A Message to the Citizens of the United States of America

[Xant]

Yeah, dismantling the TSA (which would be good, but only if another similar, less fucked up organization took its place) and giving pilots guns instead would be retarded. I think it's a good idea, but just as an added security measure, not as the only security measure.

[Leshma]

Don't worry, Ron Paul knows the solution to that, too, and it's to have a gun in every home. Preferably several, including assault rifles.

Isn't that already the case? I always believed that everyone in America has a gun or two.

Off-topic: Fellow 'mericans, citizens of ze glorious state of Texas, why you pay no taxes when buying crap on Amazon?

[okiN]

Isn't that already the case? I always believed that everyone in America has a gun or two.

No, the situation is disastrous, there's still some legislation in place!

[Leshma]

For all the huff and blunder about terrorism, there is next to none seen in america in years.

That's because you guys invented a loophole which allows you to use preventive measures against terrorists.

Yeah, I agree most of those terrorists USA killed deserved it.

But in most countries it's a crime and morally unacceptable.

Shooting a guy and mortally wounding him when he is attempting to kill someone is totally right thing to do. Targeted killing with ballistic projectiles at any given time is not.

Your president Obama is a cold-blooded killer just like those terrorists who killed thousands of people.

Hopefully there will be the day when he and some of your former presidents will be held responsible for what they had done.

I'm pretty sure that day will happen sooner or later.

[Kafein]

Terrorism in america is a joke used to crack down liberties and militarize police forces.

I've seen this in GTA 4, it got to be true. Now seriously, at some point it is. In the US, but also in Europe. Al-quaida -like Terrorism is an interesting geopolitic event because most of the trauma happened due to changes in regulations and the media, not the actual bombings/plane hijacks. Even more interestingly, the reactions that ensued were for the biggest part completely inapropriate. Based on a precautionary dogma instead of realistic estimates of what the terrorist groups actually had the resources to do. Terrible nightmares are still nightmares. The war on terror was (is ?) mostly nightmare-fueled.


IMO the best thing we could do now to prevent any plane hijack would be either :

- Completely automate the plane controls. You set the landing airport from somewhere impossible to reach during the flight, or only through seriously secured wireless connections.
- Remote human pilot. A pilot is in the start airport for the take-off and another in the end airport for the landing. Securing the connection and the place in the airport is easier than securing the plane. Would also improve the landing/take-off security because pilots would be used to their airport (but would need training for multiple planes)

[Leshma]

I shouldn't write my previous post. Right now I'm genuinely scared.

Who knows, maybe US Government has some old drone laying somewhere collecting dust, perfect for disposing a little ol' me, big mouthed guy on some god forbidden forums who dares to speak against ze mighty America and question their moral values.

[Oberyn]

If you're genuinely scared because you posted something criticizing the US on the internet you are far dumber and dramatic than I already assumed you were. There's tons of stuff to criticize about the American government, but their efforts at censorship and propaganda are usually far subtler than some Soviet like iron fisted violence.

[Banok]

I wasnt under the impression any american had the sense to be anti guns, surely all the candidates are pro guns. its like their religion or something.

[Reinhardt]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFXXAuDK1Ao

I feel it didn't get enough attention last time. It's hilarious. Watch it.

[Angantyr]

Don't worry, Ron Paul knows the solution to that, too, and it's to have a gun in every home. Preferably several, including assault rifles.

I'm with ya, Ronnie! You show those bleeding hearts what's what!

Yes, Ron Paul is probably wrong in saying that this would accomplish anything but more sad mass-murders, like the ones we have already seen too many of in US history (certainly compared to Europe). Even minor incidents can turn deadly very quickly when everyone is carrying firearms (I can assure you that several of my friends would not be alive today if we didn't mostly fight unarmed here in Denmark), but we have to remember that if you say A in these matters you also have to say B, and Ron Paul is for nearly full individual freedom. The thought is good, but something tells me it looks better on paper, even if no one wants a babysitter government.

And the old libertarian thought that this threat of armed rebellion somehow enables the people to be free of government tyranny obviously forgets to take into account how modern war is waged; if the army turned on the people it would be nothing but an immense slaughter (akin to the false premise of 'our' recent terror bombing of Lybia) , we're talking tactical nukes, jets, destroyers and artillery.

Edit:
Also, in regards to the Civil War; slavery was not the main issue here, it was only a means for powerful men in the North to subdue powerful men in the South (whose wealth largely relied on slavery). And yes, of course it would have been abolished without a war, most of the rest of the World had already done so without any bloodshed whatsoever (same could be said about a few European democratic revolutions against their respective monarchies).

