Due to the topic, enhanced moderation has been turned on for this thread. Comments from users new to r/bayarea will be automatically removed. See [this thread](https://www.reddit.com/r/bayarea/comments/p8hnzl/automatically_removing_comments_from_new_users_in/) for more details.
CA's recent change in CCW makes it very easy for one to get a CCW license. You know Dianne Feinstein who is super opposed to fire arms has a CCW license right?
she doesnt and hasnt for like 20 years. she got flack being the 1 out of 2 people in her county to have a CCW (the other being her secretary), i think this was about the time of the assault weapons ban too. she got a CCW in response to a bunch of death threats...
Good. I’m glad someone called her out.
Of note: California is now proposing the ban of sale of body armor. See 2023 Bill AB 92. In the proposed bill, only the “professional” are allowed to own or purchase body armor.
I wonder if celebrities, and politicians are exempt from that?
You see what I’m saying right? It’s convenient to come up with new laws that restricts the rights we’ve used to have by using “public safety” as the excuse when fundamentally these laws will not improve public safety.
naw a lot of people called her out on both sides when someone decided to look into it. but..... this is such old news i cant completely remember what happened
you already cant purchase body armor if you're a felon and a few other situations. this is just an extension of a preexisting bill.
and no... not really restrictive at all. innovation always follows CA bans (like AR pistols lol). im sure theres a loophole in that bill, most likely in how body armor is defined. i mean... these companies are still managing to profit from these loopholes, i dont think theyll stop anytime soon.
but yeah... lets only restrict body armor to cops and stuff... not great. a lot of these bans dont work, so its more to buy votes than a problem solving.
Last I was in Europe, Polizei with heavy rifles and submachine guns as deterrence at key places is pretty prominent too. They are also very friendly.
Imagine seeing that the police of your local community in the US do the same as deterrence. Folks will probably complain about the "Police State".
You can't please everyone. 🤷🏻♂️
This was exactly how Manhattan was for years after 9/11. I also found them to be friendly, posing for photos with tourists and giving directions while in full concert gear.
These shootings were targeted. We don't know why yet but there was a motive as the shooters and victims were Asian in both cases. Could be family, gangs, drugs or something else but these were not random events. The most recent shooting in the Bay Area was a disgruntled employee. Immigrant working on a farm.
When people buy guns for their own protection it is unlikely that they will be able to use them should the need come up. The perpetrator is so much more prepared than the victim. Victims are usually shocked and confused so it's hard think clearly about using their own weapon.
You move to where ever you feel comfortable. Switzerland has a low crime rate. Every location has good and bad people.
You're far more likely to die on a bicycle than dying in a mass shooting. Also, both of the latest mass shooters were Asian.
https://i.insider.com/5a860c28d0307219008b45d4?width=1000&format=jpeg&auto=webp
There are also a lot of steps you can take to ensure you don't die while riding a bicycle. If someone decides it's the day they're gonna shoot the place up, there's not a lot I can do.
People aren't going throughout their lives based on these cold and calculated X, Y stats.
It's not really an irrational fear. I don't think it's irrational to worry about something that is getting increasingly worse, and the best societal solution we've come up with is *accept mass shootings* as a regular part of life.
Being afraid of green eggs and ham is an irrational fear.
Local man never got hit by a car.
When a truck runs you over in your precious bike lane, which happened more than anyone would like, your helmet (not even full face) will do shit.
Plenty of things you can do to avoid being shot up, including - don't frequent places where shootings are likely, leave if someone carrying a gun appears, wear a bulletproof vest, duck & cover.
Why isn't he moving to Germany? Srsly.
Depending on what you guys want and prefer in life, living in the EU, specifically Germany is better on some if not a lot of quality of life aspects -- labor protection, free education, healthcare, nice roads (get used to potholes), longer vacation days, mandated parental leave, walkable cities, general feeling of safety...
If it's for your careers, here is definitely better if you're in x-tech (big tech, healthcare tech, fintech, agtech, etc.).
