the nutters will just start offing themselves and each other once open carry extends to churches and nursery schools and the like.

And homicide? Classy. Oh so classy.

My daily mockery of pathetic overcompensating white male middle-aged raging DU gun nuts herewith commences. As soon as they wake up and finish putting in the dentures.

I still have most of my own teeth, thank you very much, but your mockery of the infirmities of age is duly noted.

They only hang out here as trolls. They think that it's their mission to shout down and intimidate liberals. Not one of them is an honest democrat or liberal. They obviously don't support either dem presidential candidate because gun control is in the platform.

Beg your pardon? I believe in ALL rights: the right of women to have control over their bodies, the right of people to marry whomever they choose, the right of workers to unionize and advocate for their own best interests, the right of all constituencies to vote, the right to keep and bear arms, etc. I support the Democratic presidential candidate with the best track record in all those areas. I'll let you figure out who that is.

Also it makes them go nuts with impotent rage when they can't intimidate someone by shouting out their usual NRA rhetorical talking point bullshit.

It would seem that only the only one raging here is you.

And when that someone knows and has experience with guns and violence.

There you go again. Here's a hint: vague appeals to authority carry no more weight than explicit ones. Less, actually.

[Nuclear Unicorn]

10. The guy who wrote this --

My daily mockery...

Then went on to write this in the very next paragraph --

They only hang out here as trolls. They think that it's their mission to shout down and intimidate...

Hypocrisy of just an extreme lack of self-awareness?

Hi RKBA boys.

Some of us are girls and we don't appreciate your daily forays into misogynistic bullying and hyper-sexual stereotypes.

[sarisataka]

11. Looks like

somebody woke up on the wrong side of the bridge today

[GGJohn]

21. And apparently krispos42 has had enough of his hateful rants.

Blocked members


1 Hoyt
2 Electric Monk
3 rjsquirrel

[beergood]

22. why block them

don't stoop to their level, let them share their opinions. they provide entertainment if nothing else.

[DonP]

23. Their posts deteriorated into escalating mockery and personal attacks

After multiple warnings and numerous "heads up" messages warning them of their behavior and the consequences, they were finally banned.

In all of the DU Universe our Host seems to be the most patient with idiots and trolls.

[discntnt_irny_srcsm]

12. In some circles the claim is made...

...that a group's greatness is figured on how mighty its enemies be. I read pathetic attacks and insults everyday while rights associated with firearms and their lawful use and ownership are expanding. A lot is said about the NRA and all the evil gun owners. Not much pro-control ever happens.

I see nothing mighty nor anything awesome in either side of this issue. I see division and hate being spread and resources that could be brought to bear on problems wasted. Your name calling and repeated posts lacking substance, having no relevance to the group SOP and serving only to disrupt speak to your interests and lack of respect.

[ileus]

13. I sincerely hope they get over us.

[beevul]

14. Sorry but nope.

The rest of the civilized world wonders what the fuck is wrong with Americans to fetishize tools of violence as signs of masculinity.

76 percent of Americans support the second amendment as an individual right. The 'rest' of society that you refer to, is a relatively small sliver.

The most common use of a gun other than hunting or target practice is suicide.

Wrong again. The most common use of a gun other than hunting or target practice is defensive gun use. Many studies have been done about that, and even the studies with the lowest numbers still show higher numbers of defensive gun use than suicides and homicides combined.

My daily mockery of pathetic overcompensating white male middle-aged raging DU gun nuts herewith commences.

That's what...the third or fourth admission now, that you aren't actually here to discuss anything?

On edit: I love it when gun haters go full Rubio:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10027651373

They only hang out here as trolls.

And theres the predictable projection. You just got done admitting being here only to troll, now you're accusing others of it.

They think that it's their mission to shout down and intimidate liberals. Not one of them is an honest democrat or liberal. They obviously don't support either dem presidential candidate because gun control is in the platform.

I dare say that most of US are far more liberal than most of the gun control folks. As in classic liberal. Whats more, we pro-gun folks are closer to the party platform as a group, than you on the anti-gun side.

So ask yourself why a bunch of screaming, hateful, uncompromising gun nutters would settle in on a democratic community website.

Poor bongbong. The only ones "screaming hateful and uncompromising", are you anti-gun loons, and heres the proof:

Bloomberg gun-control group launches new ad against McAuliffe

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1172186703

The answer is that they are wimps and bullies.

And yet they don't need to ignore opposing viewpoints, or create a group where those opposing viewpoints are silenced, nor do they need to 'ignore' anyone.

You're the bully.

Also it makes them go nuts with impotent rage when they can't intimidate someone by shouting out their usual NRA rhetorical talking point bullshit.

I don't see you standing in the way, stopping anyone. I do see you with your fingers in your ears using the ignore function. Oh well, if you think that makes it all go away, please continue.

And when that someone knows and has experience with guns and violence.

An empty inference.

Hi RKBA boys. I have you mostly on ignore but that's only because I don't care what you have to say, not because I'm scared of your widdle guns.

Hi bongbong. I don't care in the least that you have me on ignore, because the rest of the world will still see your screeds shredded.

I fear neither open discussion, nor your ignore gambit, nor your use of the alert button.

[Eleanors38]

16. Watch it! The old jon boats with smokey Evinrudes & bait casters over the gunwales are out.

One musn't speak of Maoists; Penis, "raging DU gun nutters" and anything else backed up in the toilet, is acceptable fare in DU.

[beevul]

17. They're just pissed because they can't win on substance.

Its just a tantrum, it will subside.

[Marengo]

18. What demographic group are you a member of, gun owner?

[Press Virginia]

7. While I'm sure some people buy guns out of fear....saaaaay a woman

who has a stalker or violent ex.
I somehow don't believe the majority of gun owners are engaging in an arms race with their neighbors.

[Brickbat]

9. "This psychological mentality of fear and self-defence propagates a culture of paranoia, ironically

making both civilian life and policing even more dangerous."

I'm not quite sure why he conflates fear and self-defense. (I mean, I know why; I'm just disappointed he'd be that lazy, I guess.) As I went through my options after one too many ticklish situations living rural, I felt no fear at all; I felt good for taking care of myself and my needs. I didn't feel paranoia; I knew what the stakes were, having lived through them. I don't worry that "others have firearms." Who has that kind of time?

I contend that in the case of Peter Liang, as well as in many other cases, the cycle of fear caused by American gun culture is the root of the problem.

Oh, HERE's where the dog is buried, as the Russians say. At this point, I actually clicked through and read the whole thing. The article isn't about gun culture. It's about a college junior reaching for a way to absolve Peter Liang. Live and learn, bud!

[Eleanors38]

15. Standard errors, however acceptable to MSM & gun prohis...

Homicide rates have been decreasing significantly for over a "generation." Which "gen" is the writer in?

Mass killings, using the old FBI standard, are floating at around Two (2) per year for over 35 years. Even Mother Jones agrees with that number.

Many folks have problems with law enforcement practices, but however they are viewed, the rate of violent crime is and has been Dropping. Hard fact.

The "fear" this writer speaks of seems, therefore, a product of those with a prohibitionist agenda. While he seems to acknowledge this in some way, the prohis in DU still like to throw around paranoia and fear as a moral charge (what psychology seems to be about in these threads anyway) as an ineffective distraction.

[Eleanors38]

24. So long we have heard gun-owners are old white guyz. Is Liang telling us different?

Is he admitting that some undeclared Gen® is creeping into the mix?