Bowling for Columbine: Why is there so much gun-related violence in the U.S.?

This thread is meant to be a discussion of some of the questions raised in the new Michael Moore documentary, Bowling for Columbine.

One of the main questions the film tries to answer is "Why are there so many gun-related murders in the U.S.?"

If you compare the number of gun-related deaths in the U.S., you realize it is ridiculously higher (even taking into account the difference in population) than that of Canada, Britain, Australia, Germany, Japan, France, etc.

So, what is it that makes gun-related murders far more common in the U.S. than in any other developed country? Many will say that it's the violence in the media (films, TV) yet people in some of the other countries mentioned also watch the same TV shows and movies as Americans do.

In the film, Moore interviewed Charlton Heston (spokesperson for the NRA) and Heston suggested that it had to do with ethnic diversity... a lot of people in the theater hissed at that statement!

The film reminds us that other countries have very diverse ethnic groups and yet these nations don't have such a problem with guns and incidents like Columbine.

So what do you think makes the U.S. the country with the highest rate of gun-related murders in the world?

P.S. the film's website is:
Bowling for Columbine

 

NRA is the only reason you need.

 

I think it might have something to do with people being lessing understanding of consequences and less caring of others. I dunno where that comes from?

 

If you compare the number of gun-related deaths in the U.S., you realize it is ridiculously higher (even taking into account the difference in population) than that of Canada, Britain, Australia, Germany, Japan, France, etc

1. America is alot larger in terms of population, so all statistics based on population will be scewed

2. Germany- Has much stricter gun laws, making it extreamly difficult to own guns

3. Australia- banned private ownership of firearms, and violent crime increased, in fact the only people with guns where criminals.



a gun is a device, a tool, an object invented by man. it has no free will and it only functions as it is intended to. too many times people think gun-related is gun-caused. a gun is simply a means to an end. there will still be violent crimes without guns, they would just involve different weapons.

no matter what, if a person wants to commit a crime then that person will!

Guns dont kill people, people kill people

 

Some countries have many more firearms than America, like Switzerland (I believe), where all adults are required to serve in the military and issued weapons that they keep upon finishing their terms.

If you want to answer that question, you need to overlook the irrelevent part of it and ask "Why are there so many murders in the U.S.?" The answer lies in us. Attempts to demonize objects are just desperate ploys to avoid acknowledging that very uncomfortable fact.

 

It's easier to get a gun in America.

 

I don't get it. You might as well ask, "Why are there so many stabbings and beatings in America?"

 

It's also easier to get run over by a car or hit by a drunk too. Yet we don't hear about those statistics do we? Well maybe drunk drivers, but not accidental hit-and-runs. I'd also like to add that these kids lived in unstable homes. Played violent video games. Yes, video games in violent homes only reinforces the notion that violence is acceptable. Plus, they were bullied. Someone go see Bang, bang, you're dead, that explains school shootings. And maybe something about our gun problem.

 

Australia- banned private ownership of firearms, and violent crime increased, in fact the only people with guns where criminals.

That is not true. Australia banned automatic and semi-automatic weapons after the Port Arthur massacre. People can still own guns (and many due) just not the ones that are banned.

The crime rate went up for one year, and one year only. It's now on the decline. It didn't go up very much, and gun related incidents are so very rare in australia that they make big news when they happen.

Kithera

 

The crime rate went up for one year, and one year only.

Can you imagine what would happen to America if that happened here? You think crime's bad now in America. It'd go through the roof. not only do we have a larger population, but also more guns. And we couldn't be too sure if we got 'em all if a gun control policy were implemented.

 

SirLancelot, I didn't say the statistics were based on population...

The figures they give are: 11,127 firearm homicides a year in the U.S. compared to 381 in Germany, 255 in France, 165 in Canada, 68 in Britain, 65 in Australia and 38 in Japan... even if you take into account the difference in population, the figures are scary!

 

F_I_D: Despite the ramblings of the NRA, I'm sure the crime rate going up in Australia was nothing to do with the implementation of the gun laws - if that had been the case, wouldn't the crime rate still be at that same level that it was for that one year - or worse, it would be rising.

There are many other factors besides gun laws and access to guns that can make the crime rate rise.

Kithera

 

Yes, America is also bigger than Australia, do you not think if we ever implemented gun restictions that you could safely say that all the criminals don't have guns?

 

Why is there so much gun-related violence in the U.S.?

Because you have a lot of guns.

 

And a lot of crazy people.

 

This is an excerpt from "The Culture of Fear: Why Americans are Afraid of the Wrong Things" by Barry Glassner (Moore interviewed Glassner for the film).

We have more guns stolen from their owners -- about 300,000 annually -- than many countries have gun owners. In Great Britain, Australia, and Japan, where gun ownership is severely restricted, no more than a few dozen people are killed each year by handguns. In the United States, where private citizens own a quarter-billion guns, around 15,000 people are killed, 18,000 commit suicide, and another 1,500 die accidentally from firearms. American children are twelve times more liked to die from gun injuries than are youngsters in other industrialized nations.

 

That figure isn't that bad of a statistic, I know it sounds bad, but it isn't if you factor in how many Americans there are.

 

I'd still rather live in the country with fewer deaths, regardless of the population.

And I tell ya, that "population" arguement gets old after a while. Sure, it's only **% who get killed, but it's still TOO MANY PEOPLE.

 

The population argument is relevant. I'm sure you're gonna say 1 is still too many 'eh?

 

As stated previously, F_I_D, the actual figures are:

Firearm homicides a year in:
Germany = 381
France = 255
Canada = 165
Britain = 68
Australia = 65
Japan = 38
USA = 11,127

So *even* with the difference in population, the USA has way, way, way more firearm homicides than any other developed nation...
I mean, Canada has a population of some 30 million, the US has 300 million. So even factoring in the population , the U.S. still has 10 times as many firearm homicides as Canada...

 

Yes, but we also have the most criminals too. And we 'protect' children with those guns. If you're going to blame anyone blame the stupid gun owner, not the gun. Guns are only as dangerous as people make them. Meaning if they'd bothered to do the right thing and lock the friggin' gun up like Fort Knox, you'd probably have less gun related 'accidents'. As to crime, well you'll never stop them. There'll always be criminals with more firepower than Joe Schmoe.

 

And we 'protect' children with those guns.

I'd like to see some reliable stats on kids saved by having a gun in the house vs. kids killed by having a gun in the house.

And you don't think 1 needless death is 1 too many? That's cold.

 

F_I_D, *nobody* is blaming the guns... the guns make it easier for bad people to kill others...
The question remains, why is America disproportionately more violent than other countries?

 

I'd like to see some reliable stats on kids saved by having a gun in the house vs. kids killed by having a gun in the house.

Hence the '' when I said protect.

And you don't think 1 needless death is 1 too many? That's cold.

Didn't say that. Read it again. There's always going to be needless death by the way.


*nobody* is blaming the guns... the guns make it easier for bad people to kill others...

So does fertilizer, are we going to ban that? How about hairspray and lighters?

 

F_I_D, this thread is not about *banning* guns... it is about the nature of violence in America... I feel that your posts are very condescending towards others... I would appreciate it if you wouldn't be condescending.

Just wondering, has anybody here besides me seen Bowling for Columbine?