Guns vs Alcohol

[Gina]

In 2005, there were 16,885 alcohol related car accident fatalities out of a total of 43,443 car accident fatalities (39%).


http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_many_people_die_from_alcohol_related_car_accidents_in_the_us_each_year#ixzz2AJxlDiEO

In 2005 there were 789 unintentional firearm deaths in the U.S. There were 642 in 2006.

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_number_of_Accidental_Gun_deaths_in_US

In 2005 there were 30,694 gun deaths in the U.S: 17,002 suicides (55% of all U.S gun deaths), 12,352 homicides (40%).

So why isn't there a big push to get rid of alcohol?  

[Eupher]

Well, the big push to get rid of alcohol couched as the Eighteenth Amendment to COTUS turned out to be such a bad idea it was repealed by the 21st Amendment.

 

[redwhit]

'Cause even tree huggers like cocktails.

[BigTex]

Well, the big push to get rid of alcohol couched as the Eighteenth Amendment to COTUS turned out to be such a bad idea it was repealed by the 21st Amendment.

 

Its wasnt that bad of an idea. Alcohol consumption and alcohol related problems went way down. we, as a society, just changed our mind and decided we would rather take the risks, drink alcohol and have the related problems.

[Eupher]

Its wasnt that bad of an idea. Alcohol consumption and alcohol related problems went way down. we, as a society, just changed our mind and decided we would rather take the risks, drink alcohol and have the related problems.

Hmmm.

I guess that's why they called 'em the Roaring Twenties, eh?

That, and runaway speculation in the stock market which led to the '29 crash.

But Prohibition never stopped people from drinking. And the same holds true today should there by Prohibition Round #2. It just won't stop people from drinking if that's what they're going to do. The Prohibitionists and the politicians whom they paid finally saw that light.

Gosh, I seem to remember reading about the rise of organized crime in providing illegal liquor (Al Capone, anybody?), as well as the deaths caused by making bathtub gin.

Legislating the morals of drinking alcohol and the thousands of years that humankind has been distilling and brewing and grape-stomping just doesn't work real well. It took a federal-level false start to see that.

[BigTex]

But Prohibition never stopped people from drinking. And the same holds true today should there by Prohibition Round #2. It just won't stop people from drinking if that's what they're going to do. The Prohibitionists and the politicians whom they paid finally saw that light.

alcohol consumption dropped by 30-50% so I guess it stopped someone from drinking

Gosh, I seem to remember reading about the rise of organized crime in providing illegal liquor (Al Capone, anybody?), as well as the deaths caused by making bathtub gin.

the murder rates were higher after directly after prohibition was repealed. When you let liberal teachers define your history, you are at the mercy of their agenda. If they teach enough people that alcohol prohibition was bad they can eventually convince us that drug prohibition is bad.

Actually, Prohibition Was a Success

The (Not So) Roaring ’20s

[Eupher]

alcohol consumption dropped by 30-50% so I guess it stopped someone from drinking

The flip side of that is that it DIDN'T stop up to 70% of people from drinking.

the murder rates were higher after directly after prohibition was repealed. When you let liberal teachers define your history, you are at the mercy of their agenda. If they teach enough people that alcohol prohibition was bad they can eventually convince us that drug prohibition is bad.

Well, I am guilty of having received a public education and I did go onto college, so you're right. I absolutely let liberal teachers define history and I'm at the mercy of their agenda. 

Jeezus, dude. Now you're trying to interject drug prohibition in the mix. As if that's actually an apples-to-apples comparison. 

Actually, Prohibition Was a Success

You're actually going to quote an opinion piece as support for your argument? No supporting evidence - just some numbers spouted by a criminal justice professor from Hah-vahd in 1989. Are you serious?

The (Not So) Roaring ’20s

But just for the sake of discussion, let's just say that the film noir and the Sam Spade detective stories and Humphrey Bogart all had an impact on me. The Roaring Twenties weren't all about a bunch of gangsters shooting holes in everything and speakeasies on every street corner busted only when cops didn't have anything else to do on that dark and dreary night.

So what?

The fact remains, the Great Experiment in having the Prohibitionists get their way, legally close off a substance that had been part of humankind for millennia, utterly failed in the sense that....

....wait for it.....

