• Doomsider@lemmy.world
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    2 days ago

    We have lost 1.5 million people to gun violence the last three decades. More than every US soldier in every war combined. To pussy foot around with this is pretty ridiculous.

    • FishFace@piefed.social
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      2 days ago

      What proportion of those are people visiting for work or tourism?

      It’s ridiculous to downplay in the sense of the domestic response. But in terms of risk in this context, it’s not a factor.

      • Doomsider@lemmy.world
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        2 days ago

        Perception is more important than actual risk to most people. This is especially poignant considering you don’t have to visit the US on vacation and can just go somewhere else.

        Let me ask you this, if you knew a nation was at war and losing about 50k citizens every year to said war would you want to visit? I think most sane people would say no.

        I am reminded of the UK citizen who just went to visit her father in Texas who shot her after explaining it would be okay for Trump to rape her because he has other daughters.

        I mean I am sorry, but the US is now worse than backwards Middle Eastern countries that are also statistically pretty damned safe. Doesn’t mean people want to visit either though.

        • FishFace@piefed.social
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          2 days ago

          The mind boggles that you understand this but want to encourage people to do the irrational thing instead of put the statistics in context. I get not trying to persuade people the US is safe to travel to (from the pov of gun violence) but why would you try to persuade them that it isn’t???

          • Doomsider@lemmy.world
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            2 days ago

            I am not doing shit. The UK government and other European nations do this without me (warn travelers about the US). I was just pointing it out and the possible rationales even if statistically it is a non-issue.

            Preference and perception drive most people. Let’s just examine the fact that lots of people refuse to fly even though it is safer than driving. Are they wrong from a statistical analysis, sure. Are you going to convince them with stats, probably not.

            • FishFace@piefed.social
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              2 days ago

              You’re trying to justify the perception. If you’re not trying to, you’re doing it by accident, so maybe that’s something you can avoid.

              • Jerkface (any/all)@lemmy.ca
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                2 days ago

                Dude, you have no place to be accusing people of motivated and emotional reasoning, if that’s where this is going.

              • Doomsider@lemmy.world
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                2 days ago

                Trying to justify perception and stating it exists are two different things. I can speak to both. It definitely exists and the reason it exists is due to verifiable information.

                Your statistical analysis cannot disprove perception because people are more likely to accept anecdotal evidence. That is just human nature.

                You can definitely fight back with anecdotal information yourself (ie: My relatives traveled to the US and has a splendid time with no problems) but trying to sway people with statistics is a non-starter for a lot of people.

                  • Doomsider@lemmy.world
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                    2 days ago

                    You are telling me you can absolutely alter people’s belief with statistics!? Perhaps a few people who believe in this type of analysis.

                    All your comments give me the Impression I am talking to a brick wall. Maybe it is a ESL thing or perhaps your profound lack of reading comprehension. Any insight?

    • glimse@lemmy.world
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      2 days ago

      It’s not downplaying it at all, I’m saying gun violence being a significant factor in choosing not to travel in the US is pretty ridiculous.

        • Arcadeep@lemmy.world
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          2 days ago

          As someone who grew up in one of the more dangerous cities in the US, you generally have to be making obviously risky decisions to get shot by most of the (legally or otherwise) gun carrying population. The biggest risk by far, and why I actually would not suggest people visit the US right now, is the government and ICE being totally out of control. They’re more likely to shoot a tourist than a regular local

          • Doomsider@lemmy.world
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            2 days ago

            Meh, I have seen someone shot over road rage and it wasn’t even their fault. I have been robbed at gun point in Tri-cities in Eastern Washington, not exactly a big city. I know a women who got murdered by her husband for talking to another man.

            A lot of people die senselessly from guns in the US, but I get your point.

            • Arcadeep@lemmy.world
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              2 days ago

              Absolutely not denying that it’s a problem, just trying to provide context to the idea that everyone in the US will shoot you just for existing or that bullets are just constantly whizzing through the air at all hours.

              I’ve had guns pointed at me as well, and funnily enough, more have been from jumpy pigs than from regular people

              • Doomsider@lemmy.world
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                2 days ago

                Not everyone, but there is a strange mix of gangsters and rednecks that will absolutely kill you over nothing.

                I have had more people pull guns on me than officers and I would rather it be an officer any day over a road rager or a drug addict.

                Having said that, there is definitely something to the nervous with a tool officer pulling their gun out in fear that is very unsettling. Also, it is always your fault if an officer shoots, even when it is clearly not your fault. I really hate that.