California governor signs law raising taxes on guns and ammunition to pay for school safety

Each bullet should cost 5000 dollars.

Each bullet should cost 5000 dollars.

The problem with that is that it is not that hard to reload spent shell casings. Many gun enthusiasts save their brass and reload them with gunpowder and whatever slug they are using. There are tools readily available to facilitate this. It is tedious and boring work but almost anyone can do it, and the equipment has been commercially available since the advent of modern ammunition. Lots of hunters and target shooters save their brass shell casings and reload them at home. Some even cast their own bullets as lead doesn't require particularly high temperatures to melt. One can only raise that tax so much before ammo buyers start reloading at home.

Many gun enthusiasts save their brass and reload them with gunpowder and whatever slug they are using

Tax gunpowder, then. Or cordite.

The law says the first $75 million of that money must go to the California Violence Intervention and Prevention Grant Program. The program has funded projects targeting young people in gangs, including sports programs, life coaching and tattoo removal.

Can't find much info on how successful it's been so far, but the City of Oakland's website says that cities that received grants through this program through 2018 saw gun homicides decrease nearly 3 times more than cities that didn't.

This law might not do much to keep guns off the streets. They're already there. But it's important to keep them out of the wrong hands. Much (most?) gun violence is gang related.

These paltry medicines trying to alleviate the symptoms of America's mass murder disease will not work. It seems to me these gun control politicians have neither the brains nor the guts to determine the actual causes nor come up with cures for them.

Of course the public is not much better, so I would be wasting my time to even try and explain what is going on in America and why. Hell, a lot of it is going to put blame on modern American culture and society and THAT will obviously not be appreciated. Apparently kids bleeding out in schools is better than having to do some introspection. And NO, I am not just talking about the gun fanatics here, I am talking the whole culture, including the gun haters. All sides are working together splendidly to make America's gun spree worse.

The USA is a country raised on violence, from its constant wars, Hollywood films, TV series and very stupid gun laws. And I would bet that not many, if any at all, have read the 2nd Amendment and what it really says and means. But then, most of these gun toting fanatics do not care about laws, hence the constant murders. I do not for see any end to the gun lunacy in that country, but only it will get worse.

It seems to me these gun control politicians have neither the brains nor the guts to determine the actual causes nor come up with cures for them.

What are the causes and cures?

opheliajadefeldtToday 12:46 pm JST

The USA is a country raised on violence, from its constant wars, Hollywood films, TV series and very stupid gun laws.

Have you seen Squid Game and violent anime?

What are the causes and cures?

Do you read whole posts? I wrote:

I would be wasting my time to even try and explain what is going on in America and why.

But okay since you ask, I will be brief, which will be ridiculous because it means people will need to fill in some blanks, which they can't and won't. But I will give you some clues.

America is in a mental health crisis for MALES. Hardly anybody gives a single damn the trials and struggles of males, but where it really causes the most damage is the lack of care or concern for young males. They simply are not getting the social and moral education they need to be stable, happy and prosperous as a person (rather than financial). Boys are being treated as defective girls now, in and out of school. Just say "Men's rights" and hear the laughter. But its precisely the ignorance of the dire condition men's rights are in that is at the core of the problem. Take men's rights seriously. Respect that boys have different needs and speeds.

Next, the anti-sex, Victorian attitudes were in some balance in the past for frequent need of soldiers. You don't follow? Sexless young men are unhappy, full of angst, hate and more prone to violence. So shipping them off to war solved that problem. Well that solution was always a sick one, but its dried up now. Machines have greatly displaced the need for great numbers of soldiers. So get boys dating again. It calms them down and stabilizes them.

Gun clubs used to be a thing in schools. There, mostly boys, learned to respect guns and all about gun safety. The TV teaches only gun glorification and dreamy nonsense about guns. Bring the guns through the front door and they will stop coming in the back door.

Also, stop handing all the money to the cops and bring back social workers.

And sit the ultra-feminists down and get them to stop demonizing males. In fact, SHUT THEM DOWN. They have ruined male-female relations for selfish gain but have unwittingly created an army of unhinged, antisocial males.

