It Is The Guns

[57Brave]

something something Texas.
5 dead including an 8 year old
2 children alive under women shields
Thoughts and prayers
or doors
or video games
or mental illness

[sturg33]

something something Texas.
5 dead including an 8 year old
2 children alive under women shields
Thoughts and prayers
or doors
or video games
or mental illness

When do you predict my guns will turn on me and shoot me dead?

[57Brave]

Clever man asserts guns don't kill people ...

[Tapate50]

You think mentally same people just go in a shooting spray at kids?

[57Brave]

You think mentally same people just go in a shooting spray at kids?

Is that a point ?

[Tapate50]

Sharp and pointed by definition

[57Brave]

Japan has almost completely eliminated gun deaths — here's how

Chris Weller,Erin Snodgrass,Katie Anthony,Azmi Haroun,Lloyd Lee
April 20, 2023·5 min read


AP
Japan is a country of more than 127 million people, but it rarely sees more than 10 gun deaths a year.

Culture is one reason for the low rate, but gun control is a major one, too.

Japan has a long list of tests that applicants must pass before gaining access to a small pool of guns.

A recent spate of mass shootings has prompted intensified discussions around gun control in the US.

On Saturday, four people were killed and 32 were injured in a shooting in Dadeville, Alabama, during a 16th birthday party. Last month, a 28-year-old woman opened fire at The Covenant School in Nashville, Tennessee, killing three elementary school students and three adult staff members, according to police.

The attacks come on the heels of several other mass shootings in the past year, including at a Fourth of July parade in Illinois, in a supermarket in Buffalo, New York, and at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas.

There was 17 mass shooting this year, with 88 people killed, according to The Associated Press.

One of the biggest questions being asked: How does the US prevent this from happening over and over again?

Although the US has no exact counterpart elsewhere in the world, some countries have taken steps that can provide a window into what successful gun control looks like. Japan, a country of 127 million people and yearly gun deaths rarely totaling more than 10, is one such country.

"Ever since guns entered the country, Japan has always had strict gun laws," Iain Overton, executive director of Action on Armed Violence, a British advocacy group, told the BBC. "They are the first nation to impose gun laws in the whole world, and I think it laid down a bedrock saying that guns really don't play a part in civilian society."

Japan is a country with regulations upon regulations
Japan's success in curbing gun deaths is intimately linked with its history. Following World War II, pacifism emerged as one of the dominant philosophies in the country. Police only started carrying firearms after American troops made them, in 1946, for the sake of security. It's also written into Japanese law, as of 1958, that "no person shall possess a firearm or firearms or a sword or swords."

The government has since loosened the law, but the fact Japan enacted gun control from the stance of prohibition is important. (It's also one of the main factors separating Japan from the US, where the Second Amendment broadly permits people to own guns.)

If Japanese people want to own a gun, they must attend an all-day class, pass a written test, and achieve at least 95% accuracy during a shooting-range test. Then they have to pass a mental-health evaluation, which takes place at a hospital, and pass a background check, in which the government digs into their criminal record and interviews friends and family. They can only buy shotguns and air rifles — no handguns — and every three years they must retake the class and initial exam.

japan riot police
Even Japanese riot police infrequently turn to guns, instead preferring long batons.Toru Hanai/Reuters
Japan has also embraced the idea that fewer guns in circulation will result in fewer deaths. Each prefecture — which ranges in size from half a million people to 12 million, in Tokyo — can operate a maximum of three gun shops; new magazines can only be purchased by trading in empty ones; and when gun owners die, their relatives must surrender the deceased member's firearms.

The role of trust can't be overstated
The result is a situation where citizens and police seldom wield or use guns.

Off-duty police aren't allowed to carry firearms, and most encounters with suspects involve some combination of martial arts or striking weapons. When Japanese attacks do turn deadly, they generally involve fatal stabbings. In July of 2016, an assailant killed 19 people in an assisted living facility. Japan rarely sees so many fatalities from guns in an entire year.

