I did say "crime" being prevented. Deaths will fall into that. I am not in the position of doing the survey. This is what existing surveys do. I am in no more of a position of conducting the survey as you are in constructing a television set from earth's raw materials. You, as I, rely on scientists and experts for that.

I accept the criticism.

Gun ownership/promotion within a civilized, policed, democratic society (unless you are a farmer), is merely a reflection of the limited intellectual capacity of the masses.

I have no doubt that there are definitive inverse correlations between literacy, philosophical-intelligence, and gun ownership/promotion.

We must get used to the fact that some 80% of humanity are functional but of limited intellectual capacity, and hope that evolution will continue/succeed in its work before the idiots destroy global ecology.

M

I would argue also that current gun-control promotion within a civilized, policed, democratic society (unless you are a farmer), is merely a reflection of the limited intellectual capacity of the masses.

The tyranny factor, as pointed out in the 2nd amendment, should be what is paramount particularly when considering the very same powers that may wish to disarm you are the ones that lie about such things as weapons of mass destruction in the hands of Saddam Hussein or arm militants to take out foreign leaders whom they disagree with on matters of money and general business just to create wars that kill masses of innocent lives.

The tyranny factor, as pointed out in the 2nd amendment, should be what is paramount particularly when considering the very same powers that may wish to disarm you are the ones that lie about such things as weapons of mass destruction in the hands of Saddam Hussein or arm militants to take out foreign leaders whom they disagree with on matters of money and general business just to create wars that kill masses of innocent lives. — Dalai Dahmer

How might any of these issues be mitigated or addressed via the insanity of 'locked and loaded' public idiocy? I doubt very much that the US government is cautious in respect of foreign or social policy simply because the public have more guns than toasters?

There are deeper issues here

M

Deeper issues than all out war including civil war?

What are these deeper issues?

I would consider 'war' as a very superficial issue that usually results from an ignorance of deeper ones.
Americans might well be considered as being at war with themselves at present, when one considers the death rate from Obesity, Lifestyle, addictions, RTA's, gun violence, racism etc... once again these are all superficial manifestations of deeper issues.

M

Do you want me to remain ignorant by keeping it a secret as to what these deeper issues are?

Do you think sharing important ideas might in fact help resolve these deeper issues you have?

Well....its more complex than a simple 'deeper issue' panacea. The obesity problem and the diabetes problems and the opiate problems for example are all killing people because of the deeper issues of unhappiness and self imposed ignorance. But there are deeper issues still, that pertain to unhappiness and ignorance.

People don't have guns for the sole and somewhat idiotic reason of potentially over-throwing a corrupt government, they have them for deeper issues that are in the same realm of ignorance and unhappiness.

M

Well it may be quite reasonable to arm oneself for the purpose of self defense against those, that, because of their ignorance and unhappiness, may want to harm you.

That's just human life, really. One can be quite philosophical and thinking deeply while walking down the street, maybe even feeling happy, resolved and care free, and then some driver mounts a sidewalk shouting allahu akbar trying to take you out (and not to a restaurant), or any other cultural message they may want to convey.

So there's that possibility.

In terms of tyrannical governments these have always arisen in our human history, and one of the things they first do is take citizen's weapons away to make it less hazardous for them.

Essentially it's planet of the apes, this earth.

Evil in our midst. It's insidious, might even be the kid next door.

The US is a pro choice country. We definitely accept the death of innocent life as “the cost of freedom”, ie maintaining our way of life.

It is the same with our military. Plenty of the “pro life” contingent are not pacifists. They accept the loss of innocent life in a military action. There is a term for it, collateral damage.

It is not that the US accepts murder. Its citizens accept killing of innocents to protect their lifestyle. The game is to maximize the chance for survival of the innocent life you are sympathetic to.

Well yes.

This also brings to mind the ideal that states one should not make empathy one's politics.

To be more accurate: not make one's empathy also their politics.

I would agree in that people's empathy does not result in equal treatment.

We have been having the mindless screaming that NFL players have 1st Amendment rights while on the clock that their employers should not interfere with.

Then Roseanne happens, and the same freedom lovers flip and say, "Wah, wah, wait. Employers SHOULD interfere with their emplyee's free speech rights!!!" She was off the clock.