Blogcritics Comments on Apocalypse Now?

Comment by andrew walker on Apocalypse Now?

Wed, 6 Jun 2007 16:25:55 EDT

the usa is run by bible law the churches brainwash the politions and thay get there laws in there that way the way thay try and stop thing like the stem cells the church is holing back the usa and in some cases makeing the usa look like fools like that place in kentucky creation fairy land the church runs the usa

Comment by Graham McKnight on Apocalypse Now?

Tue, 5 Jun 2007 06:27:51 EDT

And on that note, I really enjoyed watching 'Bowling for Columnine' when Mr Moore opens up a bank account and was given a free rifle for doing so. I also liked the part when a small-town militia, armed to the teeth, went about their 'training' so as to be prepared for the day that their town is invaded by Commi-bastards. You crazy kids you!

Comment by Dave Nalle on Apocalypse Now?

Tue, 5 Jun 2007 05:05:42 EDT

The figures back it up. Gun crime rates in the US are so high compared to ours, they are frightening. But yet Americans aren't frightened and our crime keeps going down as we liberalize our gun laws. You've got a key point about the gun culture. It does make comparisons with other countries/cultures suspect. And a ban on guns which might work in another country might be disastrous here, just as liberalizing gun laws in a country like britain might have negative results it hasn't had here. Truthfully, the rate of violent crime in the US is NOT high in comparison with most countries, and while it may be higher than a few of the most anti-gun countries, those countries are also different in so many other ways that there's no possible way to duplicate everything that has happened in their long histories and create the same result here. Basically, we've got to do things our way, and trying to do it some other way just isn't likely to be worth it. Dave

Comment by STM on Apocalypse Now?

Tue, 5 Jun 2007 04:42:50 EDT

Dave, you just can't make this kind of comparison to support your own arguments about guns because what happens in Britain and Australia is just so totally different. In Britain, most of the gun crime is retsricted to certain areas and has more to with socio-economic issues and the rise of gangsta/rap culture and its misguided notion of "respect". Believe it or not, most of the shootings have been in relation to that one issue. It's worth noting too that outside those areas, most British police remain unarmed, particularly beat coppers - and still catch an awful lot of crooks. Also, in both Britain and Australia, the majority of police are against any laws that would bring more guns into the community. They want laws that bring less. The differences in gun/culture and attitides are key - they don't compute when comparing to the American experience. Britain has never really had a gun culture, and while Australia has, most Aussies couldn't care less one way or the other. That is true in my case, and I was around guns as a young fella. We just don't have the gun culture, therefore we don't have the kinds of problems you have in the states. The figures back it up. Gun crime rates in the US are so high compared to ours, they are frightening.

Comment by Dave Nalle on Apocalypse Now?

Tue, 5 Jun 2007 04:07:47 EDT

Back to Britain - the gun lobby's poster child - I concur with you, and have argued previously on Blogcritics (until I turn into a Smurf**), that the rise in crime is more a symptom of a general trend than of legal restrictions on gun ownership. I actually agree here. I don't think the recent rise in crime has anything to do with the recent increased restrictions on firearms. But what the rise in crime DOES demonstrate is that further restricting firearm possession does NOT have a marked impact in reducing crime. Dave

Comment by STM on Apocalypse Now?

Tue, 5 Jun 2007 04:03:16 EDT

Actually, Doc, Redfern is a really dangerous place if you don't belong. It's the only suburb of Sydney where I'd be worried. You simply can't walk around there, even during the day, without at least running the risk of being robbed. It doesn't happen mostly of course, but it is a risk. The local people are good, but some folks from the country end up there and bring some bad habits. Sad, but true. I have been robbed there, by some kids who stood in front of my car, opened the doors while I was still in it and began taking anything that wasn't nailed down. Then I told them I was looking for a local man who is well respected by his people, and they started putting it all back. They helped themselves to a smoke each but the rest was returned. They were only young, too, so it's a real problem. The cops can get a bit nasty in that area too.

Comment by Dr Dreadful on Apocalypse Now?

Tue, 5 Jun 2007 02:17:47 EDT

there are suburbs of London (as youb* well know) that anyone with half a brain wouldn't go to. This is true, but it ain't down to fear of crime. I can't think of a part of London I wouldn't be perfectly happy to walk around in at any time of the day or night. Of course, I may be suicidally insane, or it may just be body language. I feel that if you go around looking confident and comfortable in your surroundings, you make yourself less of a target. I hope you weren't thinking of Brixton when you wrote that. I love Brixton, which is on the whole, considering the social deprivation, a very cool and relaxed place. It's had a very bad press on account of two isolated incidents which happened over 20 years ago. Harlesden and Willesden, in north-west London, seem to be the 'no-go' places nowadays - they're the battlegrounds for the Yardie drug gangs, which I think is what you were referring to. As for Sydney, well, I know about Redfern. At least I know there was a big riot there once and I had to listen about it from our tour bus driver, who was a bit of a racist bastard to judge by his ramblings about how great things used to be in Australia before all these Mohammedan buggers came over. So I'm inclined to take all the dire warnings with a pinch of salt and would be quite happy to give Redfern a go, too. Frankly I think my own current home town (Fresno, California) is a more dangerous prospect than any major city. I think we have more homicides every month than a comparable British (or Australian) city could expect in a year. Even so, the murders are usually down to gangs whacking each other. The trick is to stay out of their way, which is not as easy as it sounds when a lot of the buildings are apparently made out of papier maché. We had an incident three or four years ago where a bloke was happily minding his own business eating lunch at a restaurant when out of the blue he suddenly dropped dead. He'd been hit by a bullet from a pair of gangs who'd been having a gun battle in the parking lot. Back to Britain - the gun lobby's poster child - I concur with you, and have argued previously on Blogcritics (until I turn into a Smurf**), that the rise in crime is more a symptom of a general trend than of legal restrictions on gun ownership. *youb: Is this a contraction of 'you bloody'? ** i.e., until I'm blue in the face.

