That's significantly higher in the US than it is here, but you don't hear about it due to the overwhelming amount of gun crime.
The thing that amazes me the most is the amount of them who believe they are living in the greatest country in the world.
The USA is one of the greatest countries in the world.
...if it wasn't for the Americans.
I've always found Americans to be very warm people. A bit gobby, but ultimately friendly.
So have I, very welcoming to me when I lived there. Some comments bordering xenophobic but it’s sweet cos it’s america.
It's easy virtue signalling to criticise the USA. I have worked on and off for American companies for 20 years and spend a lot of time their on business and for pleasure. Its a great country for so many reasons and I love going. That said, it has embedded issues which I can't see them overcoming any time soon.
A good friend of mine lives in Atlanta. He’s not really a politics guy but has voted Dem more than GOP. He announced to me recently that he was building an area in his basement to keep his guns. I was quite shocked that he had a gun let’s alone guns, as I’ve known him a long while and he’d never mentioned it once. He then said that he had recently spent $10k on a gun. He’s got a few quid but my levels of amazement increased when he told me how much he’d spent on his arsenal. When I asked why, he said it was to protect his family and he wanted the best gear. People say it’s political but I think it’s more than that. I doubt any of us will see the abolition of the right to bear arms in our lifetime.
Hard to know if you would buy a gun in his scenario. With all the criminals having guns you would be tempted in case of home invasion.
Of course the risk of dying because you accidently shoot yourself/get shot is much higher than dying from a burglar because you don't have a gun.
I think that’s his reasoning. I didn’t elaborate in my original post but he said “how else am I supposed to defend us if there’s a home invasion”. The way he said it and the look on his face, suggested that he was was surprised I was even asking the question! as you say, hard to know if you’d by a gun if you were in his scenario but I guess if everyone in your social circle had them, you’d keep up with the Joneses.
That's significantly higher in the US than it is here, but you don't hear about it due to the overwhelming amount of gun crime.
The thing that amazes me the most is the amount of them who believe they are living in the greatest country in the world.
The USA is one of the greatest countries in the world.
...if it wasn't for the Americans.
I've always found Americans to be very warm people. A bit gobby, but ultimately friendly.
So have I, very welcoming to me when I lived there. Some comments bordering xenophobic but it’s sweet cos it’s america.
It's easy virtue signalling to criticise the USA. I have worked on and off for American companies for 20 years and spend a lot of time their on business and for pleasure. Its a great country for so many reasons and I love going. That said, it has embedded issues which I can't see them overcoming any time soon.
It's hardly virtue signalling to criticise the US - the embedded issues are too frequently ignored. I'm sure if it wasn't such an influential country there would be far less debate.
Horrific. And the police questioned this guy and let him go. You can't separate out the gun nonsense from the racism that's behind IMO.
The whole story is shocking. An old racist with a gun feels threatened by the sight of a black kid and shoots them - presumably he'll get off.
I must be getting nasty in my old age, but I saw a picture of the old racist's wooden house and my first thought was 'that looks as if it would burn really well'
Horrific. And the police questioned this guy and let him go. You can't separate out the gun nonsense from the racism that's behind IMO.
The whole story is shocking. An old racist with a gun feels threatened by the sight of a black kid and shoots them - presumably he'll get off.
I must be getting nasty in my old age, but I saw a picture of the old racist's wooden house and my first thought was 'that looks as if it would burn really well'
Horrific. And the police questioned this guy and let him go. You can't separate out the gun nonsense from the racism that's behind IMO.
The whole story is shocking. An old racist with a gun feels threatened by the sight of a black kid and shoots them - presumably he'll get off.
I must be getting nasty in my old age, but I saw a picture of the old racist's wooden house and my first thought was 'that looks as if it would burn really well'
Miraculously the boy survived - quite amazing.
Hard to imagine how anyone can survive a bullet wound to the head. Hope he makes a full recovery.
