Sam Harris is an atheist neuroscientist who writes about science, religion and ethics. I have read his books and find them thought provoking to say the least. This is his take on gun violence in the U.S.

The Riddle of the Gun : Sam Harris

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Thanks for sharing that; interesting read, IMO.

I find a lot of it refreshingly sane, especially in comparison to the copious amounts of nonsense - of various flavors - that I've read/heard/seen in recent weeks.

Yup, coming in huge doses from both extreme sides of the issue.

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You're a daisy if you do.
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84 Euro 240D 4spd. 220.5k sold
04 Honda Element AWD
1985 F150 XLT 4x4, 351W with 270k miles, hay hauler
1997 Suzuki Sidekick 4x4
1993 Toyota 4wd Pickup 226K and counting

The link to the video of the motel robbery and shooting seems like a bad example to me. I don't think the guy with the CCW used very good judgment. The robber wasn't there to kill but to steal. Giving him the money would have been a far safer course of action especially since there's a mother and kid between the shooter and the robber. Keep your weapon at the ready but just let the guy leave with the money. Once bullets started flying everyone was in much greater danger.
If the guy had just come in and started shooting, things would have been different.

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1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
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1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
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A person has a right to protect their property as well as their life. Blowing away a thief every now and again sends a message for the thugs to think about.

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Annoy a Liberal, Read the Constitution

When I was 16 I was operating a large service station. By 'operating' I mean I worked there during the week, but on Sunday it was me and only me.

I was told by the owner to give any robber anything they wanted. There was nothing in the place he needed so badly that it was worth anyone's life.

And then one day I was robbed, so I told the crook he could take anything he wanted and I would even help him load it up. He not only took all the cash but filled up his tank with Premium. I asked him if he needed anything else before he left and he just mumbled something like, "Thanks, Kid."

I think the total loss was $36.

I called the Cops, and they finally showed up a few hours later. They took a report and that was the last I ever heard of it.

The owner just blew it off and said I did the right thing.

And from an economic standpoint I did. If I had been killed the station would have been shut down for a day or so and it would have cost more than $36 to hire someone to replace me.

If you wrote that after watching the video, I think you are totally irresponsible. Anyone who would start shooting at an armed robber over $500 while a one year old child was within 2 feet of them is either stupid or despicable. Did I ever mention anything about anyone's rights? I said the shooter's judgment was really bad when there were a mother and child between him and the robber.
And, I seriously doubt that it was the shooter's property that was being robbed. He was just a cowboy and a stupid cowboy at that. If I was the owner of that motel I would fire the guy for having terrible judgment.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

I was NOT saying that in response to any one specific incident. My point is that a person has a right to protect their property as well as their life. Every once in awhile, some scumbag n'er do well gets an example made of them.

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2001 SLK 320 six speed manual
2014 Porsche Cayenne six speed manual

Annoy a Liberal, Read the Constitution

Well it was a stupid knee jerk response because no innocent person's life is worth $500. I can't believe that Harris chose it as his example when he's arguing about shooters intent on murder. There's nothing in the video to indicate the robber intended to shoot. The clerk was the one who started shooting and put innocent people in danger and it wasn't just a remote chance of danger. The child was in the immediate line of fire. If the guy came in with guns blazing, the clerk's response would have been reasonable. Given the actual circumstances it was very bad judgment.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

Okay then, how much money IS a humans life worth?

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2001 SLK 320 six speed manual
2014 Porsche Cayenne six speed manual

Annoy a Liberal, Read the Constitution

How much would you pay to get your dead kid back? I'm betting at least $501.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

You're such a badass, Larry!

I agree with a lot of his argument. The distinction between assault rifles and hunting rifles is pretty meaningless from a safety point of view and smaller clips are also pretty insignificant. But having grown up in a society in which guns were very strictly regulated and which has and had a lot less gun violence than the USA, his general defense of guns in the hands of the right people seems misplaced to me.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

That's life in Detroit, that's just the way it is - YouTube

Unfortunately, there is no possibility for the US to become that society and any comparison between the US and such a society is a bit meaningless. The US will never get rid of all of its guns to the point where there will be significantly less gun violence.

The only alternative, sadly, is more guns in the hands of the right people.