I know this may be difficult to believe today, but . . .

[Brigid]

Harvard psychologist Steven Pinker argues that human society is becoming less violent.

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=history-and-the-decline-of-human-violence

[Loudly]

1. If that's true, then there should be no problem

taking high capacity guns and ammo out of the stores.

Yes?

Otherwise, I challenge his hypothesis.

[Odin2005]

2. The rate of violent crime has gone down sharply since 1990.

That is a statistical fact. the notion that out society is getting more and more violent is media sensationalism, much like the 2001 "summer of the shark" that actually had LESS shark attacks then the year before.

[Loudly]

4. Odd thing for you to assert on such a day.

When 70 people can be shot by one malcontent with modern gunstore product and a grudge, then there is a goddamned problem.

And none of your happy valley statistics are going to change that momentum.

[Odin2005]

5. It's called PERSPECTIVE.

The MSM likes sensationalism, and so people think there are mass murders and child molesters on every corner. Most people do not understand statistics, they see a lot of sensationalism on the MSM and so think society is getting more and more violent when in fact the opposite is true. When people are swayed by sensationalism they do really stupid things.

[Loudly]

6. If minds are changed among the survivors

then you can call them stupid if you want to.

However, if they continue to insist that guns and ammo in the hands of the public is somehow a GOOD thing?

After losing loved ones or, as applicable, close to losing themselves?

Then I will personally call them stupid myself.

[HiPointDem]

8. ...

[Comrade_McKenzie]

3. Cool beans. Still doesn't make mass murder taste any better...

Not being snide to you. Just saying.

[DCKit]

7. "They" would have us believe that it's the incarceration rate...

but it's not the pot smokers, they're simply catching more killers.