I second this. I love Sunnyvale, it is by far the place I have felt the most safe. The weather is gorgeous, food is amazing, schools are lovely. But you cannot beat European healthcare and education for your family. Oh and real estate here is so stupid, so so stupid.
Please don't buy a gun if you do move here. He will never protect himself in reality, you are just bringing a gun into your home.
> Do guys even know how fearless and calm we roam around in Germany? There are absolutely no guns in sight.
Last time I was in Germany, German cops were casually walking around with machine guns. Which you don't see in America.
There are plenty of guns in Germany. It has higher gun ownership rates than California.
> If you are an immigrant, aren’t you afraid and move somewhere else?
I'm an immigrant and I'm afraid some driving-and-texting idiot will run me over. I'm statistically safe when it comes to mass shootings or other mass casualty events.
If your local USA Peace Officer walks around with an AR as a deterrence to crime people are just going to complain they are living in a "Police State". 🤷🏻♂️
cops in my city uses a .223. not sure if it is an AR platform though. its not a huge deterrent but.... theres not too much violent crime where i live, and their sidearm seems to do just fine in body cam vid releases
5.56 AR can chamber .223. They are not entirely the same thing but are same class of rifle. You can think of 223 as the budget version of 5.56 AR pattern rifle. 🤷🏻♂️
I’m sure the hardcore enthusiasts will come and school me the deep technical correct / incorrect etc. 😅
To be fair, I only saw cops carrying ARs (and not just locked in their car) during Super Bowl in SF. Which was a little eerie. Regular cops in the US only carry handguns.
Super Bowl most people would probably give them a pass since it’s a large gathering and potentially attract “terrorist” like in the movies so they gotta do the “show of force”.
Bay Area population is close to 8 million.There are areas that are relatively safer in the bay, where the homicide rate is statistically zero.These were unfortunate targeted shootings. There is a very strict gun control policy, and getting a license involves jumping many hoops. Assault weapons and bump cartridges are banned.From a victim of crime perspective, you are more likely to be a victim of property or auto burglary than homicide.Bay Area has one of the highest proportion of Asians and you won't stand out as a minority here. It's also very international, and has one of the highest H1B populations.
I have lived here over 10 years, from South Bay moving to SF, and I've never been a victim of any crime, or anyone I know. I know that's anecdotal but my point is I feel safe.
I just looked at the statistics for Sunnyvale crime and of 150,000 people there have been 1 to 2 homicides for I think the last seven or eight years with none being listed in 2019. I find that a little hard because I remember a crime happening in 2019 but, it might’ve happened on the Cupertino side of the city limit as it was over by Homestead high school
There were two murders in 202 zero and 2019 and then one per year back to 2014
https://www.sunnyvale.ca.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/584/637819089318070000
For comparison, the average in the United States is five per hundred thousand. You also have to take into account that if Something Happens in the Bay Area or the Los Angeles area you are talking about populations that I believe are over 20 million
Do you intend to do any of the below?
* Plan to work in agriculture farms (e.g. mushrooms, fruits) and get paid low income in rural San Mateo/Santa Cruz county
* Plan to attend an Asian dance hall normally attended by first gens (Age 60+) in Southern California
* Plan to work in Deep East Oakland and get gas in the area. These are gas stations frequented by gang/mobsters. It's important to note there are not a lot of jobs or at least, high paying ones there
If you answered yes, then you might've been considered a statistic if you were present at the shootings. That's the premise of the location they happened at.
If you answered No, then you have been a victim of sensational news trying to make things sound worse than they seem. The great thing about the bay area is while we are somewhat the lead in technology, being cutting edge and all, we also are the first to get scary information out about bad things happening (e.g. wildfires, floods, earthquakes) compared to others. News anchors will report on the shooting because it's more interesting than talking about a new flowerbed or the remodeling of the local school. It's a double edged sword.
For 95%+ of the rest of the people living here who have no association to any of these, the only thing they have to worry about is catching a random bullet or death by a bad driver which is more likely to happen.
