The power of guns for sucide

[gclark03]

Even though I understand your point, it's necessary to understand that mental sickness != suicidal tendencies. I don't know the details, so feel free to excoriate me for bringing this up, but doesn't America (at least) have plenty of mental health safeties in legally buying firearms?

(Remember that the real threats are illegal firearms. Your average pawn shop doesn't conduct mental health tests, after all.)

As for gun control, how can we expect the Federal government to handle something like this? It should be left to the state/local governments, and I hope to God that they don't bring highway funding into the movement to ban privately-owned firearms.

[SiN|ScarFace]

Originally Posted by [R-MOD]Masaq

Which sounds fine and dandy until you remember that 1 in 5 (1 in 4, according to some studies) people are currently experiencing some form of mental ill-health and that everyone will at some point in their life.

I'll mental health? lol Do 1 in 5 don't commit suicide. According the the WHO the US has 17.4 suicides per 100,000 people(as of 2003), and there are a number of countries who have no gun rights that are higher.

[[R-DEV]Masaq]

That's not the point I made though - Clark was saying that the vast majority of people are "stable" and "responsible".

I'm saying that unless you understand that everybody has the capacity to suffer from depression and that nobody is "stable" and that the suicidal aren't "irresponsible" then you can't have a proper debate of the issue.

[combatwombat]

Originally Posted by SiN|ScarFace

And you go get it to kill yourself, you have failed at life.

You'd say this about a child < 12 years old? Seems kind of harsh to pass a judgment like that on someone who has not even had time to figure out who they are.

[gclark03]

Originally Posted by [R-MOD]Masaq

That's not the point I made though - Clark was saying that the vast majority of people are "stable" and "responsible".

I'm saying that unless you understand that everybody has the capacity to suffer from depression and that nobody is "stable" and that the suicidal aren't "irresponsible" then you can't have a proper debate of the issue.

Everybody has the capacity, yes, but everyone with the capacity to commit suicide with a gun also has the capacity to kill as many people as they have ammunition until they turn the gun on themselves or are stopped by something (authorities, other citizens, etc.).

Those with mental health issues (which includes clinical depression, to some degree) are more prone to turn to suicide than those who are psychologically normal, but most people suffer from some degree of depression at some point in their lives, and most of us get through it without either seriously contemplating or acting on suicidal thoughts.

If you have never had suicidal thoughts, then you have never truly lived.

One more thing, while it's on my mind: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pat_Regan. These are the results of stringent gun control - people WILL find alternatives to kill either themselves or their fellow man, no matter what legislation is passed.

[SiN|ScarFace]

Originally Posted by combatwombat

You'd say this about a child < 12 years old? Seems kind of harsh to pass a judgment like that on someone who has not even had time to figure out who they are.

So what if it is. I know what depression is like at that age, I've had the same thoughts, but like you I am still here. Killing yourself in youth is epic failure at life, it's a tragedy but still a failure, which should be obvious.

[M1126 Stryker]

If you don't have a gun and are trying to commit suicide your probably just going to use a rope.

[Hotrod525]

Well, Firearms make easier suicide, but, i live in Quebec, we have the highest suicide rate in all Canada, whitout easy access to guns. Ill just take our subway as example, you cant imagine how many people jump infront of the train to die...Yeah they die, in a pretty horrible way to do so.. People jumping from Jacques Cartier bridge... people who hang themself in the Casino... people using fire on them self ( i dont know whats the word in english but in french we said "immolé" ) 20 people on 100 000 gonna commit suicide each year here in Quebec province.

[georgehu2007]

The Supreme Court ruling is based on the Constitutional right to bear arms, I believe. Yes, guns make it easier to kill yourself or other people, but there's still the Second Amendment...

[SiN|ScarFace]

Originally Posted by Hotrod525

Well, Firearms make easier suicide, but, i live in Quebec, we have the highest suicide rate in all Canada, whitout easy access to guns. Ill just take our subway as example, you cant imagine how many people jump infront of the train to die...Yeah they die, in a pretty horrible way to do so.. People jumping from Jacques Cartier bridge... people who hang themself in the Casino... people using fire on them self ( i dont know whats the word in english but in french we said "immolé" ) 20 people on 100 000 gonna commit suicide each year here in Quebec province.

Self immolation.