Yet even Japan is not immune to gun violence. The assassination of former the county's former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on July 8, 2022, shocked the nation. Abe was shot and killed by a shooting suspect wielding what appeared to be a homemade firearm constructed of metal barrels attached to wood with black tape.



Nancy Snow, Japan director of the International Security Industrial Council, told Insider that Japan will be "forever changed" by Abe's death.

"When I talk about Japan changing forever — the Japanese people, it's hard to even have a conversation with them about the gun culture in the United States, without people getting viscerally upset thinking about it because they say, we're not that country," Snow said.

Gun control in Japan, combined with the prevailing respect for authority, has led to a more harmonious relationship between civilians and the police than in the US. It's something of a chicken-egg problem: The police, in choosing to use sub-lethal force on people, generate less widespread fear among the public that they'll be shot. In turn, people feel less of a need to arm themselves.

The US, meanwhile, has a more militarized police force that uses automatic weapons and armored cars. There is also less widespread trust between people (and between people and institutions). The factors combine to produce a much fearful culture that can seem to be always on-edge.

Japan's approach would be a tough sell in the face of American gun culture, but it can provide a starting point for reining in the senseless violence that has become a hallmark of life in the US.

[57Brave]

The stigma of mental health and sanity in Japan


25 May 2022 12:05:26 GMT9
Nader Sammouri

OSAKA: In a world that seems to be traveling faster than sound, “How is your sanity?” has become a sane question to ask today.

Mental health is a multidimensional concept, a state of emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It is not merely the absence of mental disorders or symptoms. Mental health encompasses broad concepts including subjective well-being, perceived self-efficacy, autonomy, competence, intergenerational dependence, and self-actualization of one’s intellectual and emotional potential, among others.

“Mental health is not just the absence of mental illness. It is closely associated with our sense of happiness and wellness,” said Dr. Sayaka Machizawa, a licensed clinical psychologist and an associate director of clinical science at Signant Health in Tokyo.

People in Japan are often discouraged or hesitant to seek professional treatment for their mental health concerns due to stigma. Why is that?

“Mental health issues in Japan are often perceived as a sign of personal weakness that one should resolve by oneself without talking to others or asking for help,” Dr. Machizawa said.

Notably, Japan has been consistently low on the World Happiness Index. According to the 2021 World Happiness Report, Japan was 55th out of the 146 countries, which is relatively low for industrialized countries. In comparison, Taiwan was 24th and Singapore was 32nd in the ranking. The ranking is determined by six factors including GDP per capita, social support, healthy life expectancy, freedom to make life choices, generosity, and perceptions of corruption.

“Whereas Japan was higher than many other countries on GDP per capita, social support, and healthy life expectancy, it was low on the freedom to make life choices and generosity. To improve mental health in Japan in the long term, we should not just focus on decreasing the prevalence of mental disorders but also on improving people’s subjective well-being through changing societal norms and practices,” Dr. Machizawa said.

Mental health in Japan is affected by the pandemic as well. According to the recent report by Japan Productivity Center (2021), about 40 % of Japanese organizations stated their employees’ mental health has gotten worse since the pandemic due to changes in communications, relationships with coworkers, and work environments, as well as uncertainties. Suicides in Japan have rocketed abruptly in 2020, especially among women and teenagers. But little do people argue with the mental anguish and extensive yet subtle emotional effects that take a toll on others. With the pandemic, combating stigma and making mental health services more accessible is even more critical.

“My advice is to focus on things that you can control. Setting daily routines and rituals may be helpful in that it can increase a sense of control, safety, and stability. Supporting other people and serving our community allows us to recover a sense of agency and connectivity. Through helping others, we often realize we are not helpless victims but formidable agents that can make a difference. Lastly, when we feel overwhelmed or hopeless, it is critical to stay connected so that we don’t isolate ourselves with our feelings and concerns. I think it is critical to combat the stigma associated with mental illness, educate people on mental wellness, and make mental health services more accessible. In addition, it is important to promote mental health literacy through programming in various settings such as schools, workplaces, and communities,” Dr. Machizawa said.

