First off, the article also very clearly shows the insane difference in terms of gun homicides per capita despite there not being a discernible difference in overall violent crime. Basically, americans aren't more violent or murderous, but are statistically much more likely to have access to a gun and be aclimated to using one.
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Originally Posted by molson
Which is kind of unfortunate because mass shootings are the type of gun violence/death that's probably least impacted by gun control. Most mass shooters could have bought weapons no matter what the background check required. (though some of them could have been slowed down some based on the types of weapons available, etc.)
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It is however not in question (to me at least), that the easy accessibility and resulting gun culture lowers the inhibitions and makes them more 'accesible' from a mental perspective as well. And this has nothing to do with media and the likes, because there is pretty no difference (anymore) between western countries.
A country like Germany has a lot of guns per capita as well (compared to other western countries other than the US), but it has never been commonplace to pretty much treat guns and gun ownership the same as you would a nice set of steak knives. A gun here is still something outlandish/exotic/strange that seems out of place when visible in civil life and even on police*, this simply isn't the case in many areas of the US.
*police shooting somebody in other western countries is also significantly lower than in the US. Again the reason can be a) more murderous police or b) police more accustomed to use a gun AND feeling more in danger from the prevelance of people owning a gun.
I doubt any german police officer makes a traffic stop and worries about there being even the slightest chance of the guy being armed.