Comments on: America needs to look at gun laws in civilised countries and learn from them https://habitablezone.com/2022/05/25/america-needs-to-look-at-gun-laws-in-civilised-countries-and-learn-from-them/ Fri, 03 Apr 2026 22:41:18 -0700 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: RL https://habitablezone.com/2022/05/25/america-needs-to-look-at-gun-laws-in-civilised-countries-and-learn-from-them/#comment-49943 RL Sat, 28 May 2022 20:34:01 +0000 https://www.habitablezone.com/?p=94616#comment-49943 Trump celebrating the sacrifice of toddlers on the GOP/NRA's bloody altar.... The first 3 minutes are all you need to watch- but you will need a strong stomach: <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5IeiyrUhe0A" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe> Trump celebrating the sacrifice of toddlers on the GOP/NRA’s bloody altar….
The first 3 minutes are all you need to watch- but you will need a strong stomach:

]]> By: ER https://habitablezone.com/2022/05/25/america-needs-to-look-at-gun-laws-in-civilised-countries-and-learn-from-them/#comment-49939 ER Sat, 28 May 2022 12:54:15 +0000 https://www.habitablezone.com/?p=94616#comment-49939 Its an attempt to justify pandering to a political ally by distorting historical texts. This debate is the same one that occurred to justify and implement Jim Crow. Only a few nouns and verbs were substituted. Yep. Its the same debate, the same arguments, the same participants, the same clashing ideologies. Who was allowed to vote in the early 1800s? Only White males who owned property were considered 'people'. Our forefathers did not want an Athenian Democracy where the rabble would have an equal vote. They wanted a Roman Republic run by a wealthy land-owners and merchants. Our political parties are aptly named. They still serve the same constituencies. Its an attempt to justify pandering to a political
ally by distorting historical texts. This debate is the same one that occurred to justify and implement Jim Crow. Only a few nouns and verbs were substituted.

Yep. Its the same debate, the same arguments, the same participants, the same clashing ideologies.
Who was allowed to vote in the early 1800s? Only White males who owned property were considered ‘people’. Our forefathers did not want an Athenian Democracy where the rabble would have an equal vote. They wanted a Roman Republic run by a wealthy land-owners and merchants.

Our political parties are aptly named. They still serve the same constituencies.

]]> By: podrock https://habitablezone.com/2022/05/25/america-needs-to-look-at-gun-laws-in-civilised-countries-and-learn-from-them/#comment-49938 podrock Sat, 28 May 2022 04:34:31 +0000 https://www.habitablezone.com/?p=94616#comment-49938 "There shall be no infringement upon the right of the people to keep and bear arms, being necessary to the security of a free State, as part of a well regulated Militia." Actually, it's pretty clear this way too. “There shall be no infringement upon the right of the people to keep and bear arms, being necessary to the security of a free State, as part of a well regulated Militia.”

Actually, it’s pretty clear this way too.

]]> By: podrock https://habitablezone.com/2022/05/25/america-needs-to-look-at-gun-laws-in-civilised-countries-and-learn-from-them/#comment-49937 podrock Sat, 28 May 2022 04:26:43 +0000 https://www.habitablezone.com/?p=94616#comment-49937 Is how to amend it. What would be the actual phrasing? In as few words as already exists. Is how to amend it. What would be the actual phrasing? In as few words as already exists.

]]> By: podrock https://habitablezone.com/2022/05/25/america-needs-to-look-at-gun-laws-in-civilised-countries-and-learn-from-them/#comment-49936 podrock Sat, 28 May 2022 03:46:28 +0000 https://www.habitablezone.com/?p=94616#comment-49936 "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed." The guys who wrote this were smart. They knew how to write. They knew to put the important part first in a sentence. As you so well point out, the SCOTUS inverted it. “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.”

The guys who wrote this were smart. They knew how to write. They knew to put the important part first in a sentence. As you so well point out, the SCOTUS inverted it.

