Nora says: down with handguns, down with the Court...
noraleah:… and it is vital that we get a Democrat in the White House before the Supreme Court is insurmountably conservative. Keep in mind, DC is one of the most violent cities in the country. The last thing it needs is a population packing heat.
Another thing to think about: every year, more than 30,000 people die by gun violence. That is 10 times the number killed on 9/11. An economist would say our national fears and policy priorities are irrational, and they are.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court ruled Thursday that Americans have a right to own guns for self-defense and hunting, the justices’ first major pronouncement on gun rights in U.S. history.
The court’s 5-4 ruling struck down the District of Columbia’s 32-year-old ban on handguns as incompatible with gun rights under the Second Amendment. The decision went further than even the Bush administration wanted, but probably leaves most firearms laws intact. NYT.
Chris Rock really nailed our gun control/prohibition insecurities, joking:
- “Gun control? We need bullet control! I think every bullet should cost 5,000 dollars. Because if a bullet cost five thousand dollars, we wouldn’t have any innocent bystander.”
- “Never go to clubs with metal detectors. Sure it feels safe inside. But what about all those *****s waiting outside with guns? They know you ain’t got one.”
Curiously, many other developed countries have dramatically lower ratio of gun deaths to gun ownership. The US is among the leaders, I believe (with such esteemed company as Northern Ireland). [Source] Anyone know of research on that causality?
As far as policy rationality - several varyingly preventable causes of death are 10 - 20x as common as gun deaths. Heart disease just among women will take roughly as many lives this month as guns will this year.