Another damn stabbing

I guess the same question could be aimed at people who kidnap children or kill children anywhere ?

It's sad that's for sure in any case.

 

Don't far worse things happen in other places?

 

Crazy bastard. But put it one way, there would have been a lot of dead people if he had a gun. Thank God guns are hard to get hold of in Japan.

 

Really now? I don't think that's true. In Florida recently some crazy guy had a gun in a school board meeting and failed to injure or kill anyone other than himself. It's not like the weapon automatically enables someone to be a killer. You could injure or kill alot of people with a sword or knife. Or you could fail to do anything at all, just like with a gun.

I'm glad I live in a country where not just criminals and law enforcement have guns.

 

There are any number of factors that could make either one more deadlier than the other. It all depends on the circumstances. Though in this case and range I'd have to say a gun would probably have been deadlier.

Anyways, I'm glad to see there were people there willing to confront him and take him down. Maybe there is hope for the country that shuns confrontation.

 

I'm glad I live in a country where not just criminals and law enforcement have guns, and the people have a right to defend themselves.

Bob

 

Sure not so funny, but sure this map is.

 

Eh I don't think Japan would find itself in a blood bath if guns were suddenly available as readily as they are in say the US or Canada. The culture lends itself quite greatly for bladed weaponry - likely due to the history of the samurai and other romanticized images of feudal Japan. At least thats the vibe I get. The same sort of romanticization happens to Americans for the old West with gun slingers (see where I'm going with this). The 50s and 60s had a hojillion Westerns and even today we occasionally see Westerns. Red Dead Revolver anyone?

The British seem to romanticize the Roman Empire and I haven't a clue who Australia romanticizes being I don't think you could make a TV show about being a convict stranded on a content with virtually every animal of the poisonous or dangerous variety present...entertaining. Then again I could be wrong (Discovery Channel).

Point being I don't think gun availability would make Japan any worse off than it is anymore than would removing that tidbit from the constitution about pornography censorship make them rise to a new level of fetishism.

That is assuming the people stabbing others in Japan are doing it because they're a few fries short of a Happy Meal and think what they're doing is right. If they're out to take down as many people as possible I wouldn't be shocked if they don't build a bomb or get an AK-47. Didn't some apocalypse group use sarin gas in a subway a few years back?

 

Must be respect for them (Romans) being runners up with the world's second biggest empire ever ;-)

On topic, sadly a similar thing happened yesterday in London:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2010/dec/18/women-girl-four-stabbed-death

 

Just b/c one person is a shit shot doesn't mean that guns aren't factually more deadly than knives. Otherwise wars would've continued to have been fought w/ swords.

I'm glad I live in a country where almost nobody has them.

 

And this is coming from a texas fellow will say something

 

I really don't know why people defend guns. Strange thing is that the people that do are mostly Americans. Put it this way. If some arse hole pulls up to me in his car along side mine with a gun, I'm pretty much a dead man. If he had a big knife I'd be pretty much as safe as can be. The same thing with this bus incident. With a gun you'd just have to keep pulling the trigger. You're bound to kill a few even without aiming.

 

Ah, just like Britain then? Irrational gun laws bought on because of crazy lunatics?

 

That's ridiculous.

I am glad I live in the UK, where guns are few and far between, and I am moving to Japan.

It's one of the things that puts me off living in America, and this comes from someone who's dad owns 4 shotguns and a rifle in the UK (quite rare).

People are people all over the world, someone will get killed by someone else, somewhere. Incidents like this are rare in Japan, hence the coverage. Someone was shot in the head in Manchester last night and it didn't even make the news; I only knew because a friend of mine is a policeman there.

 

I don't think that it's irrational to restrict guns. Guns are designed to kill whatever it is they are being pointed at. Knives aren't all designed for that.

I only ever see Americans get into a hissy-fit about this. You have your gun laws and we have ours... enjoy it.

 

Yes but you live in a country with a culture very different. In the US you can't trust people will behave. And when you can't trust someone not to try to assault or rob you, good reason to have a deadly weapon to fight back.

The other reason for the populace to be armed is because that is how governments like Nazi Germany gained and maintained control. If the army is under your control and only the army has guns you can do whatever you want.

Guns aren't a problem by themselves. It's a dickheads that would do dumb shit anyway whether they had a gun or not.

And yes Yakumo, a gun is alot deadlier than a knife. However like any deadly weapon it all comes down to details. Being stabbed or cut can be worse than being shot. Guns let people stay a distance away rather than getting up close and personal like a knife. But I think if you're fucked up enough to start trying to kill people you'll use whatever you can get.

Anyway all I'm saying is that it is not unreasonable to have citizens with guns with proper laws and regulations. For example I don't think anyone should have automatic weapons other than the military and that anyone caught illegally with one should be in deep shit. But having handguns and rifles in the hands of those who are responsible and not violent criminals is a good thing. But ofcourse it would be nice if you didn't have to ever worry about anyone assaulting you.

 

The below happened in France - fortunately no injuries but it would seem it's not just Japanese crazies that go for the kids.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/dec/13/french-children-hostage-school

You make a good point, though it's slightly diminished by the sarcasm... Irrational legislation is by no means confined to the UK nor to the issue of gun control.

This thread is getting strange now.

EDIT: Other than Godwin's it reminded me of -

Homer: Lisa, if I didn't have this gun, the king of England could walk right in here and start pushing you around.

 

Why is it ridiculous? Time and time again I have heard how useless the police are in the UK from members on this board. Not to mention that police are a reactive force far more than a proactive one. With that being the case wouldn't you want the ability to protect yourself if yourself in a dangerous situation if it should unfortunately present itself?

 

If the bad guys never had guns then the good guys wouldn't need them either. Simple as that really.