Comment by STM on Apocalypse Now?

Tue, 5 Jun 2007 01:18:25 EDT

Dave: "As for gun control in Britain, which Graham brought up, every indication is that Britain had a lower crime rate than other comparable countries before they restricted guns, and none of the increasingly restrictive laws passed to put more limits on gun ownership has been accompanied by anything except an ongoing increase in violent crime." Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz ... Dave, come on, you sound a broken bloody record. Of course, the Poms have their violent crime like anyone else, and there are suburbs of London (as youb well know) that anyone with half a brain wouldn't go to. These are the types of places where such crime is on the increase. It tends to be black on black there right now, with specioal police task forces being set up to crack down on it. Same as the increase in gun crime in Australia that you (too gleefully) pointed to recently is largely down to a bloody, old-style gangland war in Melbourne between the Old Painters and Dockers mob and the mafia. I think the kill count is 39 so far in the past few years, with some extraneous ones added on just for good measure. No bystanders have been killed in the crossfire - so far. It's crim vs crim, up to now, and usually in the comfort of their own homes. The average Joe in either country is not walking around in fear of their lives just yet. Nice try, but.

Comment by Clavos on Apocalypse Now?

Tue, 5 Jun 2007 00:52:41 EDT

Baritone says: "If many enacted laws had retained any of their clout as originally submitted, access to guns might well not be so easy. Penalties for gun violence might well be stiffer." Or not. The drug laws are pretty stiff.

Comment by Dave Nalle on Apocalypse Now?

Tue, 5 Jun 2007 00:50:19 EDT

When so much of the world has become hateful in its behavior and corruption, might it not be a good thing to have earned their hatred? Dave

Comment by Baritone on Apocalypse Now?

Tue, 5 Jun 2007 00:26:12 EDT

Zedd, You may be correct about the possiblity of us growing as a nation. However, it's a heavy price we are paying for any increase in our maturity. People are dying. Our president is an embarrassment. We are hated by much of the world. All I can say is, good goin' Reps. Great legacy. Baritone

Comment by Zedd on Apocalypse Now?

Mon, 4 Jun 2007 23:50:21 EDT

Baritone Perhaps the insanity of this administration is the best thing for us. Perhaps we will seek only that which is true and real as opposed to what sounds good and emotional. Rove pushed the envelope on the lie/denial/cocky thing and we are all just yucked out. It doesn't help that the President comes across as an imbecile. Perhaps who we will be is a more perfect union; smarter, wiser, more humble. We certainly have every reason to be humble as of late thanks to GW.

Comment by Dave Nalle on Apocalypse Now?

Mon, 4 Jun 2007 23:48:38 EDT

Nice video link earlier, Ruvy. Propaganda, but well done and with a valid point. As for gun control in Britain, which Graham brought up, every indication is that Britain had a lower crime rate than other comparable countries before they restricted guns, and none of the increasingly restrictive laws passed to put more limits on gun ownership has been accompanied by anything except an ongoing increase in violent crime. Dave

Comment by Baritone on Apocalypse Now?

Mon, 4 Jun 2007 22:49:56 EDT

Zedd, Who will we be? It's hard to say. I suppose the Romans went through such a time. Perhaps they never outgrew it, maybe promulgating their downfall. The British were thoroughly full of themselves during the height of their Empire. While there remain some Brits who are insufferable, overall, they have accepted a more humble role in the world. My son lives in Germany and is sometimes embarrassed by what the Germans refer to as "loud Americans." We do tend to be loud. Of course, Americans are not very popular abroad for a number of reasons, some obvious, some not. When visiting him, he urges us to not be loud, to not act too "American." Again, owing to our lack of international popularity, there are obvious practical reasons for not drawing attention to ourselves as Americans. Baritone

Comment by Zedd on Apocalypse Now?

Mon, 4 Jun 2007 22:28:29 EDT

Baritone, You are right. However each nation has elements which make it unique. I don't think that we as a nation have even begun to really define ourselves (without the bravado). Its almost like when you watch the athletes that came from poor backgrounds who are excessively boastful. While they think everyone is impressed with them as they beat their chests, they don't realise just how sad and wince inducing their behavior is. More so they don't realise just how shallow and un-self aware they appear. Sad really. While we talk a big game, we haven't begun to go deep about who we are. It makes us not be taken seriously if though we are so successful. I really haven't thought this through but.... I often wonder who we will be once we outgrow this stage in our evolution.