The only Amendment to the U.S. Constitution to have been repealed was, in fact, the 18th.

Failure comes in more than one flavor.

[CG6468]

Alcohol taxes are required for gubmints to operate.

[BigTex]

The flip side of that is that it DIDN'T stop up to 70% of people from drinking.

Since prohibition did not prohibit drinking, I dont see your point. Prohibition only stopped the sale and distribution of alcohol, people could still make it for their own drinking and it was available by prescription. The goal of prohibition was only to lessen drinking and drinking related problems, both of which it did.

You're actually going to quote an opinion piece as support for your argument? No supporting evidence - just some numbers spouted by a criminal justice professor from Hah-vahd in 1989. Are you serious?

got anything that refutes anything in that article? No? just insults? thought so

The fact remains, the Great Experiment in having the Prohibitionists get their way, legally close off a substance that had been part of humankind for millennia, utterly failed in the sense that....

....wait for it.....

The only Amendment to the U.S. Constitution to have been repealed was, in fact, the 18th.

If the measure of a piece of legislation is whether or not it effectively and efficiently achieved its goals then prohibition succeeded.

If the measure of a piece of legislation is whether or not people like it then prohibition failed.

I prefer to measure success by results not public opinion, but whatever works for you. Keep chasing those polls.

[Eupher]

Since prohibition did not prohibit drinking, I dont see your point. Prohibition only stopped the sale and distribution of alcohol, people could still make it for their own drinking and it was available by prescription. The goal of prohibition was only to lessen drinking and drinking related problems, both of which it did.

You don't see the point, because maybe in your rather narrow way of looking at things, you seem to think that everybody and his brother was brewing beer, making wine, distilling moonshine. Maybe that's the way it was where you're from...

got anything that refutes anything in that article? No? just insults? thought so

It's called credibility, my good man. Not much there, I'm afraid.

If the measure of a piece of legislation is whether or not it effectively and efficiently achieved its goals then prohibition succeeded.

Do you normally make it a practice to parrot the "sources" that you quote? Got any original comments or thoughts?

I prefer to measure success by results not public opinion, but whatever works for you. Keep chasing those polls.

Public opinion? Since when is public opinion expressed in the ratification of a Constitutional amendment? You do remember how that's done, right?

Bueller?

[Big Dog]

So why isn't there a big push to get rid of alcohol?  

Hey, I'm doing my part!

[Chris_]

Didn't we already try this once?  I remember it didn't go too well, what with organized crime filling the void left by legitimate business and whatnot.

[Chris_]

Hey, I'm doing my part!

I enjoy converting alcohol into simple sugars and water.  It's a great hobby.

[rich_t]

Didn't we already try this once?  I remember it didn't go too well, what with organized crime filling the void left by legitimate business and whatnot.

it's working out soooo well with the War on Drugs too is it not?

[Chris_]

it's working out soooo well with the War on Drugs too is it not?

Splendidly.

[Karin]

I enjoy converting alcohol into simple sugars and water.  It's a great hobby.

So do I, so hands off. 

[vesta111]

it's working out soooo well with the War on Drugs too is it not?

So why are we spending so much money to keep people from smoking a friggin weed that will grow anywhere ??  

Alcohol is a man made beverage as are all the really toxic crap on the market.  Weed is just that,  pull it up and dry it out, no other ingredients or work needed.    
 
Whats the difference between tobacco and weed, Tobacco is addicting and Weed is not.  Both grow wild or cultivated and  each has the same needs, just pull it up and dry it out.

When one goes to get a high ball or shot of whisky, much human work has been put into place to give you the taste and feeling you want.   Much chemistry involved.   Big business involved.    

All these drugs, called by strange names are the product of some mad chemists lab that can cause the users to head out and eat someones face.

If someone wants to drink 4 beers to change reality for them , or grab a weed from the garden to do do so also, at no cost---I have no problem with that,

My BITCH is the crazy chemicals coming on the market sold over the counter to the kids that cause them to go bug shit wild, kill their family's or decide to eat a child in the neighborhood of 3 years old.

BTY anyone see on NSBN the report of a NY police officer that has been arrested as he  tried to recruit others to kidnap woman to cook and eat ???    No drugs involved just a unique human with odd hobbies.  Epicurean oddity