Woman shot in the head after knocking on door and asking for help - Polidicks

[QUOTE=EurofanBMW;42869558]As the great Hexpunk likes to say on a daily basis...get a fucking grip.[/QUOTE] Yes. Yes. This is good. I'm in your mind at all times. Excellent. But no really, you need to get a grip. When in debate, anecdotes and "life experience" are about as meaningful as a mouse fart. Statistics give a much, much better view of what the real problems are, that's why we gather them.

Anecdotes should only be used in addition to statistics, for added effect, not as a central point in an argument.

[QUOTE=DaCommie1;42897671]Anecdotes should only be used in addition to statistics, for added effect, not as a central point in an argument.[/QUOTE] Exactly, if statistics happen to relate to an anecdote you have, they can be used excellently for emphasis. But thinking an anecdote can be the core of your argument is flawed. You should still avoid them in debate mind, they are rarely relevant even if they do fit the statistics.

[QUOTE=Megafan;42897479]Even if this were an argument, you may notice there is a distinct lack of handguns, automatic weapons, or explosives in this picture.[/QUOTE] Pistols, shotguns and rifles are all used in the olympics. And it would be impractical for anyone to have a fully automatic firearm, hence why they are so very uncommon in private collections and extremely expensive. And who the hell uses explosives but the army?

Also I wanna make another note to the whole "guns are bad" shit. Does anyone actually think that if the guy had no gun he would of thought "DAMN, CAN'T DEFEND MYSELF/KILL HER" what's stopping him from stabbing her?

[QUOTE=EurofanBMW;42894585] Ok, I guess we should ban knives then.[/QUOTE] Now, keeping in mind that the UK has a lower homicide rate with knives than the US does, is it worth mentioning that the homicide for rate firearms in the US is ~5 times higher than the homicide rate with knives? Now continuing on the UK has a homicide rate of 10.5 per million, or 1.05 per 100,000. The US has a homicide rate of 4.06 per 100,000. If one were to remove firearms from that number, the homicide rate would be 1.31 per 100,000.

[QUOTE=Episode;42898448]Also I wanna make another note to the whole "guns are bad" shit. Does anyone actually think that if the guy had no gun he would of thought "DAMN, CAN'T DEFEND MYSELF/KILL HER" what's stopping him from stabbing her?[/QUOTE] How easy it is for someone to do something vastly influences how willing the person is in doing it.

[QUOTE=Ogopogo;42898490]Now, keeping in mind that the UK has a lower homicide rate with knives than the US does, is it worth mentioning that the homicide for rate firearms in the US is ~5 times higher than the homicide rate with knives? Now continuing on the UK has a homicide rate of 10.5 per million, or 1.05 per 100,000. The US has a homicide rate of 4.06 per 100,000. If one were to remove firearms from that number, the homicide rate would be 1.31 per 100,000.[/QUOTE] That's not how it works. The firearms death do not disappear completely like that. The U.K. is a fine example of this.

[QUOTE=Explosions;42898602]That's not how it works. The firearms death do not disappear completely like that. The U.K. is a fine example of this.[/QUOTE] I know. But the point of that was to show if you want to tackle homicide rate, looking at guns rather than other areas such as knives is the better place to look, by a significant margin.

[QUOTE=Episode;42898448]Also I wanna make another note to the whole "guns are bad" shit. Does anyone actually think that if the guy had no gun he would of thought "DAMN, CAN'T DEFEND MYSELF/KILL HER" what's stopping him from stabbing her?[/QUOTE] Nothing in particular. If he was unstable enough he could easily grab a knife, follow her out, stab her x number of times until he thought the "threat" was gone. But it's pretty unlikely to have happened, it's a lot more work than just shooting first. And she would likely have more chance to escape seeing as humans don't run as fast as bullets travel.

[QUOTE=NoDachi;42898569]How easy it is for someone to do something vastly influences how willing the person is in doing it.[/QUOTE] Not to mention the greater personal risk involved.

[QUOTE=NoDachi;42898569]How easy it is for someone to do something vastly influences how willing the person is in doing it.[/QUOTE] Hence why there are so many teenage pregnancies and people killed in drunk driving incidents around the world.

