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AIBU?

To not understand why so many Americans are more scared of Muslims than slaughter from their own people?

67 replies

Destinysdaughter · 18/12/2015 19:23

I find the amount of support Trump has had both bewildering and frightening. There's been 355 mass shootings in the US this year. However the one that seems to have galvanised people is the one done by the Muslim couple ( the motives of which are still unclear ). There is less call to ban guns than there are to ban Muslims. I guess Trump is just tapping into a vein of fear from people who feel threatened by how things are changing but I just don't get it!

OP posts:

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ghostyslovesheep · 18/12/2015 19:34

slightly sweeping statement! plenty of Americans don't support Trump and do support gun control

Namechangenell · 18/12/2015 19:35

I live in the USA. You can't generalise about a population 5 times the size of the UK. It's a hugely diverse country... None of my friends here support Trump. They know he's an international laughing stock. Similarly, they don't support right to carry and many attended the anti gun marches last weekend.

CarcerDun · 18/12/2015 19:41

In OP's defence she did say 'many' not 'all'.

OP I think there are sheltered stupid people in all countries, America is maybe louder internationally. We have plenty of fuckwits in the UK.

RudeElf · 18/12/2015 19:45

Erm, plenty of americans are muslim! Plenty of muslims are their own people!

Tamponlady · 18/12/2015 19:51

The fact they are about to make trump there candidate and possibly the leader of the free world tells you all you need to about there mental state

MissFitt68 · 18/12/2015 20:01

Well they can't exactly rid the fear when they have 9/11 in their history books!

Destinysdaughter · 18/12/2015 20:02

I know a lot of Americans don't support him but I'm worried about those that do. I read this article the other day and I found it very worrying.

www.newstatesman.com/culture/observations/2015/12/there-s-nothing-funny-about-donald-trump-rally

OP posts:

cariadlet · 18/12/2015 20:14

I know that the US is huge and diverse, but there are enough gun-toting reactionaries to give the country a bad name. When you get a story like this - schools closed because parents were angry about a lesson that included Islamic calligraphy - satire seems redundant.

Werksallhourz · 18/12/2015 21:05

Because mass shootings in the US are "known knowns". Acts of terrorism inspired by theocratic fervour from a fairly minority religion in the US are "known unknowns".

The US has clear narratives and generally understood contexts for mass shootings and Ruby Ridge-inspired acts of domestic terrorism (Sorry, I can't think of a better way to put it). It doesn't have narratives and generally understood contexts for terrorist acts committed by Muslims in the name of the Islamic religion.

That's the difference.

scatteroflight · 18/12/2015 22:02

The best thing for the security, economy and social fabric of western nations is more Islam. I'm assuming you agree OP?

cardibach · 18/12/2015 22:06

What are you talking about, scatter?
There is some ground between thinking 'more Islam' (what even is that?) is the answer and thinking some people fear Islam way too much in view of the actual, you know, facts.

Piratespoo · 18/12/2015 22:20

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Puffpastry1 · 18/12/2015 22:24

Don't you like Americans then OP, that's rather racist of you.

fakenamefornow · 18/12/2015 22:29

I did think at the time that one good thing might possibly come out of that, gun control. I know it's unlikely though. I remember a friend saying years ago that the only way the US would bring in stiff gun control laws would be if large numbers of young black men started joining the NRA.

GloriaSmellens · 18/12/2015 22:31

Are people not reading the thread title? Why are so many Americans......

YANBU - the arguments of the anti-muslim, pro-gun lot are so illogical that they make my toes curl.

Puffpastry1 · 18/12/2015 22:37

Maybe 5/11 has something to do with it? Maybe because terrorists tend to go for mass destruction?

Puffpastry1 · 18/12/2015 22:39

Maybe because most terrorists seem to be muslim?

DioneTheDiabolist · 18/12/2015 22:46

I think it's a combination of Terrorists, who want to scare the bejessus out of everyone and Power Hungry Arseholes who exploit fear for their own ends.

Resulting in a win for Terrorists and a win for Power Hungry Fuckwits.

It is not just a 21st century American problem. It can be seen throughout history and across the world.

knobblyknee · 18/12/2015 22:46

After the screw up on Fox 'entertainment' I'm nervous as well. The claims made were ludicrous - that parts of Europe were now no go areas with Sharia law - but Americans believed them.
America seems to be becoming more extreme and hard line. Thats always a worry.

GiddyOnZackHunt · 18/12/2015 22:49

People are shit at assessing risk.
There's a right wing agenda to a lot of the media. They like the right to bear arms.

Puffpastry1 · 18/12/2015 22:51

England has been too soft so has most of Europe.

scatteroflight · 18/12/2015 22:55

X kills far more people than Y. So therefore we should be encouraging more of Y. Furthermore anyone who fears more of Y should be vilified. After all it's not nearly as bad as X.

Canyouforgiveher · 18/12/2015 22:58

people don't understand the primary system in the presidential election. Look it up and see what previous candidates were likely to get the nomination at this stage of the process and you'll see a rogues galley of the unelectable.

Pico2 · 18/12/2015 22:58

Isn't it like being scared of dying in a plane crash but feeling fine about driving about in a car? Terror acts get more publicity, like plane crashes. Car crashes are reported locally, but not nationally. I assume the same goes for murder using guns in the US. Obviously the bigger mass shootings are national and international news, but, with 100,000 deaths from shootings a year (from Piratepoo above), most shootings are local news only.

Mmmmcake123 · 18/12/2015 23:00

Namechanged, good post xx

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