Mental restoration isn’t just a taboo topic in Japan. Numerous Middle Eastern countries reassure a culture that refrains from seeking help in the name of resilience.

Perhaps the time has come to admit the rearising problems, combat psychological disorders, and consider it a sort of pandemic in itself. People may need to realize that seeking help isn’t a weakness. It takes courage to put the ego aside, recognize one’s limits, and reach out.

[57Brave]

Australia marks 25 years since worst mass shooting
Reuters


SYDNEY, April 28 (Reuters) - Australia marked the 25th anniversary of the country's worst mass shooting on Wednesday in which a lone gunman killed 35 people and forced authorities to implement some of the world's toughest gun laws.

Martin Bryant went on a shooting spree on April 28, 1996 at a cafe and tourist site at the former colonial prison of Port Arthur, in the island state of Tasmania, with military-style weapons he had bought without background checks.


Within two weeks of the massacre, the then conservative prime minister John Howard had brokered a National Firearms Agreement law limiting licensing and ownership controls of guns.

Australia banned all semi-automatic rifles and all semi-automatic and pump-action shotguns and thousands of unlicensed firearms were surrendered under a gun amnesty.

"We took hundreds of thousands of guns out of the community and the evidence since ... is that there have been no mass shootings since then, and the country is a much safer place," Howard told the Australian Broadcasting Corp on Wednesday.

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The firearms law is held up by many abroad as an example of the need for tighter gun controls in the United States, which has seen a surge in mass shootings in 2021.

U.S. recorded 163 mass shooting events this year as of Monday, up from 94 over the same period in the prior year, according to the Gun Violence Archive. read more

Australia has had no mass shootings since 1996.

Total deaths from firearms were 521 in the country in 1996. In 2019, with the population up from about 18 million to 25 million, Australia had 219 deaths, official data showed.

Reporting by Renju Jose; Editing by Michael Perry

[57Brave]

Mental health, happiness of Australian children among the worst of rich countries, according to UNICEF report
Australia is failing to deliver consistently good health, education and social outcomes for children, and this will only get worse as the fallout from the pandemic continues to take hold, warns academics Paula Gerber and Sue West.

A report published by UNICEF last week examined the happiness and wellbeing of children in the world’s richest countries. The data from the report was used to also compile a "league table", and the results are a source of shame for Australia. Not only did we rank 32 out of 38 overall, but when it comes to the mental health of our children, we're doing even worse – 35 out of 38 countries.

What's going wrong?
Why are children in "the Lucky Country" not enjoying high levels of life satisfaction? Why is suicide the highest cause of death among adolescents aged 15 to 19? Australia, we have a lot of work to do – it's clear that wealth doesn't buy happiness.

The data for this report was collected before the global pandemic struck, demonstrating that Australian children were already struggling. COVID-19 will only exacerbate that. Although children don’t suffer the worst of the virus’ health impacts, they're the group that will most acutely experience the longer-term negative impacts.

In Australia, we experience 9.7 deaths by suicide per 100,000 adolescents aged between 15 and 19.

The statistics regarding youth suicide should sound an alarm. In Australia, we experience 9.7 deaths by suicide per 100,000 adolescents aged between 15 and 19. The vast majority of wealthy countries have far lower rates than this, starting with Greece, which experiences only 1.4 deaths by suicide per 100,000 adolescents aged between 15 and 19.

We already know that Indigenous young people are three times more likely to kill themselves than non-Indigenous youths. Concerted and targeted efforts to improve the mental health of children must be inclusive of Indigenous children, families and communities.


The climate effect
How children feel about their future affects their mental health, and the data reveals that our children worry a lot about the environment:

"In Australia, 59% of young people consider climate change to be a threat to their safety (only 14% disagree). Climate change and plastic pollution top their list of environmental concerns. Almost 90% want to move to renewable energy, while only 3% want to ‘stay with fossil fuels’. Three out of four adolescents in Australia want their government to act."

