General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsAmerica loves its firearms—but they're just the tip of the dysfunctional iceberg
SALON:Its not just about guns:
What the gun control debate exposes and threatens in our toxic white male culture of violence
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So America loves its guns.
The essence of the political fight is not ignorant rednecks vs. liberal elites, the mentally ill vs. calm rationalists, misunderstood males vs. feminazis or foreigners or terrorists or what have you, but the definition of what it means to be an American. If there is anything left of the American dream to be salvaged, it is the united part of the United States that needs to be regained. Because it isnt them. Its us. We are the problem.
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Which brings us to American individualism. The studies noted above have remarked that school shootings have quite a bit in common, as they tend to take place in suburban or rural areas where violent crime is relatively rare, and the young men are white and middle class. The overwhelming white maleness of these school shooters is not inconsequential, because it means they fall into the statistically defined parameters of the typical American gun owner who, according to data collected by social scientist Katarzyna Celinska, is Protestant, white, and male, and holds conservative political views. Crucially, the focus of her study was not guns per se. Instead, she sought to better define the ethos of utilitarian individualismthis ethos arguably being what is American about American cultureby looking at guns as a cultural axis.
more & TONS of links:
http://www.salon.com/2015/10/05/its_not_just_about_guns_what_the_gun_control_debate_exposes_and_threatens_in_our_toxic_white_male_culture_of_violence/
HooptieWagon
(17,064 posts)lindysalsagal
(20,444 posts)So, yeah. Lots of stupid to go around.
BlueJazz
(25,348 posts)One of the biggest difference I've seen here in the states regarding citizens here and citizens in Australia..(I'm a citizen of both)..IS..
Men and women are certainly proud of their country in Australia but don't make that big a deal of it. Men here (40% of Men) seem to
have an attitude of..thinking..ah...being somewhat belligerent about their country/manhood. I get the feeling, a lot of times that they're lookin' for a fight, which confuses me. Part of it may be that I live in the south.
No, I didn't say all, just a decent share of the population. The men I've had dealings with here that are more like myself, are almost always Liberals. Flame away.
Fred Sanders
(23,946 posts)And how violent is American popular media compared to other nations? I would say other nations media is fractionally as ripe with violent imagery.
BlueJazz
(25,348 posts)...of course, being political scene is a lot shorter there, you don't have as much cutting and demeaning other candidates.
I might add that everybody is not like Shirley Temple either.
I don't have all the answers and worse, I don't even know what questions to ask.
Fumesucker
(45,851 posts)Nuclear Unicorn
(19,497 posts)Asian 6
Black 11
Latino 4
Native American 3
Other 2
Unknown 1
White 44
This is a good data base to look at which has other tables to look at
http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2012/12/mass-shootings-mother-jones-full-data
44 out of 71 is 61.9%. US white population is roughly 60%.
bumprstickr
(74 posts)Do you have a term that you prefer?
Nuclear Unicorn
(19,497 posts)bumprstickr
(74 posts)could be a coincidence.
Nuclear Unicorn
(19,497 posts)pipoman
(16,038 posts)Majority or even overwhelming majority may be accurate but may lead one to believe it is disproportionate....
davidn3600
(6,342 posts)That site isn't what it used to be.
Fred Sanders
(23,946 posts)davidn3600
(6,342 posts)This kid in Oregon is mixed racial.
Sure the vast majority are white. Whites make up the majority of the population. What do you expect?
When you read this article, they make it about race. Dylann Roof's killings were racial, clearly. But you can't prove any of these other killings had anything to do with racism. Not every single crime in America is racially-motivated. Sorry to break that reality to you.
Yeah, there are a lot of psycho white people out there with guns! Guess what...there are a bunch of psycho black people out there with guns too. Go to Baltimore or Chicago and you'll see it for yourself.
Sorry but I prefer to concentrate on serious social psychology articles, discussions, and papers concerning these important topics. Not focus on buzz words and shock headlines that push everything into a debate about racism so it drives up their click counts.
hack89
(39,171 posts)The focus on just mass shooters ignores the daily carnage in urban communities across the country.