[QUOTE=Episode;42898448]Also I wanna make another note to the whole "guns are bad" shit. Does anyone actually think that if the guy had no gun he would of thought "DAMN, CAN'T DEFEND MYSELF/KILL HER" what's stopping him from stabbing her?[/QUOTE] i'm pretty sure this has been mentioned in the thread a million times, but shooting someone with a gun and stabbing someone with a knife is a totally different process, both physically and mentally with a gun you only have to pull a trigger. you can do this at range and it is independent of physical ability. there is a complete disconnect between the person pulling the trigger and the pain of the person on the other end picking up a knife and stabbing someone has way more factors involved that tend to put people off using them as readily as they might a gun. namely that you have to be very close to the person you're intending to attack and there's way more chance of you fucking it up

[QUOTE=ultra_bright;42898624]Hence why there are so many teenage pregnancies and people killed in drunk driving incidents around the world.[/QUOTE] Having sex and making babies is relatively easy for the initial act. That's where the decision to shoot this woman was made (that and teenagers are shit at risk judgement). Drunk driving is an impaired state of mind, and driving a car drunk isn't hard to the drunk person. Again, this falls into a failure of risk assessment, not thinking ahead. I'm really not sure what you were trying to get at here. Both of these things are really easy to do initially, and only cause problems in the long term. Exactly what has happened here really. Someone deciding to shoot someone without thinking ahead.

[QUOTE=ultra_bright;42898624]Hence why there are so many teenage pregnancies and people killed in drunk driving incidents around the world.[/QUOTE] teenage pregnancies and drunk driving incidents happen precisely because they're so easy to do.

[QUOTE=Megafan;42897479]Even if this were an argument, you may notice there is a distinct lack of handguns, automatic weapons, or explosives in this picture.[/QUOTE] That and none of those weapons lend themselves to defence particularly. The pistols/ rifles used tend to be quite specialised, and the shotguns aren't great as you're spending time reloading if you happen to miss with the two shots you have. That and these weren't even used in defence, which is what people are arguing against, not sport use or range use.

[QUOTE=NoDachi;42892063] My opinions are those shared by educated americans.[/QUOTE] Underhanded insults aren't going to win you any wars And your statement isn't even remotely correct; the majority of people who support gun control don't support it on logical grounds like you do, but because the media has told them that guns are scary.

[QUOTE=BFG9000;42900911]Underhanded insults aren't going to win you any wars And your statement isn't even remotely correct; the majority of people who support gun control don't support it on logical grounds like you do, but because the media has told them that guns are scary.[/QUOTE] You know, I'm not entirely sure that acting as though people disagree with you because they're stupid/guillable is that much better that acting as though people are stupid/guillable because they don't agree with you.

[QUOTE=Sgt-NiallR;42900933]You know, I'm not entirely sure that acting as though people disagree with you because they're stupid/guillable is that much better that acting as though people are stupid/guillable because they don't agree with you.[/QUOTE] I was countering his statement with one of the same

That's not good.

[QUOTE=BFG9000;42900976]I was countering his statement with one of the same[/QUOTE] Two wrongs don't make a right, etc. Just because you're arguing with an idiot (perceived or not), doesn't mean you should [I]be[/I] an idiot.

[QUOTE=BFG9000;42900911]Underhanded insults aren't going to win you any wars And your statement isn't even remotely correct; the majority of people who support gun control don't support it on logical grounds like you do, but because the media has told them that guns are scary.[/QUOTE] what else am I supposed to call american academics.

[QUOTE=NoDachi;42902212]what else am I supposed to call american academics.[/QUOTE] And not all American academics agree with you either.

[QUOTE=DaCommie1;42902233]And not all American academics agree with you either.[/QUOTE] Not all American academics believe in climate change. It doesn't matter, but there is the weight of academic opinion which matters.

[QUOTE=NoDachi;42902391]Not all American academics believe in climate change. It doesn't matter, but there is the weight of academic opinion which matters.[/QUOTE] In that case our opinion is that held by educated Americans as well hell, I'll even go insofar as to say it's held by educated Brits at least by your reasoning

[QUOTE=BFG9000;42904994]In that case our opinion is that held by educated Americans as well hell, I'll even go insofar as to say it's held by educated Brits at least by your reasoning[/QUOTE] Gun rights are supported by the majority of British academics? Since when?

[QUOTE=Megafan;42909028]Gun rights are supported by the majority of British academics? Since when?[/QUOTE] since when was gun control supported by the majority of educated Americans?

[QUOTE=BFG9000;42911991]since when was gun control supported by the majority of educated Americans?[/QUOTE] Ever since the later part of the Industrial age.