I don't know. Homes in rural and country settings are spaced farther apart. The informal equivalent of "neighborhood watch" would be harder to enforce. ("If you see something say something" is harder to do when you and your neighbors live far apart.) As for Detroit, I have never been there. Of course, I heard stories. But if I lived in a part of town when I would seriously have to think about getting a gun, then I would even more seriously think about moving. Guns beget more guns. Not a cycle I care to ride.
Overall I agree. But realities in many cities in US seem to be different. Affluent people have the privilege of mobility. In rural settings the question begs what benefit gun ownership brings to the table. Sure a house can be invaded in the countryside but if police can't take care of the very few criminal elements in a rural setting then perhaps police reform is really something more people should consider demanding. Studying the various hunting seasons in US states at least makes me seriously question gun ownership for the benefit of hunting. And people who claim to need a gun as a sport or hobby perhaps lack a bit of perspective of what fun and sports really means. Of course those people should not be blamed, it's all rooted in the upbringing and education individuals receive... Of course critics of stricter gun ownership laws will cite their holy constitution and their rights to do whatever pleases them. We as humans all delight in the occasional crazy thing to do. Racing a super sports car at 150 miles an hour, why not? It's just most people can't afford a super sports car but can afford to buy a gun to explore the nutty dark side in all of us. Shooting a gun bestows power? I call bollocks on that. The very definition of a mature and responsible adult is to exercise control and restraint over our inner freak inside us all. We understand how college teens test their boundaries when they binge drink but we expect of a mature adult to exercise control over those urges to cross our inner boundaries. What the holy US founding fathers in their infinite wisdom (aside their hypocrisy to engage in sex with their own slaves and other atrocities) overlooked was that true freedom comes with not infringing on others' freedoms by exercising our own. Instead, the mantra has been to exercise whatever our own definition of freedom is at the expense of everyone else's freedom. And that is exactly the context of why broad based gun ownership actually limits overall freedom rather than expands it. Protection from tyrannical governments imho is one of the lamest excuses there can be.
Of course, and that is evidenced in which US town exactly? https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou...ARAF&usg=AOvVaw0FoVG3w84U3lrVKE0T1S7M&cf=1
Well, I can't say I have given the matter a lot of thought. I live in Canada. And although there are plenty of gun owners here, thankfully Canada does not have the kind of gun culture celebrated in the US. Home sweet home, eh?
Coronavirus: Firearms and ammo sales spike across Canada amid COVID-19, gun law fears https://globalnews.ca/news/6706985/...ke-across-canada-amid-covid-19-gun-law-fears/ https://www.rcinet.ca/en/2020/04/13/covid-gun-sales-increase-canada-crime-doesnt141030/ https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/20...plosion-in-sales-for-canadian-gun-stores.html
You're really working your way out of my heart, bone. On the plus side, there are far fewer guns per capita here in Canada than there are in the US. ( I'll take what comfort I can get.)
Indeed, can't agree more. Gun ownership for the purpose of hunting makes sense when responsible hunting is not only practiced but also preached and demanded from the top down. What we see in the US is an exploitation of wildlife and morons roaming the forests and outbacks for the sheer fun of killing. How many US hunters field dress a shot deer and carry the meat back home for consumption? How many hunters even possess the skill to properly dress their kill? For most it's not driven by their need for consumption but for the sheer fun of it. Hunting seasons perfectly reflect that nature does not provide ample resources to satisfy a sport or fun. Very few regions have overpopulations that need to be actively managed. Check how many moose or elks are left in states like Wisconsin. 200 perhaps? That is a number that should be considered as "threatened to extinct"
I'm not making any value statements or judgements. But with such a long history of rugged individuals living in great expanses of wilderness of course there is a gun culture in rural Canada.
Gun ownership per capita in Canada is a hugely skewed metric. Most Canadians do not own guns, a huge majority does not in fact. Those who own guns own a lot. Hence a per capita metric is painting a completely skewed picture. A gun owner can only operate one firearm at a time, hence a count of how many guns are operated at any given time in Canada vs US would be a much fairer comparison. (if possible, not feasible, I know). The whole discussion on gun rights and ownership even in Canada is a very dishonest one. Gun rights advocates in provinces like Alberta or Quebec are not limited by stricter gun laws and regulation. For them the true issue is again unchecked freedoms they claim they have a birth given right to. They hate government interference but drive on provincial roads, send their kids to public schools, use provincial healthcare each and every day. It comes down to poor upbringing and education where they were instilled with a very narrow mindset. Again, can't blame them, though as adult we should all expect grown ups to gain a broader perspective with age.