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Why Gun Control Can’t Be Solved in the USA
dilbert.com ^ | June 22nd, 2016 | Scott Adams

Posted on 07/12/2016 3:59:09 AM PDT by dennisw

On average, Democrats (that’s my team*) use guns for shooting the innocent. We call that crime.

On average, Republicans use guns for sporting purposes and self-defense.

If you don’t believe me, you can check the statistics on the Internet that don’t exist. At least I couldn’t find any that looked credible.

But we do know that race and poverty are correlated. And we know that poverty and crime are correlated. And we know that race and political affiliation are correlated. Therefore, my team (Clinton) is more likely to use guns to shoot innocent people, whereas the other team (Trump) is more likely to use guns for sporting and defense.

That’s a gross generalization. Obviously. Your town might be totally different.

So it seems to me that gun control can’t be solved because Democrats are using guns to kill each other – and want it to stop – whereas Republicans are using guns to defend against Democrats. Psychologically, those are different risk profiles. And you can’t reconcile those interests, except on the margins. For example, both sides might agree that rocket launchers are a step too far. But Democrats are unlikely to talk Republicans out of gun ownership because it comes off as “Put down your gun so I can shoot you.”

Let’s all take a deep breath and shake off the mental discomfort I just induced in half of my readers. You can quibble with my unsupported assumptions about gun use, but keep in mind that my point is about psychology and about big group averages. If Republicans think they need guns to protect against Democrats, that’s their reality. And if Democrats believe guns make the world more dangerous for themselves, that is their reality. And they can both be right. Your risk profile is different from mine.

So let’s stop acting as if there is something like “common sense” gun control to be had if we all act reasonably. That’s not an option in this case because we all have different risk profiles when it comes to guns. My gun probably makes me safer, but perhaps yours makes you less safe. You can’t reconcile those interests.

Our situation in the United States is that people with different risk profiles are voting for their self-interests as they see it. There is no compromise to be had in this situation unless you brainwash one side or the other to see their self-interest differently. And I don’t see anyone with persuasion skills trying to do that on either side.

(EXCERPT)


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: banglist
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1 posted on 07/12/2016 3:59:09 AM PDT by dennisw
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To: dennisw

COMPLETE ESSAY HERE >>>>>> http://blog.dilbert.com/post/146307088451/why-gun-control-cant-be-solved-in-the-usa


2 posted on 07/12/2016 3:59:34 AM PDT by dennisw (The strong take from the weak, but the smart take from the strong)
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To: dennisw

This is the second article I have read by Scott Adams where he called Clinton, his team and Trump, their team. I don’t believe him when he says that as he is giving all the positive credibility to the republicans.

Interesting strategy... I think?


3 posted on 07/12/2016 4:06:33 AM PDT by Vaquero ( Don't pick a fight with an old guy. If he is too old to fight, he'll just kill you.)
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To: dennisw

CHISEL IN STONE:

“Democrats are using guns to kill each other”

“Republicans are using guns to defend against Democrats.”


4 posted on 07/12/2016 4:07:30 AM PDT by Iron Munro (If Illegals voted Rebublican 50 Million Democrats Would Be Screaming "Build The Wall!")
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To: dennisw

The entire premise is false. There is nothing that needs to be solved. Gun control is a manufactured problem used by freedom haters to infringe upon our rights. The only “solution” the lefties have is confiscation.


5 posted on 07/12/2016 4:14:22 AM PDT by Henry Hnyellar
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To: Vaquero
When Persuasion Turns Deadly

Some of you watched with amusement as I endorsed Hillary Clinton for my personal safety. What you might not know is that I was completely serious. I was getting a lot of direct and indirect death threats for writing about Trump’s powers of persuasion, and I made all of that go away by endorsing Clinton. People don’t care why I am on their side. They only care that I am.

You might have found it funny that I endorsed Clinton for my personal safety. But it was only funny by coincidence. I did it for personal safety, and apparently it is working. Where I live, in California, it is not safe to be seen as supportive of anything Trump says or does. So I fixed that.

Again, I’m completely serious about the safety issue. Writing about Trump ended my speaking career, and has already reduced my income by about 40%, as far as I can tell. But I’m in less physical danger than I was.

[...]

The backdrop to all of this racial tension is that Trump was winning the persuasion war by making citizens afraid of external threats from illegal immigrants and terrorists. That was a strong formula because people respond to fear.

But Clinton’s team – including social media and the liberal-leaning mainstream media – responded by defining Trump as a literal Hitler. A Hitler-like leader in your own country is even scarier than external threats. Persuasion-wise, it is a winning formula for Team Clinton, even though the case is built on confirmation bias, not fact. (Trump has never mentioned race in a negative way.)

So now we have a situation in which Team Clinton has scared citizens into thinking the threat to their lives is mostly domestic, coming from Trump, Trump supporters, and anyone who looks like them. People who are scared will act. And we see those actions now in terms of violence against police, violence against Trump supporters, and death threats to bloggers such as me. And we already have one attempted Trump assassination.