Comment by Baritone on Apocalypse Now?

Mon, 4 Jun 2007 21:50:58 EDT

Zedd, I suppose it's difficult to define the psyche of a nation. The forces that brought us to where we are now are many and varied. But it does seem that Americans continue to have a chip on our collective shoulders. We always have to prove to others how great we are, and we challenge anyone voicing doubts. Perhaps some believe that having a gun provides an edge in such an argument. Baritone

Comment by Baritone on Apocalypse Now?

Mon, 4 Jun 2007 21:33:57 EDT

Graham, In other words, we believe in bullshit? Baritone

Comment by Graham McKnight on Apocalypse Now?

Mon, 4 Jun 2007 20:11:44 EDT

we are genetically wired to confuse relative knowledge as universal truth.

Comment by Zedd on Apocalypse Now?

Mon, 4 Jun 2007 19:58:55 EDT

Baritone, Yes! Every culture or country has its demons and skeletons. Human nature..... Perhaps a nation of people who wanted (to be) more than most in their homelands, is not a nation of people who would apt to admit imperfection easily :o) Perhaps we are all genetically wired to be smart alec know-it-alls.

Comment by Graham McKnight on Apocalypse Now?

Mon, 4 Jun 2007 19:37:54 EDT

Dave muses that 'it's a pure lie to suggest that controlling legal guns would have any meaningful impact on gun crime.' Dude! Britain! Check it out sometime! No gun privilages means less people effected by gun crime in this country. Makes perfect sense to me.

Comment by Graham McKnight on Apocalypse Now?

Mon, 4 Jun 2007 19:33:22 EDT

Ruvy, the USA purchased the land in question from Mexico lawfully. Israel simply declared Palestine to be their own. I could write a book, given enough time, that would highlight everything that is wrong with the way in which right-wing Israelis like Ruvy consider such subjects as the one depicted in the video link on post #53. For now though, it is enough for me to simply voice my disdain at such poor accounts of contemporary events, whether they be in Mexico, Haifa, Lebanon, Bhagdad et al.

Comment by Baritone on Apocalypse Now?

Mon, 4 Jun 2007 18:44:56 EDT

Ah, it's those damn cajuns. No wonder. Yeah, Indy has hundreds and hundreds of Katrina refugees. Or not. Most of the guns used by criminals are obtained illegally, not legally Not true in Indiana and a few other states. Indiana and, I believe Virginia make obtaining guns very easy. We have gang members from Chicago, Detroit, Cleveland, even as far away an New Jersey coming to the state to purchase their guns LEGALLY. Likewise, many "criminals" go to Virginia and other states where gun laws are lax. That gun laws have had little effect on gun violence is only proof of how badly most such laws have consistently been gutted before being signed into law. If many enacted laws had retained any of their clout as originally submitted, access to guns might well not be so easy. Penalties for gun violence might well be stiffer. Again, I ask, what the hell is it about guns that makes them so alluring to so many people? It is incredibly infantile. Bang! You're dead! Baritone

Comment by Dave Nalle on Apocalypse Now?

Mon, 4 Jun 2007 17:39:16 EDT

Indianapolis, Memphis and other cities are in the midst of what seems like out of control crime increases, mainly murder. If you do an analysis of areas where crime has increased dramatically in the past year, you discover that they are areas where large number of Katrina evacuees have settled. In one fell swoop Timothy McVeigh managed to murder, was it 168 people? But more than that die everyday across the country due to the easy access we have to guns. You have evidence of this? Most of the guns used by criminals are obtained illegally, not legally. The fact that we allow honest, law-abiding citizens to have guns is entirely separate from the methods by which the criminal subculture acquires guns, and it's a pure lie to suggest that controlling legal guns would have any meaningful impact on gun crime. Dave

Comment by Christopher Rose on Apocalypse Now?

Mon, 4 Jun 2007 17:22:06 EDT

Ruvy, you seem particularly out there this week. what's happening with you?

Comment by Baritone on Apocalypse Now?

Mon, 4 Jun 2007 16:59:06 EDT

MBD, Gosh, I didn't realize just how simple it all is. "And throw away the key!" Indianapolis, Memphis and other cities are in the midst of what seems like out of control crime increases, mainly murder. I don't have the numbers in front of me, but it is unusual not to wake up with news of at least 1, and often 2 or 3 or more newly discovered murders being reported. And I can tell you that around 90% or more of them were shootings. Some gang and/or drug related, some coming out of arguments between family and/or friends, some crimes of passion - ex-husbands, ex-wives, ex-girl or boy friends, etc. In one fell swoop Timothy McVeigh managed to murder, was it 168 people? But more than that die everyday across the country due to the easy access we have to guns. Many of the victims are young - young adults, teenagers, even pre-teens. So, too, are many of the shooters. Most are poor. So, let's just lock them all up. Then we can live the good life. Baritone