Gloria is being more tongue in cheek in making valid points in this commentary. People are more concerned about women making decisions to control the health of their own bodies than the availability of bullet – spewing – weapons with large magazine capacity meant only for killing humans. Apply the same process and rules to gain that capability as what is applied to women in having an abortion.
you could think of it as an economic stimulus….every time there’s a mass shooting & subsequent talk of limiting access to assault weapons, their sales soar…
In Australia, which cannot claim to be anything more than a moderately sensible and reasonable place to live, it is really easy for any woman who wants an abortion to get one and have it paid for by the universal public health system and it is really difficult for anyone who wants to buy a hand gun to qualify for a license. They must be a member of a registered pistol shooting club and the weapon must be securely stored. There are waiting periods, background checks, training requirements, and other statutory restriction. I do not believe anyone here really feels threatened by a tyrannical government or physically unsafe as a result. I do not think we are less free either.
Most of the ‘civilised’ world is more or less the same as far as I know.
Americans seem unaware of how bizarre and insane their society looks to the rest of the world. Frequent mass shootings do not occur. The idea of active shooter drills in primary (grade) schools is incomprehensible to us.
Gloria Steinem’s fantasy is much like our reality but I cannot see any way for America to change.
It is a good piece. In 2006, Joel Garreau wrote a piece about the changing demographics of America and how we should embrace it as it keeps America young, vibrant, and productive. It was expected white America would be a minority by 2040.Hertz in Mobility in America talked about similar. This anger has been coming and it took a person like Trump to bring it to the surface.
It may be perhaps a minor quibble but I’d submit Obama brought it to “the surface” i.e. overt explicit racial attacks first. Including from democrats like Madame Secretary. Her 08 primary campaign really abandoned that dogwhistle towards the end.
And lest I am misunderstood, I don’t mean in the same way as Trump, i.e. stoking racial hatred. But Obama’s election got a lot of people saying things I hadn’t heard articulated in public since George Wallace’s campaigns. In Kansas at least.
.
It’s a great start.
But we simply have to take away these weapons of mass destruction, or accept these shootings as just another risk in life.
I cannot see common sense overcoming the NRA. Sadly.
Gloria is being more tongue in cheek in making valid points in this commentary. People are more concerned about women making decisions to control the health of their own bodies than the availability of bullet – spewing – weapons with large magazine capacity meant only for killing humans. Apply the same process and rules to gain that capability as what is applied to women in having an abortion.
you could think of it as an economic stimulus….every time there’s a mass shooting & subsequent talk of limiting access to assault weapons, their sales soar…
In Australia, which cannot claim to be anything more than a moderately sensible and reasonable place to live, it is really easy for any woman who wants an abortion to get one and have it paid for by the universal public health system and it is really difficult for anyone who wants to buy a hand gun to qualify for a license. They must be a member of a registered pistol shooting club and the weapon must be securely stored. There are waiting periods, background checks, training requirements, and other statutory restriction. I do not believe anyone here really feels threatened by a tyrannical government or physically unsafe as a result. I do not think we are less free either.
Most of the ‘civilised’ world is more or less the same as far as I know.
Americans seem unaware of how bizarre and insane their society looks to the rest of the world. Frequent mass shootings do not occur. The idea of active shooter drills in primary (grade) schools is incomprehensible to us.
Gloria Steinem’s fantasy is much like our reality but I cannot see any way for America to change.
Lindsay:
Welcome to Angry Bear. First time commenters go to moderation first to weed out spam, spammers, and advertising.
And a very good first time comment.
Yes Lindsay, Americans are insane. Or at least half of them are.
Figure this one out.
93% of Americans want more strict background checks. 79% of Republicans want stronger background checks. But we get nothing.
That is insane.
Not exactly on the topic of gun control but not exactly irrelevant either:
It’s about a 30 minute documentary on race relations in the US condensed to a very well asserted 3 minutes.
Amateur:
It is a good piece. In 2006, Joel Garreau wrote a piece about the changing demographics of America and how we should embrace it as it keeps America young, vibrant, and productive. It was expected white America would be a minority by 2040.Hertz in Mobility in America talked about similar. This anger has been coming and it took a person like Trump to bring it to the surface.
It may be perhaps a minor quibble but I’d submit Obama brought it to “the surface” i.e. overt explicit racial attacks first. Including from democrats like Madame Secretary. Her 08 primary campaign really abandoned that dogwhistle towards the end.
And lest I am misunderstood, I don’t mean in the same way as Trump, i.e. stoking racial hatred. But Obama’s election got a lot of people saying things I hadn’t heard articulated in public since George Wallace’s campaigns. In Kansas at least.