TheBadger was talking about Nietzsche's nihilism.
And if you adopt Nietzsche explaination of nihilism and apply it on European youth, I must say he's right.
So you can be atheist and still have values or morale.
That said, TheBadger, I don't think it is right to compare 2 states of the USA and France and Germany.
We don't speak the same language. We don't have the same religion. We don't share the same ideas on politics, education's system, etc...
Not mentioning the three wars we've been through together.
Do not make the mistake to think the EU is like USA. EU is a pack of countries united economically and partially politically by their leaders.
That said, we are truely separate countries and I know a majority of people that won't say "we feel european". You should know that french people voted "no" to Europe and that our leader did it nonethless and you will understand that we are definitely not like the american people. We do not have the feeling that Europe is ours and that we shoud defend it, etc...
So much for patriotism !
That should explain to you why every patriotism, nationalism or any kind of "love your country" feeling is not very well accepted in part of Europe.
Ask Frank how he would react to 10 guys singing german anthem
Considering the death caused by gunshot, USA statistics prove that USA have a ratio of eight times what economically and politically similar countries have. Incredible !
There is truely a huge guns' problem in USA. As they have huge problem with drugs, poverty and violence.
I didn't find the statistics about the owners of the killings : I don't know if the majority of murders with guns were perfomed with legal or illegal weapons, but I seriously doubt criminal usually use legal guns
Therefore I am not sure that to forbid guns is the solution. The problem is education, mental health, and a part of the medias, showing gangstars and crazy dumb serialkillers as heroes.
It is not because of the media itself (like for the gun) but a problem of parenting. Even if I do love serial-killers movies, I won't allow my kids for example to watch some crazy violent movie just because it is THE movie you have to see to be like everybody in school. Same for games.
I used guns and rifles often the last 10 years and I think it is a really nice sport and I found it very close to my past martial arts experience.
If guns would be allowed more easily in France, I would buy one (well more than one considering that my wife is a better shooter than I am). For collection, for sport and for protection.
I know that saying : it is not the gun that killed people but the guy who had it in his hand, is sometimes a bad and overused argument. But come on guys, we didn't forbid knives ! And how many people died by stabbing through past decades ? through past centuries.... ? And I can even buy an axe, a sword, or even a chainsaw in every tools shop !
More people die because of salt in food than because of guns (at least in France). And still, we put salt everywhere. Advertise for it. Give it to kids in school...
Would you find it normal to forbid salt because people don't use it as it is supposed to be used ?
I understand the humanist kind of thinking about the fact that humans don't need weapons to protect themselves because the gvt should be the only one to protect you.
But I am not into it.
And considering evolution of politics, all around the world, I think that we should all be armed.
I wanted to stay out of this thread because of its dangerous and slippery potential. But you guys made your points politely, but firmly. So I couldn't resist to post.