If only there was something we could do...

[byates1]

Wait, the earth isn't flat? Huh. Learn something new every day..

[XXX-er]

Lol. Biathlon is an insane sport? How? I'd wager as a demographic its competitors are some of the least criminal least violent people on the planet. .

No camo ever, these people dress up in lycra to ski in circles shoot target weapons fer chrisake, a different demographic for sure

[basinbeater]

I'd be curious to hear, does Leroy see gun violence as a problem?
If he does, how's does Leroy propose to reduce gun violence?
He may very well not see gun violence as a problem at all.

[mcphee]

No camo ever, these people dress up in lycra to ski in circles shoot target weapons fer chrisake, a different demographic for sure

Oh, you have great cardio and eyesight? Bravo

[paulster2626]

I'd be curious to hear, does Leroy see gun violence as a problem?
If he does, how's does Leroy propose to reduce gun violence?
He may very well not see gun violence as a problem at all.

He sounds very afraid. His solution is likely to arm every citizen so "they can protect themselves."

Living with his mentality must be exhausting.

[mcphee]

He sounds more afraid of his hobby becoming more difficult to pursue. This whole “who? Me? But I’M a responsible gun owner” from his group is tiring. No, you’ve either advocated for any and all access to firearms or stayed silent on the subject. Both choices leave you culpable in the gun violence this society sees. The behavior your chosen group has exhibited means you suffer some consequences. End of story.

[SumJongGuy]

No camo ever, these people dress up in lycra to ski in circles shoot target weapons fer chrisake, a different demographic for sure

And most of the top european competitors really are in their national fucking army. It doesn't get more "well regulated" than that. It's a military exercise to XC ski around and shoot targets that are theoretical enemy combatants. Hard as fuck to do when your heart is beating out of your chest and your arms are trembling from the physical demands of the skiing part.

[XXX-er]

its pretty big over in yurp not so much in NA, it was so obscure BC only had 3 meets a year with a race on saturday and a race on sunday for the 6 race total

but you can be a so-so skier but a winning Biathelete if you can shoot

[SumJongGuy]

its pretty big over in yurp not so much in NA, it was so obscure BC only had 3 meets a year with a race on saturday and a race on sunday for the 6 race total

but you can be a so-so skier but a winning Biathelete if you can shoot

It's more about being in shape and physical condition than it is about skiing. An efficient skier/strider will likely be less stressed and not as shaky as someone who has to struggle more to cover the same distance on skis. . Also, a mediocre strider in really good shape can make up for the less efficient skiing. Being a good shot is what can't be compromised at all in this venture..

It's a total red herring as the weapons would be terrible for mass shooting efficacy. .22 LR ammo.

[leroy jenkins]

I'd be curious to hear, does Leroy see gun violence as a problem?
If he does, how's does Leroy propose to reduce gun violence?
He may very well not see gun violence as a problem at all.

I've already answered this. It is of course a problem, but isn't violence the problem and not gun violence? is knife violence fine? is the guy who killed 85 with a truck in france just dandy?

I absolutely think violence is a problem, but not all problems have absolute solutions. Doesn't mean the situation can't be improved, but to think all problems can be solved completely is delusion. Costs vs benefit must be weighed for potential solutions. Just like with masks, there are negatives, and their use for covid protection is not absolutely unequivocally good.

Regardless of your politics, simplifying things to absolute unequivocal black and white is a sign of mental illness.

What do you think possible solutions to the problem of violence are? Ban people? Surely being hateful towards each other and justifying that isn't going to reduce violence.

Avalanche skiers should understand the dynamic of low risk high probability vs high risk low probability. Mass shootings aren't high probability really, but compared to government mass murder they are far more common. However, when the government does it, the death tolls jump to the 10s of millions. Average these numbers, and governments still kill far more innocents than do mass shooters. That math must be weighed when considering the virtue of a society without firearms. A refusal to do so is bias, and most likely comes from a place of hatred and smug judgement rather than compassion for or empathy for anyone. I'll be less cynical and more generous and say perhaps its just shortsightedness and complacency.