]]> By: ER https://habitablezone.com/2022/05/25/america-needs-to-look-at-gun-laws-in-civilised-countries-and-learn-from-them/#comment-49934 ER Sat, 28 May 2022 01:19:53 +0000 https://www.habitablezone.com/?p=94616#comment-49934 The Constitution says the states have the right to establish "well-regulated militias" because the early Americans felt uncomfortable about keeping standing armies. The purpose of these militias was to combat insurrections, maintain public order, defend against attacks by Indians and put down slave revolts. A Conservative-stacked Supreme Court chose to <em>interpret</em> the 2nd Amendment so that it meant every citizen had the right to own firearms, which had never been spelled out that way; although I must admit it had never been expressly forbidden by the founders either. The Supreme Court was wrong, although I choose to accept that decision because I am a strict Constitutionalist and I will accept it even though I do not agree with it. I cannot expect the court to agree with me on every issue. Even so, the 2nd amendment, as now interpreted by SCOTUS, does not prevent the government from <em>regulating</em> firearms. A workable compromise would be to allow citizens the right to own firearms, but forbid them to take them out in public unless they were dismantled. This would allow their transport to places authorized for legitimate use in hunting or sport and still allow people to protect their homes from intruders. This would not make gun crime impossible, but that is a bogus argument. Traffic laws don't make reckless driving impossible either, but they save lives. But the SCOTUS decision is still wrong, just like the attempt to nullify Roe v Wade is also wrong. The Constitution says the states have the right to establish “well-regulated militias” because the early Americans felt uncomfortable about keeping standing armies. The purpose of these militias was to combat insurrections, maintain public order, defend against attacks by Indians and put down slave revolts.

A Conservative-stacked Supreme Court chose to interpret the 2nd Amendment so that it meant every citizen had the right to own firearms, which had never been spelled out that way; although I must admit it had never been expressly forbidden by the founders either.

The Supreme Court was wrong, although I choose to accept that decision because I am a strict Constitutionalist and I will accept it even though I do not agree with it. I cannot expect the court to agree with me on every issue. Even so, the 2nd amendment, as now interpreted by SCOTUS, does not prevent the government from regulating firearms. A workable compromise would be to allow citizens the right to own firearms, but forbid them to take them out in public unless they were dismantled. This would allow their transport to places authorized for legitimate use in hunting or sport and still allow people to protect their homes from intruders. This would not make gun crime impossible, but that is a bogus argument. Traffic laws don’t make reckless driving impossible either, but they save lives.

But the SCOTUS decision is still wrong, just like the attempt to nullify Roe v Wade is also wrong.

]]> By: ER https://habitablezone.com/2022/05/25/america-needs-to-look-at-gun-laws-in-civilised-countries-and-learn-from-them/#comment-49933 ER Sat, 28 May 2022 01:04:11 +0000 https://www.habitablezone.com/?p=94616#comment-49933 Hey, I don't fantasize about killing blacks, or Mexicans, or Jews or Commies, or even Liberals. <img src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/09/Woody_Guthrie_2.jpg/465px-Woody_Guthrie_2.jpg" alt="." /> Hey, I don’t fantasize about killing blacks, or Mexicans, or Jews or Commies, or even Liberals.

.

]]> By: podrock https://habitablezone.com/2022/05/25/america-needs-to-look-at-gun-laws-in-civilised-countries-and-learn-from-them/#comment-49930 podrock Fri, 27 May 2022 22:42:15 +0000 https://www.habitablezone.com/?p=94616#comment-49930 It's in our constitution. While it can be changed, it takes a lot to do it. The Congress has to approve, a majority of states have to give a thumbs up, it's a pain in the butt. For good reason. Giving women the right to vote came down to one state, and one person in that state legislature to vote yes. But only after his mother gave him a good talking to did it get approved. We can't even get the "well regulated" part right. It’s in our constitution. While it can be changed, it takes a lot to do it. The Congress has to approve, a majority of states have to give a thumbs up, it’s a pain in the butt. For good reason.

Giving women the right to vote came down to one state, and one person in that state legislature to vote yes. But only after his mother gave him a good talking to did it get approved.

We can’t even get the “well regulated” part right.

]]> By: Pebble https://habitablezone.com/2022/05/25/america-needs-to-look-at-gun-laws-in-civilised-countries-and-learn-from-them/#comment-49929 Pebble Fri, 27 May 2022 20:38:58 +0000 https://www.habitablezone.com/?p=94616#comment-49929 Without prohibition of possession the laws re purchasing are not enough Without prohibition of possession the laws re purchasing are not enough

]]> By: podrock https://habitablezone.com/2022/05/25/america-needs-to-look-at-gun-laws-in-civilised-countries-and-learn-from-them/#comment-49927 podrock Fri, 27 May 2022 20:11:54 +0000 https://www.habitablezone.com/?p=94616#comment-49927 was posted by the company that made the guns used in Texas. Fetish, exhibit B: <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/christmas-card-guns-lauren-boebert-thomas-massie-start-new-culture-ncna1285709" rel="nofollow">https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/christmas-card-guns-lauren-boebert-thomas-massie-start-new-culture-ncna1285709</a> was posted by the company that made the guns used in Texas.

Fetish, exhibit B:

https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/christmas-card-guns-lauren-boebert-thomas-massie-start-new-culture-ncna1285709

]]>