A good friend of mine lives in Atlanta. He’s not really a politics guy but has voted Dem more than GOP. He announced to me recently that he was building an area in his basement to keep his guns. I was quite shocked that he had a gun let’s alone guns, as I’ve known him a long while and he’d never mentioned it once. He then said that he had recently spent $10k on a gun. He’s got a few quid but my levels of amazement increased when he told me how much he’d spent on his arsenal. When I asked why, he said it was to protect his family and he wanted the best gear. People say it’s political but I think it’s more than that. I doubt any of us will see the abolition of the right to bear arms in our lifetime.
Hard to know if you would buy a gun in his scenario. With all the criminals having guns you would be tempted in case of home invasion.
Of course the risk of dying because you accidently shoot yourself/get shot is much higher than dying from a burglar because you don't have a gun.
I think that’s his reasoning. I didn’t elaborate in my original post but he said “how else am I supposed to defend us if there’s a home invasion”. The way he said it and the look on his face, suggested that he was was surprised I was even asking the question! as you say, hard to know if you’d by a gun if you were in his scenario but I guess if everyone in your social circle had them, you’d keep up with the Joneses.
If it’s to protect your family in the event of a home invasion, I get it in a society so saturated with them. I like to think I’d go with upping security over a firearm, but I’m not living it so I don’t know.
However, if it’s a home invasion - why is one gun not enough? How much time will you honestly have to go to and open your arsenal to then select the right weapon for the job?
I do know, first hand, that there is a massive and growing market for the other tactical gear to go along with their weapons. Full special forces spec helmets, top end body armour, webbing etc. A lot of these guys seem to be taking the militia part of the right to bear arms increasingly seriously.
A good friend of mine lives in Atlanta. He’s not really a politics guy but has voted Dem more than GOP. He announced to me recently that he was building an area in his basement to keep his guns. I was quite shocked that he had a gun let’s alone guns, as I’ve known him a long while and he’d never mentioned it once. He then said that he had recently spent $10k on a gun. He’s got a few quid but my levels of amazement increased when he told me how much he’d spent on his arsenal. When I asked why, he said it was to protect his family and he wanted the best gear. People say it’s political but I think it’s more than that. I doubt any of us will see the abolition of the right to bear arms in our lifetime.
Hard to know if you would buy a gun in his scenario. With all the criminals having guns you would be tempted in case of home invasion.
Of course the risk of dying because you accidently shoot yourself/get shot is much higher than dying from a burglar because you don't have a gun.
I think that’s his reasoning. I didn’t elaborate in my original post but he said “how else am I supposed to defend us if there’s a home invasion”. The way he said it and the look on his face, suggested that he was was surprised I was even asking the question! as you say, hard to know if you’d by a gun if you were in his scenario but I guess if everyone in your social circle had them, you’d keep up with the Joneses.
If it’s to protect your family in the event of a home invasion, I get it in a society so saturated with them. I like to think I’d go with upping security over a firearm, but I’m not living it so I don’t know.
However, if it’s a home invasion - why is one gun not enough? How much time will you honestly have to go to and open your arsenal to then select the right weapon for the job?
I do know, first hand, that there is a massive and growing market for the other tactical gear to go along with their weapons. Full special forces spec helmets, top end body armour, webbing etc. A lot of these guys seem to be taking the militia part of the right to bear arms increasingly seriously.
No I agree mate. That’s what surprised me the most. Why does he need an arsenal locked away in his basement to defend his home. Why isn’t one gun enough. As you say tho, we’re not living it and American cities are ultra dangerous at the moment. Have a look what happened in Chicago at the weekend and San Fran is now a nearly empty dystopian metropolis.
But this is a moderate corporate guy we’re talking about here. Not a fully paid up member of the NRA. This is why is believe the gun issue is next to impossible to resolve.
An arsenal locked away provides absolutely zero defence against home invasion. No home invader is going to allow you the time to go and unlock your arsenal, load your weapons, etc.