[leroy jenkins]

its pretty big over in yurp not so much in NA, it was so obscure BC only had 3 meets a year with a race on saturday and a race on sunday for the 6 race total

but you can be a so-so skier but a winning Biathelete if you can shoot

Some of the rules are really interesting. Did you know if you take the lead, even for a moment, you get paid $7k? In a sport where even the top guys can lose the lead by missing a shot, that's pretty cool. I have delusions of competing in my 40s. Not really being competitive, but just winning that $7k once would be make me ecstatic. I'll probably never pursue it, the rifles cost like $5k themselves, but even though I know its a delusion it does serve to provide some of the motivation at the gym that daydreams of alpine skiing ecstasy used to, and as I grow older, the physique of a biathalete seems more fitting for my age than that of a DH racer.

Yet some of the people in this thread think these guys are all literally insane because ZOMG its a GUN!!!! Like I said probably one of the least criminal least violent safest demographics on the planet.

If ones heart is full of hate thats a personal problem. The guns aren't causal to an individuals hate. Rageaholics with hearts full of hate are absolutely more dangerous than lycra clad XC skiers with 22 target rifles.

[leroy jenkins]

He sounds more afraid of his hobby becoming more difficult to pursue. This whole “who? Me? But I’M a responsible gun owner” from his group is tiring. No, you’ve either advocated for any and all access to firearms or stayed silent on the subject. Both choices leave you culpable in the gun violence this society sees. The behavior your chosen group has exhibited means you suffer some consequences. End of story.

When have I expressed anything like that? go ahead and dismiss my points about government mass murder as crazy, but it's born of empathy and compassion for the victims of such. I haven't mentioned anything about my hobby becoming more difficult. In fact, I haven't mentioned anything about me owning or using firearms at all. For all you know I've never touched one.

Seems you're inserting the talking points you expect someone to use and not the things I'm actually saying. Cognitive dissonance is hard huh?

[ex-powderbroker]

For all you know I've never touched one.

a woman?

[mcphee]

Word salad

shut the fuck up

[Buzzworthy]

I've already answered this. It is of course a problem, but isn't violence the problem and not gun violence? is knife violence fine? is the guy who killed 85 with a truck in france just dandy?

I absolutely think violence is a problem, but not all problems have absolute solutions. Doesn't mean the situation can't be improved, but to think all problems can be solved completely is delusion. Costs vs benefit must be weighed for potential solutions. Just like with masks, there are negatives, and their use for covid protection is not absolutely unequivocally good.

Regardless of your politics, simplifying things to absolute unequivocal black and white is a sign of mental illness.

What do you think possible solutions to the problem of violence are? Ban people? Surely being hateful towards each other and justifying that isn't going to reduce violence.

Avalanche skiers should understand the dynamic of low risk high probability vs high risk low probability. Mass shootings aren't high probability really, but compared to government mass murder they are far more common. However, when the government does it, the death tolls jump to the 10s of millions. Average these numbers, and governments still kill far more innocents than do mass shooters. That math must be weighed when considering the virtue of a society without firearms. A refusal to do so is bias, and most likely comes from a place of hatred and smug judgement rather than compassion for or empathy for anyone. I'll be less cynical and more generous and say perhaps its just shortsightedness and complacency.

That’s a lot of words to say “yeah I don’t really care that much. But man do I love my guns”.

[leroy jenkins]

That’s a lot of words to say “yeah I don’t really care that much. But man do I love my guns”.

No thats not what I said at all, and its intellectually dishonest of you to mischarectize my words as such. They absolutely come from compassion. Just not short sightedness.

But I understand you can't interact with my ideas without dismissing them. Thats your shortcoming not mine. A shame, as such mindset is having a very negative impact on our country and is absolutely contributing to violence.

[leroy jenkins]

shut the fuck up

Virtually all the gun owners I know are more capable of regulating their emotions and behavior than you seem to be.


I kind of get your viewpoint. Like if I were as unstable and rage filled as you, I'd probably assume other people were as well, and wouldn't want to trust them with firearms either. There is a kind of sense to this.

[mcphee]

^you know some gun owners that can’t regulate their emotions and behaviors? Do you report them to the authorities?

[Buzzworthy]

No thats not what I said at all, and its intellectually dishonest of you to mischarectize my words as such. They absolutely come from compassion. Just not short sightedness.