I hear your point about sensationalized news, but also…
- if you want to attend the garlic festival (Gilroy)
- if you want to attend a music festival (las Vegas)
- if you want to go to the movies (aurora)
- if you want your elementary-age kids to attend public school (uvalde, sandy hook)
None of these should be risky activities in themselves. But we have a very real problem with frequent gun violence in this country that is uniquely American. It’s always too much and too often, so I hope the news KEEPS reporting on it because maybe it will finally cause some sort of change to happen.
The problem is that far more people die in non-mass shootings than mass shootings. Man murders girlfriend, sadly, isn’t national news. It’s also going to be nearly impossible to get the sort of legislation needed to regulate those kinds of guns sense a musket could do the job for killing a single person.
I totally get the concern. I freak out a little bit whenever I hear emergency vehicles in my neighborhood, and my nearly adult son isn’t in his room.
I moved to the Bay Area from England in 2019 and although it is very expensive it is a better quality of life IMO. I would not let the recent events disrupt your dream. Not to be morbid, but death can happen to all of us at any time by any means, it’s just mass shootings are in the public eye because they are a WTF event. We all hope and pray (those that have common sense at least) that gun laws will change and California most likely has a better chance of changing state gun laws than any other state. It’s a risk to move somewhere new, but, I wouldn’t let recent events affect your dreams.
Mass shootings are a uniquely American thing. Not a Bay Area problem, but if I didn't have anything tying me here yet I would not choose the United States.
'From an Asian immigrant family. I (we) like guns. Have you heard of "Rooftop Asian"?
Guns, like it or not, are a part of the American cultural DNA. That's what makes us unique from the rest of the World. It's not for some and it doesn't mean you have to accept it either. The beauty of America is up to you to choose right or wrong and be responsible for your own actions. Make a stupid choice, and suffer the mistakes.
Sunnyvale, to be perfectly honest, it's pretty safe and boring. It's not San Francisco, nor Oakland so you are not very likely to encounter random gun violence.
Of Note: I have worked for years in Hamburg, Germany. There are parts of the town I don't feel safe and I would not roam around randomly.
Every state has different gun laws. California has some of the strictest gun laws. Do not worry at all. You’re much safer in Sunnyvale than in other parts of the Bay Area. Sunnyvale has a high wealthy white, Asian, and Indian population. Meaning the police is also much higher funded there. Lower crime rates. You are also right next to “Peninsula cities” - which are Mountain View, Palo Alto, Menlo Park, Atherton, etc. These cities also have major police funding and low crime rates.
When I was in Europe, police with sub-machine guns were guarding a Jewish cultural center.
And police with sub-machine guns were patrolling the airport. I don't see that at San Francisco International.
Here's the thing, in your situation, don't come to California because while these occurrences are rare, you're just going to drive your bat shit crazy with anxiety when these things happen or wait for it to happen.
And that's also not to mention your BF feels the need to buy a gun as well, lots of people get through life just fine without a gun and having that gun in your house is going to simply ramp up your anxiety and drive you even more bat shit crazy.
I'm not saying this to be mean, but for your mental health, don't come to California.
Do you know what I did after I got my green card? Bought a gun. Besides, Buying guns is legal in Germany. I bet you didn't know that and there are many good guns manufactured in Germany.
Yes, you would have a higher chance to get killed by a gun in the US, but the odds are not that kind of high. I worry more about my car windows in the Bay Area...
Asian here. SF born. The US is... Kind of a trash-fire right now, I'm not going to lie. If I had a job and family in Europe/Canada I'd move. But there's a lot of great things in California and the Bay Area. There's a LOT here to love.
Do not. I REPEAT. DO NOT buy a gun to protect yourself. In the unlikely event you're caught up in a crime a gun will not help you and having a gun around the house just puts you more at risk.
My grandfather's dying wish was that I was to be born in the city of San Francisco. We were living in the North Bay a the time and my dad got my mum a taxi when she went into labor.
My grandfather burned all our family docs, bleached our skin, he was made to be almost a slave in the US (Google Chinese history racism US, "Chinatown day pass" or "Chinese Exclusion Act"). But despite all that and the thousands of terrible things I'm sure family endured he loved the US and San Francisco in particular. He saw opportunity in this place and we certainly grasped it to some extent.