On the other hand, if you have a family, then having a loaded weapon in your bedside cabinet (literally the only place it's going to be of any use to you if somebody breaks in during the night) is horrifically irresponsible if you have a family. The odds on your kids finding and harming themselves/others with it are far far higher than the odds of anybody breaking in.
Afearican - Someone from the US enjoying freedom in a safe country, but still experiencing the fears that are rational in the US but are irrational in the country they are in.
The above term has gone around a bit on social media on the back of a couple of videos going viral - one on a dancefloor in London when a confetti cannon goes off with a bang and an American woman hits the floor and covers her head. Everyone else carries on un-phased. The other being I think in Spain where some people are eating outside and a car backfires and the 2 Americans at the table either run or dive under the table. There have been comments about all sorts of things that Americans do as second nature without even thinking but are no longer necessary such as sitting facing the door in a restaurant, sitting near the exits in a cinema etc.
I cant imagine that kind of life. Crazy how much fear is in their lives all the time.
There was a bit of discussion on the documentary Bowling for Columbine about what drives the fear in America. Very much borne from rampant consumerism seemed to be one theory.
There was a bit of discussion on the documentary Bowling for Columbine about what drives the fear in America. Very much borne from rampant consumerism seemed to be one theory.
The bit about an escalator eating you if you aren't careful always stuck with me.
And as for it being "xenophobia" to point out America's weaknesses, there's an irony of anyone accusing people of being xenophobic towards Americans, quite possibly the most xenophobic developed nation on earth (once we are done self flaggelating ourselves of course).
Afearican - Someone from the US enjoying freedom in a safe country, but still experiencing the fears that are rational in the US but are irrational in the country they are in.
The above term has gone around a bit on social media on the back of a couple of videos going viral - one on a dancefloor in London when a confetti cannon goes off with a bang and an American woman hits the floor and covers her head. Everyone else carries on un-phased. The other being I think in Spain where some people are eating outside and a car backfires and the 2 Americans at the table either run or dive under the table. There have been comments about all sorts of things that Americans do as second nature without even thinking but are no longer necessary such as sitting facing the door in a restaurant, sitting near the exits in a cinema etc.
I cant imagine that kind of life. Crazy how much fear is in their lives all the time.
It's not like this though is it. I've travelled to a lot of America in the last few years since I live on its border, and most cities feel as safe as any western city.
Just come back from Austin and San Antonio and they're vibrant cities with a lot to like. LA and SF are going downhill rapidly and New Orleans scared me a bit, but everywhere else still gives me a thrill.
Afearican - Someone from the US enjoying freedom in a safe country, but still experiencing the fears that are rational in the US but are irrational in the country they are in.
The above term has gone around a bit on social media on the back of a couple of videos going viral - one on a dancefloor in London when a confetti cannon goes off with a bang and an American woman hits the floor and covers her head. Everyone else carries on un-phased. The other being I think in Spain where some people are eating outside and a car backfires and the 2 Americans at the table either run or dive under the table. There have been comments about all sorts of things that Americans do as second nature without even thinking but are no longer necessary such as sitting facing the door in a restaurant, sitting near the exits in a cinema etc.
I cant imagine that kind of life. Crazy how much fear is in their lives all the time.
It's not like this though is it. I've travelled to a lot of America in the last few years since I live on its border, and most cities feel as safe as any western city.
Just come back from Austin and San Antonio and they're vibrant cities with a lot to like. LA and SF are going downhill rapidly and New Orleans scared me a bit, but everywhere else still gives me a thrill.
That's rather the point they seem normal on the face of it because so many of these actions are second nature they aren't even aware they are doing them. The sitting near an exit in a theatre/cinema is something I've experienced with friends from California. They would never say they were living in fear and had never been involved in an incident but Picking seats online for a musical and they choose near an exit. When I point out that there are better seats for the same price they stll want the exit until I push them for a reason why.