This suggests that acting on climate change would have a direct positive impact on children’s sense of wellbeing and contribute to positive mental health outcomes.

Australia cannot ignore this damning report. We must promise our children that we will do better, and that by 2030, all children in Australia will be thriving. This requires action on many fronts.

Start early
We need to get things right for children starting in early childhood, when 90% of brain development occurs. The evidence tells us that children thrive when they have strong relationships, supportive environments, and social infrastructure that supports families.

Consult children and families
A key factor in children’s happiness is whether they feel they have a voice. Therefore, reforms to improve their wellbeing must be made with children, not just be about them. Children and their families must be included in the design and implementation of all initiatives that concern them. This is consistent with Article 12 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, which provides that children have the right to express their views, and to have those views taken into account.

Connect policies
Social, education, health, environmental and economic policies, programs and services all have a bearing on children’s lives. Carefully integrated policies that complement and strengthen one another and provide the environments and conditions for optimal child development are key to improving child wellbeing. These include:

reducing poverty, and ensuring that all children have access to the resources they needimproving access to affordable and high-quality early-years childcare for all childrenimproving mental health services for children and adolescents.
Although the UNICEF report is damning, it's not all bad news. Australia scored higher for children’s physical health (28th), and their academic and life skills (19th). And we were ranked higher than New Zealand (35th) and the United States, which came absolute last on all three measures – mental health, physical wellbeing, and academic and life skills.

America’s ranking is not surprising, given it's the only country in the world not to have ratified the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and we've all seen how the Trump administration treats children.

What is surprising is that Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has not been asked any questions about this report. He's not been required to explain why Australia’s children are so unhappy, and what he intends to do about it. This is in stark contrast to New Zealand, Where Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has been grilled about why New Zealand was ranked so poorly.

This report gives us a baseline from which we can hopefully only go up. But COVID-19 will make that harder. Children’s wellbeing and mental health are likely to decline as a result of lockdowns, school closures, strains on family relationships, and economic uncertainty. To minimise the impacts of the COVID-19 crisis, governments must provide effective support that minimises inequalities amongs children.

As the report notes:

"A child living in a well-off family, with a room of their own, a good internet connection, and parents who have the time, skills and confidence to support home learning will suffer the educational impact of school closures less than a child in a family with poorer material and human resources."

It's up to governments, families and communities to all play a part in helping to ensure that children growing up in "the Lucky Country" are cushioned from the worst effects of COVID19, and grow up in a country that prioritises children having a positive childhood and future.

[57Brave]

2 countries that have eliminated mass shootings

Highlighting 2 countries grappling with similar (to our)
mental health issues

[57Brave]

should we go on ?

Or will you too maintain the 2000's head in the sand stance of " guns don't kill people, people ... "

because we have a world full of mentally unstable people
but a person suffering mental illness in Australia or Japan
or the rest of the civilized earth population for that matter
hasn't the
access to shoot up .
elementary schools.
Or stores
Or churches
Or malls
......

Surprise everyone and give a thought out response

[sturg33]

Clever man asserts guns don't kill people ...

But no really when will I die from my guns turning on me?

I went to the range today and there were hundreds of guns all shooting deadly bullets but nobody was hit. Why did the guns have so much mercy on us all?

[cajunrevenge]

You can not deny more guns available means more shootings. Just tell us you don't care how many kids have to die so you can own your guns.

[goldfly]

"“That’s the thing. “Why should I have my guns taken off me? I’ve done nothing wrong.” Look, I agree with you. If you’re a responsible gun owner and you don’t fück around with them, then you should be allowed your guns. You really should. But that’s not how society works. We have to play to the 1% that are such fückwits they ruin it for the rest of us. We have to walk as slow as our slowest person to keep society fücking moving, right? I take drugs like a fücking champion, right?

