"Less cops, more guns, and less crime"

Rather than crime being less frequent because of a rise of gun ownership, it's mostly due to the fact that some groups are now getting fair access to decent education and equal job opportunities and this is greatly influencing them to get away from street violence. At least that's true for that part of the population.

@yankee00: Be careful about cause and effect factors and coming to conclusions about the dynamics of US cops/guns/crime. I did not say less less crime because of anything. That is wholly your false conclusion. I am just reporting on the apparent dynamics in the US over the last ten years vis. crime. While I am strongly pro gun, I am surprised and, frankly, a bit confused by these stats. This topic requires more information and some thinking before concluding anything.

As for education in the US, I think the remarkable dumbing down of US education is a subject for another thread.

I am also very, very pro-gun - - but then I'm described as being just to the right of Atilla the Hun!!

@HFCAMPO
It's always hard to consider (accept) another opinion other than ones own.
If your solution would be an option imagine what this or any country would turn into.

There are also two other factors that are important. The amount of solved crimes, crime prevention.
And one other as i mentioned before, the sheer amount of senseless violence. The ones I experienced they started from such a tiny trigger and I am sure those people involved would not have cared if they would have killed someone.

OF course there are muggings and other crimes gone bad, but this escalation and pleasure of violence I noticed here is hard to understand, still is.

Anyway (honest) crime stats usually using quite some fancy math to get to a very accurate result. but that means that someone actually has to really try to get the numbers right.

Guns don't work and never did. America is living proof for. And that is a fact that is shown in comparison to other countries, that, or Americans are the dumbest species on earth, but I doubt that a lot since I met a whole lot of nice US-ans.

Why is that that the ones commit all the shooting and violence are usually the ones that shout the loudest for guns to defend themselves.
Check it out, try to find gun opposing liberals, in comparison with right wing pro gun's, just for fun use the recent ones.
If that still doesn't strike you as odd, plus the cops recommending not having guns around, international statistics and research...and all the other facts.

...that said
I don't want to turn this into a gun rights discussion so lets get away from the gun issue, please. China has no open gun laws, which is a fact and thus there is no reason to wonder what would happen if there would. There are no guns in China, and that is probably best. So lets focus on other things.

Plus there is one from last year...so please go there for more gun-fun ..lol

I don't know that there's more or less violent crime in China than any other particular country. I know that there's violent crime in China. It hasn't affected my lifestyle any. Discuss it all you want, but some of you people seem to be verging on paranoia.

Alien, I agree. Some people seem to fear everything. The food might be poisoned! The oil might be sewer oil! The locals might hack me with a knife! Burger King might not be like home! The food might be weird! The traffic is dangerous! It makes me wonder how some Westerners even leave their houses in the morning.

@Alien
That was exactly my thinking and I also thought it's safe as milk here....until.

Paranoia and urging people to not rely on fake stats and the self promoted safety, of a place that is well known for selling you a hamster for a cat, is not exactly the same.

@mmkunmingteacher
I say let's just wait a little and see what you see happening around you. I hope you won't ever have to experience it yourself but just keep your eyes open.

It really sounds funny to me what you write, kind of self preservation and justification of your choices to come here.
I don't have a beef with China, I am not afraid or worried. I do like it here. I'm just saying, watch out, be careful don't be lulled into a fake sense of security.

There is a lot of shit happened to me and you may joke about it I don;t know if I did before but man things look different afterwards.

I just tried to warn you about some of the whacko stuff that may happen and the police may not be send swat teams for your rescue, because it's majohng time or not worth their time at all.

Whatever you guys do, you have been told.

@The Dudeson's

What you've said is valid, however, let's turn the table around. What if a Chinese student tell you that when he goes to America to study, he will not associate with Black people because they are not intelligent, not hard working, high on drugs, and always carry guns to rob and kill people? Will you agree and reinforce that stereotype or will you explain that the odds of him running into such trouble is miniscule if proper precautions are taken?

Point being, perception is a funny thing, it is influenced by what we see, hear, and experience instead of rational risk analysis based on facts. Most expats feel safer in China because they are not bombarded by the 24hr fear mongering news cycle as they would be back home. Comparing the safety of China and back home in broad terms is useless because the odds of becoming a victim of crime or accidents is largely depended on the lifestyle and the risks one takes. To state that "China is not as safe as you think" after your personal experience with an ax wielder is to 1) make an assumption that everyone thinks China is safe, 2) state the obvious, and 3) make a conclusion based on fear rather than rational analysis of the risk and facts.