That's before you get to things like active shooter drills in school, kids fighting to be last in line when a fire drill happens because statistically it's more likely to be an active shooter than a fire, a significant proportion of kids having a bulletproof rucksack (or insert in their rucksack) for school even those aged under 10.
You can't tell me people aren't scared but a double digit proportion of kids are having expensive protective gear as a rucksack for school. It might seem normal so they don't realise they're scared but they are. That was the point of my previous post it's only when you take them out of that environment and the fear becomes irrational that they realise how scared they are.
Sadly, there is an element of this in our lives as well. Some of it is just being sensible.
- When I'm flying, I never hang about the terminal land side, and get through to airside as soon as practicably possible. There is less chance of a terrorist attack once you have gone through security.
- If I'm in London and on the tube, I stand well back from the platform when the train is approaching so some nutter has less chance of pushing me onto the line.
- Whenever we go any where busy / touristy with the kids, they get told the same "if we tell you to run, drop everything and run as fast as you can with me".
Statistically the chances of anything happening is pretty much nil, and I've never not done anything on the basis that something might happen, but I take actions that seem appropriate. I'm fortunate enough to travel to the US several times a year. I take the same precautions there as I do here. I genuinely never feel less safe in US cities than I do in UK cities (although statistically I probably am...).
Afearican - Someone from the US enjoying freedom in a safe country, but still experiencing the fears that are rational in the US but are irrational in the country they are in.
The above term has gone around a bit on social media on the back of a couple of videos going viral - one on a dancefloor in London when a confetti cannon goes off with a bang and an American woman hits the floor and covers her head. Everyone else carries on un-phased. The other being I think in Spain where some people are eating outside and a car backfires and the 2 Americans at the table either run or dive under the table. There have been comments about all sorts of things that Americans do as second nature without even thinking but are no longer necessary such as sitting facing the door in a restaurant, sitting near the exits in a cinema etc.
I cant imagine that kind of life. Crazy how much fear is in their lives all the time.
It's not like this though is it. I've travelled to a lot of America in the last few years since I live on its border, and most cities feel as safe as any western city.
Just come back from Austin and San Antonio and they're vibrant cities with a lot to like. LA and SF are going downhill rapidly and New Orleans scared me a bit, but everywhere else still gives me a thrill.
Really liked SF when we were there (2001) thought New Orleans was good to though the lady who owned the guest house where we stayed did advise us on where not to go, seem to remember her saying don't go south of a certain street the name of which I can't recall.
Afearican - Someone from the US enjoying freedom in a safe country, but still experiencing the fears that are rational in the US but are irrational in the country they are in.
The above term has gone around a bit on social media on the back of a couple of videos going viral - one on a dancefloor in London when a confetti cannon goes off with a bang and an American woman hits the floor and covers her head. Everyone else carries on un-phased. The other being I think in Spain where some people are eating outside and a car backfires and the 2 Americans at the table either run or dive under the table. There have been comments about all sorts of things that Americans do as second nature without even thinking but are no longer necessary such as sitting facing the door in a restaurant, sitting near the exits in a cinema etc.
I cant imagine that kind of life. Crazy how much fear is in their lives all the time.
It's not like this though is it. I've travelled to a lot of America in the last few years since I live on its border, and most cities feel as safe as any western city.
Just come back from Austin and San Antonio and they're vibrant cities with a lot to like. LA and SF are going downhill rapidly and New Orleans scared me a bit, but everywhere else still gives me a thrill.
That's rather the point they seem normal on the face of it because so many of these actions are second nature they aren't even aware they are doing them. The sitting near an exit in a theatre/cinema is something I've experienced with friends from California. They would never say they were living in fear and had never been involved in an incident but Picking seats online for a musical and they choose near an exit. When I point out that there are better seats for the same price they stll want the exit until I push them for a reason why.
That's before you get to things like active shooter drills in school, kids fighting to be last in line when a fire drill happens because statistically it's more likely to be an active shooter than a fire, a significant proportion of kids having a bulletproof rucksack (or insert in their rucksack) for school even those aged under 10.
