[qxamak]

I've always found this debate interesting. I own a few guns and don't want to see my rights restricted. But I also don't feel comfortable with the thought of my kid's teacher carrying a gun. And while I don't dismiss the possibility of armed teachers being a deterrent for school shootings, I do question the fact that so many other countries that have more restrictive gun control laws also have far fewer homicide rates (especially in mass shooting situations).

As a scientist, it feels like I'm looking at a dataset of the rest of the world that shows a strong correlation between strict gun control and lower homicide rates. But then I say to myself, "maybe we (America) can have less gun control, which will cause us to exhibit even lower homicide rates". But I know that thought doesn't really make sense.

[ryandrake]

Actually, "I want them to get rid of other people's guns but not mine" is probably a widely held opinion on the gun debate in the US. I admittedly share this point of view. "I like this law as long as they don't apply it to me" is how this country works!

[jotm]

... my response can be summed up with "wat"

Edit: fine, alright. He's questioning the fact so many other countries with strict gun controls have fewer homicide rates. No shit they do.

Acknowledging the correlation between gun control and lower homicide rates, this "scientist" then says to himself "maybe we can have less gun control, which will cause us to exhibit lower homicide rates".

And then he edits it with "But I know that thought doesn't really make sense".

Fucking social media, I swear. I want to quit it like I want to quit nicotine and alcohol.

[qxamak]

I was trying to point to the absurdity of the debate, even as someone who (moderately) opposes gun control laws. And I think we actually agree with each other on the "scientific" basis of my comments. I view the logic behind the debate in a similar way that a drunk driver might say, "well, if I was even more intoxicated, then I wouldn't have caused that accident". It doesn't really make sense to think that way. But the narrative of putting more guns into schools as a benefit has been pushed so hard that it actually makes me question the potential positive outcome (as opposed to outright rejecting it based on the preponderance of evidence to the contrary).