It doesn't mean he hasn't. As far as being irrelevant on how one gets to see these places, it may be relevant when you're told to go, have the population not care for you, etc. versus on your own free will and blend in and make a unbiased opinion.

Many countries don't care for US military presence. Their treatment of you is different than from a typical tourist. It will form an opinion.

This I know as well. But maybe I'm just an anomaly .

 

First off, your quote(s) didn't look right.

 

I understand your point and see where you are coming from.  However, in many countries that I visited (not all), I took leave and took a train "out of town" to really "experience" the country.  Did the people that I interacted with know that I was military?  Maybe yes, maybe no.  For the most part I was welcomed warmly, and people were genuinely curious, especially when they found out that I was a "yank".  I had many conversations, shared many meals with them and had some beers with them.  Politics didn't come up often, and in some countries we were discouraged to discuss politics, Israel is one of them.

 

Discussions ranged from our guns, our diet, our cars and mostly our sports.

 

The only areas that were clearly "against" our presence were the port towns where we were docked or anchored.  I saw several "anti-U.S." and "anti-nuke" demonstrations and even a near riot around our fleet landing.  Once you got out of town, the sentiment was very much different.

 

Here's a story that I'll tell regarding one of my experiences just to give an example.

 

I traveled to a small town in Greece (I don't even remember the name).  We found a place to stay that had a bed, a "bathroom" that consisted of a sink and a toilet.  The showers were "community" type showers located down the hall.  We went out to a small (very small) local bar to have a couple of drinks.  At first, the only person in the place that would speak any English was the bartender, and it was kind of "broken English".  Everyone was watching the TV in the bar which was playing a soccer match.  I wasn't paying attention, and actually picked up the guy's beer that was sitting next to me and took a sip.  He said something loud, and it was then that I realized my mistake.  I was embarrassed and offered to buy him a new beer.  Everyone was looking at us and broke out in laughter.  The bartender gave us both a fresh drink, and for the rest of the night I didn't buy another drink.  Suddenly, the other patrons in there were able to speak English and we talked.

 

My point of this story is, most of the people overseas don't "hate" us.  They are genuinely curious about us, and welcome us eagerly.

 

My other point is, visiting other countries via military experience is not always "not the same" as someone that does so "on their own dime".

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There are 10 kinds of people in this world.  Those who understand binary and those who don't.

The far right wants everyone to be a gun and [BAD WORD REMOVED] bullets.


What I see is your inability to accept that regulation is the answer to the problem. Rules can be established that would have prevented the shooting deaths of those people in that church.

 

Pleas explain how "regulation" is the answer to the problem.  What specific rules should be established that would have prevented what happened?

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There are 10 kinds of people in this world.  Those who understand binary and those who don't.

Oh come on, it wouldn't be any different from getting a hunting or fishing license. Let's not make this harder than it needs to be. Your registered dealers would be brick and morter stores (Walmart, gander mtn, gun stores). No more gun shows. No more giving a gun to your mentally unstable son who legally cannot possess a gun.

 

Thank you for the well thought-out response. Don't pretend that there wouldn't or couldn't be a problem with your solutions. It's easier to ignore these situations I suppose, but they're possible outcomes to the solutions you provided. 

 

BTW, the son was already forbidden, by law, to possess the handgun. How would it change the outcome of the South Carolina shooting?

 

Words also can't directly kill people.

 

In the same way that a gun wont kill without action, words wont kill without action.

 

If Kim Jong-Un says that he was John Doe dead, then John Doe will be killed. How is that any different? Even if we throw out death as a possible outcome, the impact that words can have on someone is important. Words can destroy lives. They slander people and ruin reputations. They can keep you from ever getting a job, and they may imprison you for the rest of your life. 99.98% of everything we say ends without negative consequence. On a similar note, 99.98% of all gun owners never commit a crime with them. 

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That's good and all but there's a mass shooting problem. Are you saying there is no answer? There is an answer you just don't like it...

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That's good and all but there's a mass shooting problem. Are you saying there is no answer? There is an answer you just don't like it...

That answer too often leads to tyranny and genicide.

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“An empty vessel makes the loudest sound, so they that have the least wit are the greatest babblers.”. - Plato

That's good and all but there's a mass shooting problem. Are you saying there is no answer? There is an answer you just don't like it...

 

No outlawing and confiscating guns Australian style is not an option here. So the answer you are seeking simply does not exist here. Perhaps Australia or England are more preferable places for you to live. 

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No outlawing and confiscating guns Australian style is not an option here. So the answer you are seeking simply does not exist here. Perhaps Australia or England are more preferable places for you to live. 

 

It certainly isn't an option. You can't change an amendment of the constitution, except that terrible 18th amendment that was no fun

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Just because he has been to a couple of countries doesn't mean that he has experienced a variety of cultures.  I have.  How I got to travel to so many places is irrelevant.

 

 

At times and in some places, yes, and that doesn't go for just Europe, the same could be said about Africa, The Middle East, South America and some parts of The Caribbean.