We should all be allowed to take fücking drugs, but we can’t, can we? Because Sarah took drugs and she stabbed her fücking kids. Oh! “Oh, thanks, Sarah. You fücked it up for everyone.” Right? Everyone should be allowed to drive their car as fast as they can do it, right? But we can’t because Jonathan got drunk and ran over a family. “Thanks, Jonathan! Now I have to drive at 30, you fücking idiot!” See, that’s the thing. “Why should I have my guns taken off me, I’m responsible, just because that guy’s crazy?” Who’s to say you’re not crazy? That’s the thing about crazy people. They don’t know they’re crazy. That’s what makes them crazy."

part of Jim Jefferies bit talking about guns

[57Brave]

ACOSTA: People listen to what you said & say it's your job to fix gun violence. Why not?

REP. BURCHETT: I was probably speaking more from a Christian perspective. We need revival in this country

ACOSTA: There's Christianity in other countries & they don't have mass shootings

[Tapate50]

Does Australia and Japan have a gang problem?

Just curious.

[nsacpi]

who are the yakuza

The Yakuza are a Japanese organized crime syndicate, also known as boryokudan or gokudo. They are involved in a wide range of criminal activities, including extortion, prostitution, gambling, loan sharking, drug trafficking, and white-collar crime. The Yakuza are estimated to have over 60,000 members, making them one of the largest criminal organizations in the world.

The Yakuza have a long and complex history, dating back to the 17th century. They were originally formed by groups of wandering samurai who were forced to become outlaws after the Tokugawa Shogunate came to power. The Yakuza quickly became involved in criminal activities, and they soon became a major force in Japanese society.

The Yakuza reached their peak of power in the post-World War II era. They were involved in a wide range of businesses, and they had a significant influence on Japanese politics and society. However, the Yakuza have been in decline in recent decades. This is due to a number of factors, including increased government crackdowns, the rise of the internet, and the changing social and economic landscape of Japan.

Despite their decline, the Yakuza remain a major criminal organization. They are still involved in a wide range of criminal activities, and they continue to have a significant impact on Japanese society. The Yakuza are a complex and fascinating group, and they continue to be a major challenge for the Japanese government.

[nsacpi]

Do the yakuza have a record of violence
View other drafts












Yes, the Yakuza have a long and well-documented record of violence. They have been involved in a wide range of violent crimes, including murders, assaults, and bombings. The Yakuza also use violence to intimidate and control their members, as well as to protect their turf and businesses.

The Yakuza's use of violence is often seen as a way to maintain their power and status in Japanese society. They believe that violence is necessary to protect their interests and to deter others from challenging them. However, the Yakuza's use of violence has also alienated them from the general public and has made it difficult for them to legitimize their activities.

In recent years, the Japanese government has taken steps to crack down on the Yakuza. These efforts have had some success, but the Yakuza remain a major challenge for the Japanese authorities. The Yakuza are a complex and powerful organization, and it will take time and effort to bring them to justice.

[nsacpi]

are there criminal gangs in australia
View other drafts













Yes, there are criminal gangs in Australia. The Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC) estimates that there are over 4,700 patched members and 1,000 prospects of outlaw motorcycle gangs (OMCGs) operating in Australia. OMCGs are involved in a wide range of criminal activities, including drug trafficking, firearms offences, extortion, money laundering, and violence.

In addition to OMCGs, there are also a number of other types of criminal gangs in Australia, including street gangs, ethnic gangs, and prison gangs. Street gangs are typically made up of young people who live in disadvantaged areas and are involved in violence, drug dealing, and property crime. Ethnic gangs are made up of people from a particular ethnic background and are often involved in drug trafficking, extortion, and violence. Prison gangs are made up of inmates who are involved in violence, drug dealing, and other criminal activities.

The ACIC is working to combat criminal gangs in Australia by gathering intelligence, sharing information with law enforcement agencies, and conducting operations to disrupt and dismantle criminal networks. The ACIC is also working to educate the public about the dangers of criminal gangs and to prevent young people from joining gangs.