Well speaking as a Singaporean...
Nobody can buy guns here.
But I've handled guns in the army.
According to a lot of articles written by foreigners, our laws here are draconian where in the government impedes free speech.
And yes, it's true. Go read up on Amos Yee, the kid who got jailed here for insulting the government and religions on YouTube. He recently gained asylum status in America.
Unsurprisingly, we have no cases of mass shootings here.
We did have a case of some kid who somehow managed to smuggle out his rifle of his army camp. He had plans to shoot up a place and then kill himself, but thankfully, he got caught before that.
Training with guns in the army is hella strict, and obviously, for good cause. My rifle was indeed my life.
Now, I am not a political person at all...
... but for the love of people who actually have loved ones around and want to be alive, ban guns.
As Jimmy Kimmel said in the video, it's common sense.
Back to the issue of Amos Yee. He has his supporters, even from foreign lands. Our government here is constantly being lambasted for deny its people freedom.
You want to know what's true freedom to me?
True freedom is being able to walk out in the streets at night and have absolutely zero fear of being gunned down, being attacked due to the color of my skin or being killed due to my religious beliefs.
Yes, our laws can come across as pretty strict, but as said, I have true freedom.
I'd not trade that for some law that allows me, or others to rant online like pissed off, disgruntled person just for supposed freedom.
At this point, if one were to argue, "But I need guns to defend myself! I have the right to be protected."
Yo... it's guns.
All it takes is one bullet to kill. Please think about that.
Think about this:
The only constitutional Amendment to ever be repealed was a ban. It was a ban on alcohol. How did that work out?
In 1932, wealthy industrialist John D. Rockefeller, Jr. stated in a letter:
"When Prohibition was introduced, I hoped that it would be widely supported by public opinion and the day would soon come when the evil effects of alcohol would be recognized.
I have slowly and reluctantly come to believe that this has not been the result.
Instead, drinking has generally increased; the speakeasy has replaced the saloon; a vast army of lawbreakers has appeared; many of our best citizens have openly ignored Prohibition; respect for the law has been greatly lessened; and crime has increased to a level never seen before." - Letter on Prohibition - see Daniel Okrent, Great Fortune: The Epic of Rockefeller Center, New York: Viking Press, 2003. (pp.246/7).
It's one thing to issue a ban to the Minions from 'Despicable Me,' like Australia did.
It's another thing to issue that same ban to the occupants of Mad Max's 'Thunder Dome.'
Not only is the US BUILT around the power of the citizen over the state, conceptually, from bottom to top, including the issuance of that right immediately after free speech and a free press; but people have been in possession of actual guns and upgrading their personal arsenals over all of that time.
If you think graft among mayors and police officers was rife over liquor, wait until you send a bunch of active military personnel out into the community to take guns off of people who they believe have every right to own them.
I can't imagine the day that you would get that kind of unanimous Congressional support and I pity the President who enacts it.
Let's not be 'pie in the sky' about this. Reality doesn't always follow what happens in the text books.
Interesting. Thanks for the opinion!
Yes, I have heard about some of the very strict laws that Singapore has. I currently live in South Korea and I have a few Singaporean friends, they say its a great country, but there are many problems with freedom of speech etc.
I guess it does come down to what you feel is freedom. My thinking is along the lines of your thinking, I am glad I can go outside at night time and not have to worry about being held at gun point.
Currently living in South Korea, Westerners feel like it is one of the most dangerous places to be on earth, but I totally disagree. This country is one of the safest I've ever been in. Even thought the possibility of war with North Korea looms daily, regular citizens don't go around with weapons in fear of other people or their government impeding their rights. It's not an easy situation for sure, because America's history is so entrenched with guns
Really?
I been to Seoul a couple of years ago and it was super chill. I liked it.
I mean westerners who don't have first hand experience of living in South Korea, just listening to what they hear on the news
Thanks... though it's a bit hard for me to understand this now.