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In reply to the discussion: Fellow Pacifists, Peace Seekers and Non-Violence Types check in here! [View all]frazzled
(18,402 posts)34. I hope nonviolence includes
reducing the violence in our own country. Because I live in a city that's been plagued by a lot of violence for some time, especially gun crimesmore this year than the number of troops killed in Afghanistan.
We live in a culture of violence, from television and video games to movies. And of course, in real life. Right here. Maybe it affects our violent attitudes in the rest of the world.
There are more than 129,817 federally licensed firearms dealers in the United States, according to the latest Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives numbers (as of Aug. 1) . Of those, 51,438 are retail gun stores, 7,356 are pawn shops and 61,562 are collectors, with the balance of the licenses belonging mostly to manufacturers and importers of firearms and destructive devices.
For comparison, here are some numbers of other ubiquitous elements of American life:
Gas Stations in the U.S. (2011): 143,839 (source TD LINX/Nielsen via National Associations of Convenience Stores, Association for Convenience for Convenience and Fuel Retailing)
Grocery Stores in the U.S. (2011) 36,569 (source: Food Marketing Institute)
McDonalds restaurants in the U.S. (2011): 14,098 (Source: McDonalds Corporation Annual Report 2011)
http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2012/08/guns-in-america-a-statistical-look/
For comparison, here are some numbers of other ubiquitous elements of American life:
Gas Stations in the U.S. (2011): 143,839 (source TD LINX/Nielsen via National Associations of Convenience Stores, Association for Convenience for Convenience and Fuel Retailing)
Grocery Stores in the U.S. (2011) 36,569 (source: Food Marketing Institute)
McDonalds restaurants in the U.S. (2011): 14,098 (Source: McDonalds Corporation Annual Report 2011)
http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2012/08/guns-in-america-a-statistical-look/
I don't think we can talk about antiwar, peace, and nonviolence without addressing (and standing on the right side) of the violence issues here at home.
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Fellow Pacifists, Peace Seekers and Non-Violence Types check in here! [View all]
Taverner
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OP
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#59