Not that slavery has been completely abolished even today, looking at the number of blacks imprisoned in the US (see below) or the average living conditions in black and latino ghettos. Working firebranded in the cotton field or working in a privately owned prison or working three jobs with no minimum wage limit doesn't seem that different to me. Nature versus nurture. And that is not even taking into account the modern slavery conducted by our corporations abroad.

49% of prison inmates nationally are African American, compared to their 13% share of the
overall population.
1
• Nearly one in three (32%) black males in the age group 20-29 is under some form of criminal
justice supervision on any given day -- either in prison or jail, or on probation or parole.
2
• As of 1995, one in fourteen (7%) adult black males was incarcerated in prison or jail on any
given day, representing a doubling of this rate from 1985.  The 1995 figure for white males
was 1%.
• A black male born in 1991 has a 29% chance of spending time in prison at some point in his
life.  The figure for white males is 4%, and for Hispanics, 16%

Source: http://www.sentencingproject.org/doc/publications/rd_crisisoftheyoung.pdf

[Konrax]

Yes, Ron Paul is probably wrong in saying that this would accomplish anything but more sad mass-murders, like the ones we have already seen too many of in US history (certainly compared to Europe). Even minor incidents can turn deadly very quickly when everyone is carrying firearms (I can assure you that several of my friends would not be alive today if we didn't mostly fight unarmed here in Denmark), but we have to remember that if you say A in these matters you also have to say B, and Ron Paul is for nearly full individual freedom. The thought is good, but something tells me it looks better on paper, even if no one wants a babysitter government.

And the old libertarian thought that this threat of armed rebellion somehow enables the people to be free of government tyranny obviously forgets to take into account how modern war is waged; if the army turned on the people it would be nothing but an immense slaughter (akin to the false premise of 'our' recent terror bombing of Lybia) , we're talking tactical nukes, jets, destroyers and artillery.

Edit:
Also, in regards to the Civil War; slavery was not the main issue here, it was only a means for powerful men in the North to subdue powerful men in the South (whose wealth largely relied on slavery). And yes, of course it would have been abolished without a war, most of the rest of the World had already done so without any bloodshed whatsoever (same could be said about a few European democratic revolutions against their respective monarchies).

Not that slavery has been completely abolished even today, looking at the number of blacks imprisoned in the US (about 25% of all male blacks have been imprisoned at least once, and often more, if I remember my numbers right) or the average living conditions in black and latino ghettos. Working firebranded in the cotton field or working in a privately owned prison or working three jobs with no minimum wage limit doesn't seem that different to me. Nature versus nurture. And that is not even taking into account the modern slavery conducted by our corporations abroad.

Norway has one of the lowest crime rates in the world.

Everyone in Norway carries a gun and has mandatory military training.

So basically if you pull a gun on someone for what ever reason, that person will pull a gun, plus every other bystander will pull a gun out too, and is trained how to use it.

[Angantyr]

The differences in culture, and gun culture, is vast. Also, in Norway it is mostly hunting rifles locked away at home, not guns carried around for personal protection (or with the intent of crime for that sake).

There's been several social studies (I can find sources if you want them, have better things to do right now) conducted which shows the primus motor for crime rates, especially violent crime, is inequality. Norway is one of the most equal countries in the World and the US is one of the more unequal.

But the argument that guns does not necessarily mean a lot more homicide is valid, of course.

[Xant]

Norway has one of the lowest crime rates in the world.

Everyone in Norway carries a gun and has mandatory military training.

So basically if you pull a gun on someone for what ever reason, that person will pull a gun, plus every other bystander will pull a gun out too, and is trained how to use it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_gun_ownership

Norway is #11. Finland, where I live, is #8. And I can assure you that certainly not "everyone" carries a gun. In fact, most people don't own guns and certainly don't carry them around.

From a wiki article on Norway's gun politics:

"The owner must always have a good reason to bring the weapon to a public place. Such reasons include transportation to a range or hunting area, transportation for repairs, or for maintenance and hobby activities.
During transportation, the weapon must be empty and concealed, but not worn on the body, and under the constant supervision of the owner. This applies equally to replicas, air guns and decommissioned firearms."

So basically the same as Finland in that regard as well.

Do you live in Norway? Because judging by everything you don't, if you think everyone in Norway is carrying and will pull out a gun if someone else does.

[Christo]

Norway has one of the lowest crime rates in the world.

Everyone in Norway carries a gun and has mandatory military training.

So basically if you pull a gun on someone for what ever reason, that person will pull a gun, plus every other bystander will pull a gun out too, and is trained how to use it.

So that's why one sick Norwegian called Breivik easily killed 77 innocent people, right?

I think not.

[Angantyr]

Already posted this in the Scandi subforum but it fits in here perfectly:

Why Norway isn't a democracy according to Fox News
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7EX3km583Dw&list=FLck2ToW6_zytMkNacEfu4VQ&index=4&feature=plpp_video