[...]


6 posted on 07/12/2016 4:17:18 AM PDT by jdege
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To: Vaquero
He stated in his last essay quite clearly that he announced for Clinton for his own safety, as in, he has received death threats for his perceived support of trump.

He also stated his speaking invitations, which is a source of income for him, dropped 40% as a result of his perceived support.

Sadly, I believe him.

7 posted on 07/12/2016 4:17:21 AM PDT by onona (Honey this isn't Kindergarten. We are in an all out war for the survival of our Country !)
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To: Vaquero

He had a piece a few week back “endorsing” Hillary, but only because he knew if he said Trump, the long knives would be out for him and his career.

Love reading his articles. He has a unique way of getting his point across.


8 posted on 07/12/2016 4:19:35 AM PDT by digger48
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To: Henry Hnyellar; All
This is my gun control.

 photo MSD - 07-18-09 - 2_zpsoglfaora.jpg

9 posted on 07/12/2016 4:20:39 AM PDT by Cobra64 (Common sense isn't common any more.)
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To: dennisw

Anyone that supports a criminal, (Clinton) to become President of America, is sick!


10 posted on 07/12/2016 4:23:48 AM PDT by 48th SPS Crusader (I am an American. Not a Republican or a Democrat)
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To: dennisw

Another huge problem with gun control is this. It is very easy to take the guns away from Republicans. They live in houses they pay taxes they have bank accounts. If they fail to turn in their guns you take their stuff away from them and punish the hell out of them. The Democrats on the other hand have nothing to lose by keeping their guns. The only way to get the Democrats guns away from them is to go house to house and basically use incredible Force to take them away from them. That is not going to happen. So what gun control will amount to is taking all the guns away from the Republicans and not taking a single damn gun away from the Democrats that Scott Adams was talking about.


11 posted on 07/12/2016 4:27:43 AM PDT by BRL
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To: Vaquero

JUNE 22 date......


12 posted on 07/12/2016 4:35:56 AM PDT by Paladin2 (auto spelchk? BWAhaha2haaa.....I aint't likely fixin' nuttin'. Blame it on the Bossa Nova...)
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To: Cobra64

A S&W 1911 is a sacrilege. Like Crucifixes manufactured and sold by Osama Bin Laden. Melt it down and buy a Colt. Yes this is a joke. Somewhat.


13 posted on 07/12/2016 4:44:10 AM PDT by Brooklyn Attitude (The first step in ending the War on White People, is to recognize it exists.)
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To: dennisw

I would say to Mr Scott Adams that irregardless of these two perceived risk differences, the constitution gives us the right to bear arms and for a very good reason.so whether or not we are allowed to do so is NOT up for grabs.


14 posted on 07/12/2016 5:05:16 AM PDT by Apple Pan Dowdy (... as American as Apple Pie)
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To: Henry Hnyellar

The entire premise is satire, in my opinion.

Adams is using a scathing wit to eviscerate the democrats.


15 posted on 07/12/2016 5:08:07 AM PDT by MortMan (Let's call the push for amnesty what it is: Pedrophilia.)
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To: Iron Munro

Fused in this gem:

Democrats are unlikely to talk Republicans out of gun ownership because it comes off as “Put down your gun so I can shoot you.”


16 posted on 07/12/2016 5:22:13 AM PDT by ctdonath2 (“If anyone will not listen to your words, shake the dust from your feet and leave them.” - Jesus)
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To: Iron Munro
“Democrats are using guns to kill each other”...

This sounds like a confession that the demonicrats are criminals. Democrats kill each other and innocent babies.

“Republicans are using guns to defend against Democrats.”...

I see this as a confession that demorats are criminals, buglers, all sorts of criminals...

17 posted on 07/12/2016 5:27:07 AM PDT by mountainlion (Live well for those that did not make it back.)
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To: Cobra64

All of your shots are in the black, none in the white.

That’s RACIST shooting!


18 posted on 07/12/2016 5:27:52 AM PDT by moovova
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To: dennisw

It can if we identify what it is that motivates people to own guns.

If it is fear, then address that fear. Fear of criminals, harsh punishments and truth in sentencing.

If it is fear of tyrannical government, have a government where mobilization against the citizenry is politically, socially and logistically impossible. Oaths by soldiers, police and politicians that firearms will never be confiscated unless part of an evidentiary chain that does not include just owning them.

We generally look to the President as the person we would like to trust the most. We need Presidents who are absolute firebrands about the issue of non-confiscation.


19 posted on 07/12/2016 5:38:04 AM PDT by Molon Labbie
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To: dennisw

“both sides might agree that rocket launchers are a step too far”

Actually, if I were incredibly wealthy, I might just want a couple tanks on my property to fend off OWS and BLM folks when they mob up and try to seize my stuff, like in Dr. Zhivago.


20 posted on 07/12/2016 5:47:21 AM PDT by fruser1
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