Bring back due process even if its a rape case. Stop cancel culture happening before even charges have been filed. All hetero males with a drop of testosterone are feelling intense pressure for no sane reason. Just stop it.

And yeah, that is me, being brief. And also, just getting warmed up.

Now dismiss everything I say and everyone grab some popcorn for the next mass school shooting.

Keepyer Internetpoints,

Do you read whole posts? I wrote:

I would be wasting my time to even try and explain what is going on in America and why.

Of course I do. I'm simply skeptical when people say they have all the answers but won't give them because "I'd be wasting my time," explaining them.

But thanks for your post. You do raise some very good points. They explain some aspects of gun violence in the US, mass school shootings in particular, which are predominantly carried out by young men. I do find 'mental health' to be a bit overstated though, as you could argue that feelings of anger, resentment, jealousy, disenfranchisement and so forth, which are common motivators for school shooters, are mental health issues. That being the case, you could apply that definition to basically anyone on the planet. I mean, they're pretty universal emotions. You could also blame a lot of domestic gun violence, familicides, for example, on those emotions. Fortunately, they only manifest in gun violence quite rarely. I certainly agree that efforts should be made to identify and counsel people in such crises before they act out on them.

And mental health has little to no bearing on other types of gun violence, such as robberies, gang/drug wars, street beefs, arguments in bars that end in gunfire and the like.

Gun clubs used to be a thing in schools. There, mostly boys, learned to respect guns and all about gun safety. The TV teaches only gun glorification and dreamy nonsense about guns. Bring the guns through the front door and they will stop coming in the back door.

Yes, gun safety is extremely important. I think such courses should be mandatory for any gun ownership. But there are still gun and rifle clubs in schools, albeit far fewer than there used to be, and there are certainly tens of thousands of them across the US. As for the glorification of guns on TV, that is hardly unique to the United States. I don't know many other countries, however, where the military actually uses film and TV for propaganda like they do in the States.

Bring back due process even if its a rape case. Stop cancel culture happening before even charges have been filed. 

Well, the halls of justice and the court of public opinion are completely different things.

And finally, besides the gun clubs in schools, and the over-militarization of the cops (totally with you on that) most of what you say is, again, not unique to the US. Cancel culture, emasculation, incels, poor mental health all exist in other countries as well. Perhaps not to the same extent. I can't speak for all places.

fatrainfallingintheforest

You have taken the time to read and think so I will address a few points.

And mental health has little to no bearing on other types of gun violence, such as robberies, gang/drug wars, street beefs, arguments in bars that end in gunfire and the like.

Mental health has LOADS to do with these things. What happy, stable, well-adjusted young man turns to a life of crime and bar fights while armed with a gun??

That being the case, you could apply that definition to basically anyone on the planet. I mean, they're pretty universal emotions.

Its not the emotions themselves, but the degree to which they are felt. I feel American society is absolutely brutal to young men. As an American male, I went through a whole boatload of totally unnecessary crap growing up. And I have to say, something you skipped over, one of the worst was the unavailabilty of sex and the negativity surrounding teen couples that makes it hard for them to date positively, not to mention the age barriers created by society and law that just make it even worse. Inceldom is not good for anybody and probably worst for teens. Americans thinking cutting them off performed a service for them!

Japanese women really saved my friggen life. Coming here was the best thing I ever did. And every time I go back to America I wonder why these people are so damned uptight about things that would make them others happy. Most Americans can't even imagine being nude in front of strangers at an onsen. And I am telling you, this is a sign of mass mental illness greatly contrained to Anglos. Japanese women WANTED to go to love hotels with me. Americans look at love hotels and no doubt think of cockroaches and leaky ceilings. Americans are the most ill of all the Anglo cultures and this sex negativity is a huge part of it.

But there are still gun and rifle clubs in schools, albeit far fewer than there used to be,

Yeah. Far fewer is a pretty glaring problem. Why split hairs?

As for the glorification of guns on TV, that is hardly unique to the United States.

