h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/A27794

An old Guide entry that was de-listed in the change to the BBC has reared its head and makes a re-application for listing.

"Guns don't kill people, bullets kill people."

This entry is really about the gun debate in America, rather than being about guns in general. Perhaps it needs a title change. I also think it needs a good bit more work. It seems to take for granted that the reader already knows all about the use of guns in America and goes on from there to express a few opinions on each side.

I think a better approach would be to describe the problem, which is that ordinary people in the USA own, carry and regularly use guns. Then the debate should start. The arguments for and against should be laid out clearly. (I can't see how you can make it a fair debate since I am not an American. To non-Americans, there is only one right answer.)

One other point: exiting is what people do from this world when on the receiving end of a bullet. Exciting is the word you were looking for.

Even if it's about the debate in America it is very cursory.

An article entitled guns should really tell a story about guns I would say. Their invention and history, different types of gun - remember there are big guns (artillery pieces, guns aboard warships etc.), machine guns, air guns, hand guns, shot guns etc. It may then be prudent to talk of the morality of their uses although no doubt this would become one of *those* topics

Sorry but I don't think this article is anywhere near ready to be reinstated into the guide

The recent entry on Warheads that went through peer review was a good article on this type of thing. Someone else also got through an article on the M16 Assault Rifle too.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/A593499
http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/A596441

Orcus

I would have to agree with Orcus... The article seems pretty slim. I would be happy to point out some great research material for this if you like... I am one of those crazy Americans... (I can certainly see the European view, but our gov isn't very good at ensuring that laws are actually followed or anything)

I remember the bumper sticker "If guns were outlawed then only outlaws would have guns". This sure is stuff for an entry, and some more depth is desirable.

Commenters, take a look at the GlowWorm's U-number... at the time he left h2g2 (to come back a few days ago), Guide entries were written in a somewhat different style

I know - sorry if I sounded a bit harsh

If anyone does write an article such as Orcus suggests, they may include the observation that in the British army at least, "gun" refers to nothing smaller than the General Purpose Machine Gun. The personal weapon of the infantry soldier is a "weapon", or a "rifle", but never, ever, a "gun".

H.

Sort of reminds me of the scene in Full Metal Jacket.

The actual definition of a gun for the military is that it must be a crew served weapon.

hello all... I am an American. I have never owned a gun, never shot a gun. I have handled a gun... once. i know i sound offended, but Im not ... i just wanted to make a point... i dont know if we can make a blanket statement in an edited entry about "most americans having and handling guns".

that being said... i'd also hate to see an article that was unbalanced...in either direction. its an interesting debate which, in my view boils down once again to the argument of mans inherant goodness vs mans inherant evil (not that you have to give my oppinions any weight whatsoever, but hey, i had to get it out)

certainly a whole uni project could be done on the subject of weaponry and arms... im not volunteering to head it, mind you...

I think in the US military they are now called PWS (Personal Weapons Systems)

Hey there, GlowWorm! Any response to the comments above?


Mikey

As it is, I don't think that this entry should go into the edited guide. It appears to me to be rather lacking in actual content. I think that an entry giving some idea of the argument on both sides of the gun debate would be good, but this needs quite a bit of work on it.

Oh I'm sorry, but as it stands now I don't think this article is at all ready for the guide... I agree that it most definately needs a title change...something like "The Gun Debate" just calling it "Guns" is a bit misleading.. but even with this needed change, the entry needs more flesh, even if it is to remain biased...

Now my two cents: The problem with guns is not that they kill people. You can kill people with with nearly anything, including your bare hands. The problem with guns is that they make it far too EASY to kill people. Any two bit trigger pumping moron can point a gun and do some damage. Guns are essentially COWARDLY weapons...you don't want to fight someone, so just blow their head off... A gun is not a defensive weapon, despite what many people seem to think. You can't defend yourself with one, you can only shoot people.. "well they were shooting at me, so I need to shoot back" This isn't self-defense, it is a gun battle, and the chances of actually using your gun in such a manner without being the aggressor are very slim. Most people are increasing the danger to themselves considerably by having a gun.

Also, not all Americans have guns, and America certainly isn't the only country where the average person can own one.... America is just a horribly violent place, so the guns tend to stand out a bit more......

Apart from needing a new title (after all it's not about guns at all except in a distanced and abstract way) it does not really cover the gun debate in any detail. The American gun debate (also known as the "Billy-Bob my shotguns better than your Berretta" debate)is a highly contended issue spanning many and various arguments, slants, points of view and opinion. Non of these are really covered by the article.
The article is in need of extensive reworking to have a representative name, and as such to inform people of the gun debate to a greater extent as currently it only really informs people of the debates exixtence.

Editorial Note: This conversation has been moved from 'Peer Review' to 'The Flea Market'.