 

 

I hate to correct you, and I might be wrong on this, but I believe that the perp in this incident was given the gun as a gift from his father (at least that is what I read in initial reports).  I don't believe that he actually purchased the weapon himself.

 

It doesn't change my opinion at all regarding your point, that being that we don't need more laws and those on the far left would like to eventually take guns away from everyone.  The evidence is clear on those points.

 

According to an interview his father did with local media in Charleston, he said that he did not buy a gun for his son.  Nor did he provide the money to buy it.  According to his father, the shooter purchased the gun with his own money.

 

This was confirmed later by his son when he confessed to buying the gun used from a local dealer. 

 

CNN / Slate confirmed this.

 

I do find it quite interesting how the truth about how he acquired the gun, which was known within a couple of days of the shooting, hasn't been more widely distributed in the media. 

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Never argue with idiots. They drag you down to their level and beat you with experience.

According to an interview his father did with local media in Charleston, he said that he did not buy a gun for his son.  Nor did he provide the money to buy it.  According to his father, the shooter purchased the gun with his own money.

 

This was confirmed later by his son when he confessed to buying the gun used from a local dealer. 

 

CNN / Slate confirmed this.

 

I do find it quite interesting how the truth about how he acquired the gun, which was known within a couple of days of the shooting, hasn't been more widely distributed in the media. 

 

I stand corrected.  I too find it interesting that the truth about how he acquired the gun wasn't more widely reported.  I usually try to keep up with the news from a variety of sources, but I never saw anything about this until now.  Thanks for sharing that.

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There are 10 kinds of people in this world.  Those who understand binary and those who don't.

I stand corrected.  I too find it interesting that the truth about how he acquired the gun wasn't more widely reported.  I usually try to keep up with the news from a variety of sources, but I never saw anything about this until now.  Thanks for sharing that.

 

This report sheds some light on the confusion. By June 19th, 2 major news sources, CNN and the NY Times, reported the gun was bought, while two others, Reuters and The Washington Post, said it was a gift from Roof's father. I remember another saying Roof used money that was a birthday gift to buy the gun. More important, the police weren't confirming anything. As of two days ago, most reports were that Roof bought the gun, and was able to do so either because the drug charge wasn't a felony, or pending charges are slow to raise a flag on background checks, depending on which report you read.

 

It appears to be a case of waiting on confirmation. Shocking, I know.

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If something can corrupt you, you're corrupted already.
- Bob Marley


 

This report sheds some light on the confusion. By June 19th, 2 major news sources, CNN and the NY Times, reported the gun was bought, while two others, Reuters and The Washington Post, said it was a gift from Roof's father. I remember another saying Roof used money that was a birthday gift to buy the gun. More important, the police weren't confirming anything. As of two days ago, most reports were that Roof bought the gun, and was able to do so either because the drug charge wasn't a felony, or pending charges are slow to raise a flag on background checks, depending on which report you read.

 

It appears to be a case of waiting on confirmation. Shocking, I know.

 

From the CNN report that I just read a few minutes ago, they are saying that he was given money as a birthday gift, and that's what he used to purchase the weapon.

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There are 10 kinds of people in this world.  Those who understand binary and those who don't.

Good to see American Taliban supporters sticking to their guns in this thread.


People are so terrified of the idea their old world views being replaced by the populace at large.

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Good to see American Taliban supporters sticking to their guns in this thread.


People are so terrified of the idea their old world views being replaced by the populace at large.

 

American Taliban supporters?  How do you justify and see that?

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There are 10 kinds of people in this world.  Those who understand binary and those who don't.

Good to see American Taliban supporters sticking to their guns in this thread.


People are so terrified of the idea their old world views being replaced by the populace at large.

Because social conservatives are blowing things up and committing acts of terror? Come on your better then that.

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Because social conservatives are blowing things up and committing acts of terror? Come on your better then that.

Dylann Roof.

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Dylann Roof.

He was white that makes him a social conservative? I guess that's about as racist of a suggestion I've seen on here congrats

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He was white that makes him a social conservative? I guess that's about as racist of a suggestion I've seen on here congrats

 

No more than you assuming he thinks Roof is a social conservative because of the color of his skin.

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If something can corrupt you, you're corrupted already.
- Bob Marley


 

No more than you assuming he thinks Roof is a social conservative because of the color of his skin.

I asked bourdemew what basis he could equate social conservatives with the Taliban, Tj responded Dylan roof suggesting he is evidence social conservatives are the American Taliban as bourdemew put it.


Feel free to point out where I'm off

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You're making the assumption that he considers Dylan Roof a social conservative because he's white.

Again he's responding to a question on how you can equate social conservatives with the Taliban.


Where has anything about Dylan roof other then his racism been reported? To suggest he is evidence of any political group being equal to the Taliban is laughable.


So tell me what basis is roof any reflection on Social conservatives?

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I've seen no evidence that Dylann Roof is a Social Conservative.   His behavior is the antithesis of a true social Conservative.   But even by the remotest chance that Roof is a Social Conservative,  that doesn't change the fact that committed an act that ranks amongst the worst in American History.  

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