Yeah....thanks in LARGE part to American TV and movies. The difference is, most other countries don't have such easy access to guns. And those that do have far better social structures creating young people that can avoid getting sucked into the rubbish on TV.

Well, the halls of justice and the court of public opinion are completely different things.

That's no consolation to someone whose life has been turned upside down by "believe women" attitudes that imply "don't believe men". The press calls accusers "victims" now. Men lose their jobs, their careers, their families, their hopes and their dreams, just because a woman makes a claim, and not even to police. This madness is not even beneficial to women because the incel culture they created has imploded the same dating pool they were hoping to be a part of.

Cancel culture, emasculation, incels, poor mental health all exist in other countries as well.

Again, I think you are discounting the degree of these in the U.S. and the fact that America is awash with guns.

opheliajadefeldtSep. 27  12:46 pm JST

The USA is a country raised on violence, from its constant wars, Hollywood films, TV series and very stupid gun laws. And I would bet that not many, if any at all, have read the 2nd Amendment and what it really says and means. But then, most of these gun toting fanatics do not care about laws, hence the constant murders. I do not for see any end to the gun lunacy in that country, but only it will get worse.

That 2nd Amend is about private ownership of weapons and that 'militia' clause refers to something called the 'US Army' which these 'militia' hate group terrorist scum are too cowardly and disloyal to join, as we can see with the trump dictatorship and J6.

And citizens just don't need these fancy AR-15s and such. Those are war weapons and George Bush banned importations of AK-47s back in 1991. The gangs and racist hate groups use that Amend 2 as an excuse for their violence and as a veteran I am SICK of these lame violent excuses and the blubbering bullcrap. Nobody is out to confiscate guns from private citizens and I'm sick of that greedy rabble rouser Wayne LaPierre and such stirring the hysteria up. And I'm sick of all the senseless sensationalistic violent garbage by producers like Quentin Tarantino who glorify it for no apparent reason. Guns and owning them come with a responsibility, something most Americans don't seem to have. They just want to follow and cower to these loudmouth lunkheads. Sad, man.

California is pushing progressiveness at the same level as Florida is impeding it.

Which state is doing better economically?

The anger I see directed at feminists by men tell me these men are supremely insecure. A well adjusted man has no reason to fear a woman or deny her the same rights men enjoy. Expecting women to be deferential to men might have been ok a half century ago but not today and probably never again in the future. Resenting the accomplishments of women is a lost cause and a waste of one's time and energy. Always look forward. An intelligent, assertive, hard working woman is an asset to your company and to your family. Ask yourself why your ego is so fragile that such a women threatens you? Do you want a partner, and equal or a slave?

Keepyer...,

Mental health has LOADS to do with these things. What happy, stable, well-adjusted young man turns to a life of crime and bar fights while armed with a gun??

I don't think mental health issues are the prime motivator behind that, beyond the common negative emotions I listed that we all feel from time to time. Far more consequential are factors such as poverty, substance abuse, socialisation etc.

I feel American society is absolutely brutal to young men. As an American male, I went through a whole boatload of totally unnecessary crap growing up

That being the case, if that's the main cause of gun violence then I'm surprised there isn't much more of it in the US. There are, what, 170 million males in that country?

And I have to say, something you skipped over, one of the worst was the unavailabilty of sex and the negativity surrounding teen couples that makes it hard for them to date positively, not to mention the age barriers created by society and law that just make it even worse. Inceldom is not good for anybody and probably worst for teens. Americans thinking cutting them off performed a service for them!

How does that explain gin violence involving older males? Spousal and family murders account for a fairly large amount of gun violence, particularly mass shootings or killings,many of which occur in private homes, perpetrated by husbands, partners and exes.

I think you are accurately explaining factors behind a relatively small element of gun violence in the US; school shootings by disenfranchised, adolescent, usually white, males. However, gang violence, accidental shootings, other violent crime, arguing while carrying, domestic violence and substance abuse (drunks in bats and at parties) account for a lot more of it. And again, mental health might play a small part in that, but poverty, lack of opportunities and broken homes play the bigger part.