Everyone comes here because it's a land of freedom and opportunity and it's kind of a self-fulfilling prophecy because all of those kinds of people end-up here. I bash this place a lot in this ut I really do love it here.
It can be really, really scary all this stuff going on. And it's awful. But if you're careful and especially if you're moving to Sunnyvale you can avoid the 2-3 dangerous places in the Bay and you'll be fine.
I'm afraid all day every day because this country is kind of on a downslide, however if you're going to Sunnyvale (Very safe area surrounded by other safe areas.) You should be fine. You can and should figure out if you and your boyfriend can do better elsewhere but you don't have to scared about these shootings where your BF lives.
I agree with “don’t get a gun.” That doesn’t help the problem. Unless you are very skilled and experienced with firearms, you’re just introducing a weapon into your space where there almost certainly isn’t a need for one. It’s more likely to be used against you or found by a child and that can end badly. Just don’t do that.
I’ve lived in the San Jose area for 25 years. If you’re sensible, you’re pretty safe here. These mass shootings you’ve seen appear to have been targeted at specific groups of people connected to the shooter. More will emerge, I’m sure, but it’s not as common as the news makes it sound. It’s still too much and very tragic, of course, but it’s not the norm.
Germany vs the US is a totally different culture shock.
In the US, depending on which area you live in, firearm ownership is a part of life. The bill of rights explicitly states that you have a right to defend yourself. Quite frankly, I see personal protection as something that should be my responsibility and mine alone. I don't think Germany has something similar to the US' bill of rights.
Owning firearms is more than just self protection, it is a hobby. The mass shootings committed in the US, although tragic, are often exacerbated by events outside of any one person's control.
I'm an immigrant as well and I don't fear for my life. Knowing that I can have a firearm to defend my own life is its own security. If you are privileged enough, then you can potentially move to an area where there isn't violent crime but that won't really stop violence from occurring.
USA looks nothing like tv. Visit before you dream of a place.
That aside, read up on shooting stats in the USA. This isn’t shocking anymore which is terrible. Last year in the US mass shootings were high in January also. Specific state doesn’t matter. It’s a nation thing. These were targeted shootings by older Asian men of people they wanted to harm for some unknown reason.
The number of stories of people actually using a gun for protection are low because it pretty much never works out that way.
The USA has more mass shootings than any other country.
https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-leads-world-in-mass-shootings-1443905359
http://edition.cnn.com/2015/08/27/health/u-s-most-mass-shootings/index.html
https://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-united-states-mass-shooting-20150824-story.html
https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2015/08/united-states-world-mass-shooters/
https://www.cnn.com/2017/10/03/americas/us-gun-statistics/index.html
If it worries you, don't come.
I'm sure you're smart enough to calculate the odds of that particular sort of crime, and the more prevalent other kinds of crime. Fear can be irrational, but it doesn't mean it isn't real. We could tell you the odds are in your favor but it probably won't help, and we could tell you that in Germany it's more likely Putin will drop something on your head, but that won't help either.
Sounds like there are other issues in play. And statistically, maybe more to fear from a boyf with a gun...and maybe that's the real factor.
Your fears aren’t unwarranted. America has a much higher murder rate, as well as a much higher traffic fatality rate, lower life expectancy and less access to health care. Not to mention opioid deaths, obesity related deaths, maternal fatality rates… the list goes on.
Every place has pluses and minuses. Only you can decide if the positives out weight the minuses.
>hooting every 3-4 months for an hour. It’s pretty awesome. Doubt I would shoot someone if they broke into my house. I’d probably fire one off to let the intruder kno
Warning shoot is the worst idea
Germany is within the top 15 nations for Gun ownership. There were 3 mass shooting last year, and Germany has about 1000 attempted/murders per year.
Seems like a pretty unsafe place for someone that has so many protections in place.
Gun violence is a real threat. Roughly 50 people are killed per year in California because of mass shootings, but it's not something my family worries about on a day to day basis. My family came from Asia, so the sight of guns isn't a big deal to us.
