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Sierra280 · February 21, 2014, 01:06 PM

I don't want to start a raging debate but this is just something I've been thinking about and needed to ask.

I've been wondering why we (the US) have more gun violence than other countries (more specifically, active shooter situations ending in suicide) now by any individual measure of the possible cause, there are worse countries (ie, it's because we have the most guns--Actually Canada has more per capita; it's because of all the broken homes--the UK has more, etc). The only thing I keep thinking is that it's because of our basic ideals as Americans, ideals that are even contrary to most religious beliefs. Specifically, that there are many things more important than life itself; freedom, liberty, quality of life, etc. It wasn't professional soldiers that won our independence, it was men with their hunting rifles, willing to die for principle. Even though Judeo-Christian religions teach that life is precious above all else (slave beliefs) it is ingrained in our national ethos that in fact life is not precious above all. So as poverty increases, as does the gap between classes, those who are destitute or feel they no hope of a better life see the mass shooting/suicide as the only reasonable option, as it is generally in fitting with their core beliefs and those of our nation.

This of course is not counting those who do such things due to mental illness (Charles Whitman, etc) but actually caring for all our citizens health problems is an entirely different discussion.

February 21, 2014, 01:06 PM	#1
Sierra280 Junior member Join Date: July 29, 2013 Location: Gardnerville, NV Posts: 569	Gun violence in America I don't want to start a raging debate but this is just something I've been thinking about and needed to ask. I've been wondering why we (the US) have more gun violence than other countries (more specifically, active shooter situations ending in suicide) now by any individual measure of the possible cause, there are worse countries (ie, it's because we have the most guns--Actually Canada has more per capita; it's because of all the broken homes--the UK has more, etc). The only thing I keep thinking is that it's because of our basic ideals as Americans, ideals that are even contrary to most religious beliefs. Specifically, that there are many things more important than life itself; freedom, liberty, quality of life, etc. It wasn't professional soldiers that won our independence, it was men with their hunting rifles, willing to die for principle. Even though Judeo-Christian religions teach that life is precious above all else (slave beliefs) it is ingrained in our national ethos that in fact life is not precious above all. So as poverty increases, as does the gap between classes, those who are destitute or feel they no hope of a better life see the mass shooting/suicide as the only reasonable option, as it is generally in fitting with their core beliefs and those of our nation. This of course is not counting those who do such things due to mental illness (Charles Whitman, etc) but actually caring for all our citizens health problems is an entirely different discussion.