American shootings

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Rikkitic

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#181107 2-Oct-2015 15:55

When I see the kinds of things that make headlines in the USA, and the kinds of things that make headlines here, I am so inexpressably grateful to live in Aotearoa New Zealand.

There another 10 or more young people have just been lined up and shot in their school. Here we argue over a flag referendum or the environmental burden of dairy cattle. NZ may be a little parochial in some things, or a bit slow in others, but what a joy that a place like this exists. Treasure it with all its shortcomings. Things could be so much worse.

Plesse igmore amd axxept applogies in adbance fir anu typos

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#1398857 2-Oct-2015 15:58

Agreed until yesterday and that office invasion incident

But yes NZ has a lot going for it

SumnerBoy

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#1398858 2-Oct-2015 15:58

Amen to that.

MikeB4

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#1398859 2-Oct-2015 15:59

These events are horrible I feel for the Americans and answers are not easy to find but I hope they can find them, the human cost is way too high.

mattwnz

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#1398860 2-Oct-2015 16:02

This is terrible, but occasionally this sort of thing occurs here too. We have a far smaller population so it doesn't occur as often. People can too easily get guns. We have more protective laws for lasers and drones, than for firearms. I mean anyone can use a highpowered air gun without any license or training, which could potentially kill. The problem is that the gun lobby is large and powerful.

DizzyD

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#1398912 2-Oct-2015 16:43

Just 2 or 3 weeks ago we had a madman firing a rifle inside Macdonalds. He was later killed by police.
Following this incident there have been 2 or 3 other gun holdups around wellington over the weeks. All this has happened in close proximity to where I work/live.
And we have "great" gunlaws.

ubergeeknz

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#1398924 2-Oct-2015 17:06

mattwnz: This is terrible, but occasionally this sort of thing occurs here too. We have a far smaller population so it doesn't occur as often. People can too easily get guns. We have more protective laws for lasers and drones, than for firearms. I mean anyone can use a highpowered air gun without any license or training, which could potentially kill. The problem is that the gun lobby is large and powerful.

air gun != high powered semi-automatic assault rifle

Also one or two armed holdups != 2-5 mass shooting incidents a week (yes, a week)

DizzyD

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#1398934 2-Oct-2015 17:17

ubergeeknz:
mattwnz: This is terrible, but occasionally this sort of thing occurs here too. We have a far smaller population so it doesn't occur as often. People can too easily get guns. We have more protective laws for lasers and drones, than for firearms. I mean anyone can use a highpowered air gun without any license or training, which could potentially kill. The problem is that the gun lobby is large and powerful.

air gun != high powered semi-automatic assault rifle

Also one or two armed holdups != 2-5 mass shooting incidents a week (yes, a week)

350 million people live in the states. Per capita its really not that bad. South Auckland and porirua probably quiet comparable per capita.

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Rikkitic

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#1398937 2-Oct-2015 17:24

I didn't mean to be flippant about this, and I know such things also happen here, but I still appreciate the good things we have. Per capita or not, things don't seem as out of control here. Or is that just perception?

Plesse igmore amd axxept applogies in adbance fir anu typos

DizzyD

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#1398940 2-Oct-2015 17:29

Rikkitic: I didn't mean to be flippant about this, and I know such things also happen here, but I still appreciate the good things we have. Per capita or not, things don't seem as out of control here. Or is that just perception?

Our suiside and family abuse rates are arguably out of control. I thinkwe close to the top spot.

gzt

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#1398951 2-Oct-2015 17:39

DizzyD: Just 2 or 3 weeks ago we had a madman firing a rifle inside Macdonalds. He was later killed by police.
Following this incident there have been 2 or 3 other gun holdups around wellington over the weeks. All this has happened in close proximity to where I work/live.
And we have "great" gunlaws.

I'm not sure about that. We register owners but not weapons. Therefore we have no real idea who is responsible for what which means things can go AWOL very easily.

The second problem we may have is just way too many guns lying around here and there. I read of a suggestion to create a buy back programme that will remove some of this stuff from circulation. Less unused guns around less potential for incidents.

RunningMan

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#1398981 2-Oct-2015 18:00

A person shooting at police several times in Auckland less than 24 hours ago barely gets noticed though.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/72627279/police-officers-shot-at-in-auckland.html

Fred99

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#1398986 2-Oct-2015 18:15

DizzyD:
ubergeeknz:
mattwnz: This is terrible, but occasionally this sort of thing occurs here too. We have a far smaller population so it doesn't occur as often. People can too easily get guns. We have more protective laws for lasers and drones, than for firearms. I mean anyone can use a highpowered air gun without any license or training, which could potentially kill. The problem is that the gun lobby is large and powerful.

air gun != high powered semi-automatic assault rifle

Also one or two armed holdups != 2-5 mass shooting incidents a week (yes, a week)

350 million people live in the states. Per capita its really not that bad. South Auckland and porirua probably quiet comparable per capita.

Per capita, it actually is quite bad.
You're about 5-6 times more likely to be murdered in the US than here, Australia, UK, Canada etc.

Fred99

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#1398991 2-Oct-2015 18:18

DizzyD:
Rikkitic: I didn't mean to be flippant about this, and I know such things also happen here, but I still appreciate the good things we have. Per capita or not, things don't seem as out of control here. Or is that just perception?

Our suiside and family abuse rates are arguably out of control. I thinkwe close to the top spot.

Domestic abuse (as well as many other violent crime stats) are very heavily influenced by reporting bias.

Suicide rate in NZ is lower than the US by about 25%, and lower than Australia.

lokhor

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#1399010 2-Oct-2015 18:22

Read this: http://www.vox.com/cards/gun-violence-facts

All comments are my own opinion, and not that of my employer unless explicitly stated.

DizzyD

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#1399017 2-Oct-2015 18:39

Fred99:
DizzyD:
ubergeeknz:
mattwnz: This is terrible, but occasionally this sort of thing occurs here too. We have a far smaller population so it doesn't occur as often. People can too easily get guns. We have more protective laws for lasers and drones, than for firearms. I mean anyone can use a highpowered air gun without any license or training, which could potentially kill. The problem is that the gun lobby is large and powerful.

air gun != high powered semi-automatic assault rifle

Also one or two armed holdups != 2-5 mass shooting incidents a week (yes, a week)

350 million people live in the states. Per capita its really not that bad. South Auckland and porirua probably quiet comparable per capita.

Per capita, it actually is quite bad.
You're about 5-6 times more likely to be murdered in the US than here, Australia, UK, Canada etc.

And 5-6 times is not that bad either.
There are other places in the world which are far more dangerous. Why do we always focus our attention on the US?

More people are murdered in South Africa (over 50 per day). Thats out of a population of only 50 Million.
It makes the USA look like a Sunday school tea party, nobody batters an eye lid for the 50 people per day in SA. Instead we all hail to "democracy", and everybody is happy to leave a corrupt murderous government in charge.

Of all my trips to the US, mostly around California, I cannot really say that I have felt at all fearful. In fact I probably will go as far as to say I feel safer/more comfortable walking around San Francisco at night than Wellington/Auckland. Sure the US is a huge place, and its not just San Fran. But every country has its problems. I just don't get the anti american sentiment from us Kiwis every time something awful happens there.

This anti-American sentiment has always struck me as something us Kiwis love doing. Not sure why we do it, maybe its just that tall poppy syndrome we so famous for.

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