In respectful and peaceful memory of anyone who may have lost their lives during the Las Vegas False Flag (https://www.reddit.com/r/LasVegasFalseFlag)
I present a perspective -- in the form of a "discussion" -- between two thoughtful people ("Bee" & "Grace"):
BEE:
Attention everyone... I am posting this meme because i think we should ban guns:
GRACE:
20% of all deaths in the US (and worldwide) are caused by "junk food" and "toxic ingredients" (https://www.naturalnews.com/2017-09-28-groundbreaking-study-reveals-20-of-all-deaths-caused-by-junk-food-and-toxic-food-ingredients.html)-- fascism and shitty education is a violation of human rights.
Guns are just a very loud, "red herring" -- with only MINIMAL impact in comparison. #justmyhumbleopinion
BEE:
What a foolish thing to say.
There is no comparison to junk food and gun violence. Calling Americans dumb? Seriously, crazy views.... Poverty does not equate to stupidity.
GRACE:
"Poverty does not equate to stupidity."
... really going to have to agree to disagree with you on that point.
(2) http://www.newsweek.com/2016/09/02/how-poverty-affects-brains-493239.html
(3) http://www.businessinsider.com/poverty-effect-on-intelligence-2013-8
BEE:
OK, fine...
But I have a choice in junk food and fascism, (education is a service), but I don't have a choice in being a victim or not in a mass shooting!
The US government is failing to protect its people from such barbaric violence with such horror and frequency. And you want to compare it to junk food?
GRACE:
Bee, you have a choice because you are educated with cash enough to buy "organic" -- if you choose.
The rest of the poor, dumb Americans are just as much victims of circumstance.
Yes, lets compare how many poor dumb Americans die from junk food vs. guns, shall we ? :)
I know mines is not a popular opinion -- probably because I don't get my "news" from CNN, but...i hope you can at least appreciate my sincerity -- even if i am simply naive (though... i don't think i am).
BEE:
I appreciate any sincerity and that includes yours. But I must say you are quite off here.
GRACE:
Thank you for acknowledging my sincerity.
OK, if not "junk food", then how about "prescription drugs"?
(source: https://mises.org/blog/dea-releases-new-drug-overdose-death-figures-guns-safer-prescription-drugs)
Perhaps we should ban prescription drugs ?
My greater point... a lot of products cause death!
I just don't believe that making things illegal solves those problems.
Education is the key. (New laws solve nothing when existing laws are not even enforced.)
And just to be clear... I am no fan of guns: Never owned one. Never will.
But I am also no fan of false narratives -- for example, "facts" in the form of totally unsourced "internet memes" as a way to influence an agenda -- that's a very slippery slope, in my humble opinion.
So... with that said, please take a look at this chart:
(source: http://www.gunfacts.info/gun-control-myths/government-gun-laws-and-social-costs/)
considerations:
- (1) most gun death statistics include "suicide" -- which constitute ~64% !!!
(2) suicides are on the rise... which is why most people assume gun violence is on the rise, but according to anything i can find, homicide by gun rates are actually falling.
(3) we can debate why suicide rates are skyrocketing, but i would like to reiterate by point: junk food creates hormone imbalance, which leads to depression.... which leads to suicide.
(4) to make a point:
...if i was Queen of GRACELANDIA,
...and you were queen of BEELANDIA
... and I banned junk food, and you banned guns...
(A) which "country" might you imagine (just guessing... I have no proof one way or another... we're just speculating) would show the greatest improvement in quality of life over a 10 years span ?
(B) which country (might you imagine -- all else being equal - over 10 years) would show the greatest general decline in homicides? (
C) which country (GRACELANDIA vs BEELANDIA) would show the greatest decline in suicides -- over 10 years all all ease being equal ?
BEE:
The "myth" is that it's OK to have a citizen walking around with guns... Not OK ever.
GRACE:
We are on the same team... we both agree that unnecessary deaths are bad.
We simply disagree on what constitutes effective solution(s).
Food for thought...