You can't tell me people aren't scared but a double digit proportion of kids are having expensive protective gear as a rucksack for school. It might seem normal so they don't realise they're scared but they are. That was the point of my previous post it's only when you take them out of that environment and the fear becomes irrational that they realise how scared they are.
I live in California and have lived here years. I can honestly say I have never met anyone who lives with the fear of what you are talking about here. I don’t know anyone, for example, who would purposely sit near an exit in a movie theater because of their fear of guns. That is my experience of living here on and off for over 40 years.
I'm anti-gun like everyone here, but the idea that everyone is living in perpetual fear is nonsense
The human mind won’t allow for living in perpetual fear. Any country where people send their kids to school with Kevlar backpacks and sit in coffee shops so they can see the door and exits is beyond my understanding. Weird weird country on many levels.
Comments
as you say, hard to know if you’d by a gun if you were in his scenario but I guess if everyone in your social circle had them, you’d keep up with the Joneses.
I do know, first hand, that there is a massive and growing market for the other tactical gear to go along with their weapons. Full special forces spec helmets, top end body armour, webbing etc. A lot of these guys seem to be taking the militia part of the right to bear arms increasingly seriously.
On the other hand, if you have a family, then having a loaded weapon in your bedside cabinet (literally the only place it's going to be of any use to you if somebody breaks in during the night) is horrifically irresponsible if you have a family. The odds on your kids finding and harming themselves/others with it are far far higher than the odds of anybody breaking in.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-65330696
The above term has gone around a bit on social media on the back of a couple of videos going viral - one on a dancefloor in London when a confetti cannon goes off with a bang and an American woman hits the floor and covers her head. Everyone else carries on un-phased. The other being I think in Spain where some people are eating outside and a car backfires and the 2 Americans at the table either run or dive under the table. There have been comments about all sorts of things that Americans do as second nature without even thinking but are no longer necessary such as sitting facing the door in a restaurant, sitting near the exits in a cinema etc.
I cant imagine that kind of life. Crazy how much fear is in their lives all the time.
Without guns, how can we keep our properties safe from six year old girls and basketballs?
And as for it being "xenophobia" to point out America's weaknesses, there's an irony of anyone accusing people of being xenophobic towards Americans, quite possibly the most xenophobic developed nation on earth (once we are done self flaggelating ourselves of course).
They build entire political campaigns on it ffs
Just come back from Austin and San Antonio and they're vibrant cities with a lot to like. LA and SF are going downhill rapidly and New Orleans scared me a bit, but everywhere else still gives me a thrill.
San Antonio https://www.ksat.com/news/local/2023/04/20/murder-charge-filed-against-nw-side-woman-accused-of-shooting-killing-boyfriend/
That's before you get to things like active shooter drills in school, kids fighting to be last in line when a fire drill happens because statistically it's more likely to be an active shooter than a fire, a significant proportion of kids having a bulletproof rucksack (or insert in their rucksack) for school even those aged under 10.
You can't tell me people aren't scared but a double digit proportion of kids are having expensive protective gear as a rucksack for school. It might seem normal so they don't realise they're scared but they are. That was the point of my previous post it's only when you take them out of that environment and the fear becomes irrational that they realise how scared they are.
- When I'm flying, I never hang about the terminal land side, and get through to airside as soon as practicably possible. There is less chance of a terrorist attack once you have gone through security.
- If I'm in London and on the tube, I stand well back from the platform when the train is approaching so some nutter has less chance of pushing me onto the line.
- Whenever we go any where busy / touristy with the kids, they get told the same "if we tell you to run, drop everything and run as fast as you can with me".
Statistically the chances of anything happening is pretty much nil, and I've never not done anything on the basis that something might happen, but I take actions that seem appropriate. I'm fortunate enough to travel to the US several times a year. I take the same precautions there as I do here. I genuinely never feel less safe in US cities than I do in UK cities (although statistically I probably am...).