Anyway, sorry that you had to experience such a terrible incident but somehow I do not see how this incident should change our perception or how we live our lives? This is starting to get into the territory of Chinese expectant mothers wearing lead vests and stop using cellphones because of the supposed harmful effects of EMF, getting rid of all pets in the house because they carry parasites, foreigners are bad because one stupid drunk dude decides to rape a passer-by, etc.

Thank you for the warning though, I'll be sure to keep an eye out for anybody hold axes the next time I venture out.

Cheers~

@dudesons
I used to legally carry a concealed weapon (handgun) in California, so I'm not too happy about being generally categorized as a thug. I only had to draw my weapon 3x and never had to discharge the firearm - which made me extraordinarily happy as it's a tremendous amount of police paperwork to shoot someone - not to mention the prolific civil lawsuits.

I probably could have accomplished the same effect with a baseball bat - but I responsibly enjoyed the privilege of my firearms - although you are probably correct that an inordinate amount of civilian morons - to include law enforcement and military also irresponsibly possess and wield firearms.

Personally, I'm amazed at the kinds of seriously dangerous explosives one can purchase during fireworks festivals in China.

The general issue with firearms - isn't the firearms, but the lack of responsibility, training, and common sense - asking a government to ensure our safety from firearm wielding thugs has also never historically worked. Although firearms violations are rare in China - the recent Yunnan case and Chinese history in general shows a focused, single minded individual can accomplish what your seek to avoid through bans.

So the real issue is not wielding firearms, bludgeoning instruments, or even learning hand-to-hand martial arts (lots of morons are well educated in hand-to-hand combat also), but the ingrained training of social responsibility, compassion, and common sense - basically an educational issue - both at home, at school, and in society in general.

In the military - I've met an inordinate number of blacks with exceptional responsibility, respect, loyalty, etc. In public life - I've rarely met American blacks that I'd want my kids to know - that doesn't make me hate or discriminate against blacks - just makes me more cautious about people's backgrounds, personality, and behavioral traits.

As for firearms - the USA is the number 1 global exporter of weapons in the world - so banning weapons at home when we are a prolific global exporter is extraordinarily hypocritical (of the US gov) - in my personal opinion.

Regardless of our fundamental perspectives on an armed populace - you've had an incredibly dangerous, if not unique experience, both personally and with the unfortunate victims you've been acquainted with. A healthy dose of paranoia is definitely appropriate in your case - and thank you for reminding us all to be situationally and environmentally aware. I must admit - I'm considerably more relaxed in China than anywhere I travel in the USA.

Incidentally - those three cases I've had to draw my weapon - all racially motivated. Even in California - white and black americans don't seem particularly pleased about a Chinese American driving expensive cars - should I then drive something I don't like simply because I'm a target of violent envious racists?

I love America because of the freedom - but freedom comes with significantly increased responsibility - and we as Americans take a LOT of that freedom for granted and unfortunately, it's beginning to take its toll on our society.

And I might point out again - its significantly safer to stroll around virtually anywhere in Beijing - regardless of time of day - than to stroll around anywhere in Washington DC. I find that detestably shameful for us as a country. What happens in our capital cities is a reflection of our nation. The USA is a paramount for violent crime, rampant drug use, and a pervasive lack of ethics heavily dosed with prodigious selfishness and self-serving platitudes.

China - as evidenced by Beijing - seriously nasty environmental pollution. But Beijing has FINALLY elevated environmental pollution to public enemy number 1.

America? We have a chronic problem with violent crime - a social disease. Either way - I don't envy the government officials of either China OR the USA - tremendous responsibility with seemingly little public gratitude.

Regretfully, in our lifetimes, government of the people and of the state is still an experimental trial by error - we have a very very long way to go before our world and society in general is a harmonious place to live.

yeah but a foreigner driving around in an expensive car here would also be a big issue and increase your chances of being attacked.

most of the aggression i have encountered is being stared at intensely. and it's not just curiosity as some posters have suggested. they're watching to see what you're doing here and how well you're doing. there's a lot of racist envy, just like there is any country.

basically, an old woman asked me if i was rich and said straightforward "if you're rich, someone will kill you."