But I understand you can't interact with my ideas without dismissing them. Thats your shortcoming not mine. A shame, as such mindset is having a very negative impact on our country and is absolutely contributing to violence.

You can only cry wolf so many times until you’re called out on your bullshit.

[leroy jenkins]

You can only cry wolf so many times until you’re called out on your bullshit.

Huh?

[Buzzworthy]

I knew that would be your answer as you don’t see it. Doesn’t matter. You’ll go away again soon crying that the libs ran you out of here because you’re so misunderstood. Your gun shit is nauseating.

[XXX-er]

It's more about being in shape and physical condition than it is about skiing. An efficient skier/strider will likely be less stressed and not as shaky as someone who has to struggle more to cover the same distance on skis. . Also, a mediocre strider in really good shape can make up for the less efficient skiing. Being a good shot is what can't be compromised at all in this venture..

It's a total red herring as the weapons would be terrible for mass shooting efficacy. .22 LR ammo.

super low velocity lapua match grade ammo was expensive if you really wanted to be accurate

Junior was pretty good at biathalon but he really wasnt crazy about lying in the snow so we got out of it

I havent been anywhere near the sport it in > 20 yars but the average gun phreak wasnt anything like the average biathelete

[SumJongGuy]

We've already called out the false equivalencies of knives, trucks, cars, etc as such. Decisions about what to keep and not keep revolve on what other value the items/tools in question add to society when used properly. The answer for guns in the hands of random jackhats is massively negative... Pretty much every gun death is the result of some jackhat non LEO thinking it's a good idea to have guns around. Other the occasional hunting and range fun the value to society is death tragedy..

Bruce Leeroy's right about the problem being that humans are violent.. What they can't see is that the best way to mitigate that is to reduce access to the most dangerous and least useful things... Because we're all fucked up and it's too difficult to tell who's going to snap next..

[basinbeater]

K Leroy,
"It is of course a problem, but isn't violence the problem and not gun violence? is knife violence fine? is the guy who killed 85 with a truck in france just dandy?

I absolutely think violence is a problem, but not all problems have absolute solutions. Doesn't mean the situation can't be improved, but to think all problems can be solved completely is delusion. Costs vs benefit must be weighed for potential solutions. Just like with masks, there are negatives, and their use for covid protection is not absolutely unequivocally good."

You start saying of course gun violence is a problem. But then you say that gun violence is not the problem, just "violence" is.

So, you don't actually think gun violence is a problem. I have concerns about people who don't see that as a problem owning guns. I would consider you a contributor to the problem.

In 2020 45,000 people were killed with guns in the US.

I would say that a dead person is a particularly bad outcome. In violent situations that result in death, guns are used 79% of the time.

"Pew research
Nearly eight-in-ten (79%) U.S. murders in 2020 – 19,384 out of 24,576 – involved a firearm."

I view that as a problem, and guns are a major factor. Trucks it would seem are not as effective at killing. It would seem as though the tool designed to kill is effective at its job, and therefore chosen for the act that is synonymous with it's mission.

Violent act: to kill
Gun design purpose: to kill
Result: murdered people. 19,348

Violent act: to kill ones self suicide
Gun design purpose: to kill
Result: 24,292 dead people through suicide.

What is the benefit you see with having hundreds of millions of guns out there? Cause the carnage is real, and i see it as a problem. Is your ability to have cool guns worth that carnage? I don't think so. You must see some other benefit to all those guns being out there? What is it?

Other countries, Australia is the best example, decided that the cost of dead people and mass shootings was too high to justify widespread gun ownership. Now they don't have this problem. So clearly it can be solved.

I think there is a large percentage of the US population that thinks the current situation of gun inflicted death in the US is just fine. They don't care as long as they can have their guns. And that seems to be the part of America you come from.

[leroy jenkins]

I knew that would be your answer as you don’t see it. Doesn’t matter. You’ll go away again soon crying that the libs ran you out of here because you’re so misunderstood. Your gun shit is nauseating.

I'm not crying about anything. If your heart is full of hate and you lack the ability to articulate your ideas or communicate with others it isn't something that hurts my feelings, but simply your shortcoming.

I don't need to insult or use strawman arguments or any of that shit. My heart is full of love and compassion. Best wishes.