THis is what I meant by culture Aaron. You go to Japan and ask them how they protect themselves from a break an enter, they would look at you weird. Same with the UK and Canada, the swiss and almost any other country on the planet. The US has the highest number of gun crimes in the world, as well a the highest number of guns per capita. Its your culture because its in your bill of rights (which is hidden behind all too often). (im not counting unstable countries).

You are brought up in a country where guns are glorified. There is a difference between "Son, this is a gun, you use it for hunting, it is not a joke or to be played with" and " YEEHAWW brandy just turned 3, its time for her to get the new matell Barbie catallac pink remington .22" . Im not saying that as a negative, just to clarify

I live in what most people here would cal the "ghetto". It isnt the best part of town, and no one here has bars on their doors or windows, and no one that I know of owns a gun for self defence (all hunting rifles). IMO the only reason you "need" guns for defence in the us, is because you have so many guns and such easy access to them.

Why wouldnt I protect my family with a gun? Because I dont feel the need to kill someone for breaking in my house. Humans as a species already have enough of a napoleon complex, and even in my area, which is far from being "safe", I still dont feel the need to have a gun. IF they are breaking in, they are most likely looking for money or things to sell. My life, my families or even the theifs life isnt worth risk loosing over a few meager possesions in my house. IF they want to come in and steal my stuff, so be it.

Re: the lady with the gun.

Most theives dont want trouble, they want in and out. THe vat majourity of burglaries are done within 2 minutes. There is no reason to think that any theif would have the time or need to harm anyone unless they got in their way. How is shooting an unarmed person self defence? Up here self defence only goes as far as equil measure. If I shot someone, who broke into my home that was unarmed, id get charged with assult.

Again, it comes down to this question: Why should anyone feel the need to have to protect their home so much, tha they need a gun? You make a good point Aaron "the crazy will find their way" and its true. That means whether you have guns or bars on your windows or not.

Barb - I dont think its as easy as "they have the same oppertunities as us". I think Aaron can corroberate that. They may have the same choice options, but dont have as easy access to it. You ask many people in those bad situations, theyll say they didnt have a choice (even though they did). Many kids do indeed break free of that cycle but not all of them that are brought up in that culture. Most people learn almost everything by their parents, or by those to take care of them as kids, and if they are brought up in a violent community, ripe with gangs, the odds are that is what that kid will be prone to doing when they are older. Its a social issue because of lack of funding for poor families - in other words money

You go to Japan and ask them how they protect themselves from a break an enter, they would look at you weird. Same with the UK and Canada, the swiss and almost any other country on the planet.

Look at how strict Japan's immigration policies are...you and I cannot move to Japan and become citizens.
America has always welcomed everyone, a true melting pot, to their credit.

Its a social issue because of lack of funding for poor families - in other words money

I don't agree with that, Jesse.
There were poor families always...look at subsistence farmers, the people that opened up the West, the dirty thirties, the Dust Bowl, etc.
They didn't resort to crime, they didn't hurt their neighbors by thieving from them (only the banks did that....ahem).
Drugs are responsible for all that.
And lousy parenting, made worse by 50% divorce rate.

Barb

This reiterates most of my points.

http://news.yahoo.com/around-world-gun-rules-results-vary-wildly-075244259.html

And canada also has one of the highest influx of immagrants in the world, also one of the better crime rates:

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/blogs/canada-politics/canada-population-reaches-35-million-fastest-growing-g8-174256519.html

You are brought up in a country where guns are glorified. There is a difference between "Son, this is a gun, you use it for hunting, it is not a joke or to be played with" and " YEEHAWW brandy just turned 3, its time for her to get the new matell Barbie catallac pink remington .22" . Im not saying that as a negative, just to clarify

I can see you must not have been brought up around guns, if you have than you should know people brought up around them have nothing but the highest respect for them. They are not toys, and they are not cheap! People respect them like they would a new car. People don't just shoot them off willy nelly. Most people I know keep them in locked safes! My dad would not even let us play guns when I was a kid. Get your ass whoop for pointing your finger like a gun at someone. "YEEHAWW Brandy just turned 3, she gets a doll. lol

Even bb guns are not treated like toys especially by people raised around guns! Did you know, even pointing you finger at someone like a gun can land you in jail. To say we glorify reckless use of firearms here is just plan wrong! I would say about 70-90% of the house holds here have a gun. The last muder here in this whole valley was a stabbing. And also most of the shootings here in the sate are form people from other countries that are not legal here or suicides. Also what does it matter to you in Canada. I guess if another country envades north america they wont try and cross by land through our country, my guess is they will start from the south or from the north where people are not armed.
Good luck with that.

The number of.guns per.capita.in the state.is something like 6 to 1. The fact the.sexond ammendment is brought into evey gun argument and when you start thinking of imagry associatled to the.states besides the eagle you think of guns. The military is.glorified which makes guns seem more normal.

Its true you cant say eveysingle person in the states.is.like that but in my experience and my observations the majority.f the.states.is. Its all to.easy to just blame guns which.is why i say glorifyimg them.is part of.the.cultural problem (alomg with poor healthcare lack of services for the poor and lack of good education.

Yes it sems im picking on you guns and america but this is the subject.of the convo.

I also appreciate a.CONVERSATION rather then an argument. Also sry for the.spelling im on my phone lol

Sounds good, talk at you later. 🙂

I also appreciate a.CONVERSATION rather then an argument.

Just to clarify, I mean that as, I appreciate that WE were having a conversation rather than an argument. Sorry if that sounded wrong, that what I get for ranting before coffee.

Be glad your phone doesn't do the hilarious transpositions, courtesy AutoCorrect :laughing3: