The annual U.S. firearm suicide rate in 2022 increased to the highest documented level since at least 1968, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
We have an inequality problem masking as a gun problem. We have a mental health crisis masking as gun problem.
Hard agree. People would not be killing themselves in droves if these issues weren’t present.
We have a shitload of guns in this country. Nothing is going to change that.
While I think we do need more strict gun ownership laws, they’re not going to change the amount already in people’s hands. Nor will they make people less miserable.
What we need are tangible improvements in people’s lives. Improved wages. Lower housing costs. Affordable healthcare. Quality, free treatment for addiction.
These are the things that will keep people from killing themselves.
I’m glad to see this line of thinking in this thread, even if the “Take 'em all” sentiment seems to be more popular. Over the last 40ish years, gun ownership has slowly trended downwards.
The fact of the matter is, healthy & happy people tend not to shoot themselves or others. Depressed, desparate, jaded, and angry people are the ones out there abusing their 2A rights. Taking away their guns may stop them from using them on people, but it doesn’t feel like a complete solution: you still have people who were unstable enough to commit murder /suicide out there.
I admit I have no data to support this next idea, but my gut feeling is that you could swap the gun laws & density of the US and one of those European coutries we’re always compared to, and the rates of overall violent crime / suicide would not change that drastically.
And I agree with you! But we had a shitload of guns when I was a kid 40+ years back, and less stigma surrounding them. FFS, kids would never touch a real gun, or even think about it, without an adult present. LOL, I never even saw a gun despite being surrounded by them.
We have to attack the underlying issues you describe, but I’ve about given up hope on that.
Hard agree. People would not be killing themselves in droves if these issues weren’t present.
We have a shitload of guns in this country. Nothing is going to change that.
While I think we do need more strict gun ownership laws, they’re not going to change the amount already in people’s hands. Nor will they make people less miserable.
What we need are tangible improvements in people’s lives. Improved wages. Lower housing costs. Affordable healthcare. Quality, free treatment for addiction.
These are the things that will keep people from killing themselves.
I’m glad to see this line of thinking in this thread, even if the “Take 'em all” sentiment seems to be more popular. Over the last 40ish years, gun ownership has slowly trended downwards.
The fact of the matter is, healthy & happy people tend not to shoot themselves or others. Depressed, desparate, jaded, and angry people are the ones out there abusing their 2A rights. Taking away their guns may stop them from using them on people, but it doesn’t feel like a complete solution: you still have people who were unstable enough to commit murder /suicide out there.
I admit I have no data to support this next idea, but my gut feeling is that you could swap the gun laws & density of the US and one of those European coutries we’re always compared to, and the rates of overall violent crime / suicide would not change that drastically.
And I agree with you! But we had a shitload of guns when I was a kid 40+ years back, and less stigma surrounding them. FFS, kids would never touch a real gun, or even think about it, without an adult present. LOL, I never even saw a gun despite being surrounded by them.
We have to attack the underlying issues you describe, but I’ve about given up hope on that.