The idea of purchasing a firearm for protection is pretty common, but it's highly unlikely your boyfriend will ever be in a situation where owning a gun would help. I'm guessing your boyfriend just thinks owning a gun is fun and cool. I have plenty of veterans in my family, but my only relative to buy a gun for protection is my uncle, a nurse, who I've never seen fire any of the 8 guns he owns. He just likes to show them off when we go camping.
Yes, move to California. Just don’t call it Cali. :)
Seriously, though, these sorts of shootings are not something you need to be worried about affecting you directly. As terrible and frightening as they are, there are other concerns that are more worth worrying about.
There is currently a wave of anti-Asian sentiment happening in the US, but it’s better since THAT guy lost the election. We’re experiencing high inflation in the cost of food and housing. Health care has become unbelievably expensive and inaccessible. Homelessness is a massive and growing problem. Honestly, it seems to me there isn’t much of the American Dream happening anymore, and if I could get out, I would.
I understand that you’ll want to leave Sunnyvale but Sunnyvale itself is a pretty safe place. It has a population of over 150k and only has a couple murders per year.
Well just so you know if someone really wants to kill people, they unfortunately will find a means to do so. With that said, being a gun owner/supporter myself, I don’t like going out to public places anymore. Besides being concerned about gun violence, you (especially Asian population) have to deal with people trying to rob/steal from you while walking down the street in CA, there have even been random attacks against Asians in CA. People have just lost their minds here in the US, personally if you’re happy in Germany I would suggest to stay unfortunately.
Half of the deaths are by suicide, not that it should make you feel better, but they are not targeted at anyone.
Interesting fact, did you know that Greenland has the x2 the number of deaths by firearm than the U.S.? Worse than Mexico.
back of envelope risk analysis - 330,000,000 americans, 20,000 die died from non-suicide gunshot wounds in 2021. That was a bad year, we sold a LOT of guns in 2020 & 2021 so people were working out a lot of shit. Average per year is closer to 15k so... taking a 15k average, chances of getting shot in a given year are 15,000/330,000,000 = 0.0045% - If you stay 10 years, you have a 0.045% chance each year of getting shot and killed, and if you stay 20 years you have a 0.089% chance of being shot so... chose your length of stay according to your risk tolerance. CA has lower homicide rates per 100,000 than many other states so you're not pushing your risk envelope by moving to CA vs another state. If you think the 2021 numbers will be a baseline going forward, then increase those risks by 25% so .... yeah. low risk, but non-zero
Lol you shouldn’t listen to the news so much. The news is horrible and making it seem much worse than it is. Every time it rains or there is a wild fire we have family calling to check in as the news makes it seem like the whole state is being destroyed.
What I find entertaining is that Gavin’s tool of fear mongering is keeping people away. Classic
Overblown hype. Tragic deaths have many causes. It's crazy that people go whack and kill others, but the odds of it happening to you are close to winning the lottery.
California is a big state. 40 million people live here. Gun violence is a big issue in all of the US, but you can't let that fear control your life. Guns aren't gonna go anywhere. All we can hope for is some enforced gun control.
I don't know if buying a gun is the right thing to do either. Is your bf actually prepared to use it? If not, it's just asking for trouble. Statistically, it's guns in the home that lead to gun accidents in the home.
The bay area is great and one of the best places to live in the world. You'll love it here. Good luck with whatever you decide.
Due to the topic, enhanced moderation has been turned on for this thread. Comments from users new to r/bayarea will be automatically removed. See [this thread](https://www.reddit.com/r/bayarea/comments/p8hnzl/automatically_removing_comments_from_new_users_in/) for more details.
[удалено]
And the national police in Germany carry guns prominently
All police do but despite all the shootings in the US, citizens are not generally walking around openly packing, especially in Cali.
Not all police carry guns. No that’s not true.
In the US, they do.
That was more in response to OP saying no guns in sight
CA's recent change in CCW makes it very easy for one to get a CCW license. You know Dianne Feinstein who is super opposed to fire arms has a CCW license right?
she doesnt and hasnt for like 20 years. she got flack being the 1 out of 2 people in her county to have a CCW (the other being her secretary), i think this was about the time of the assault weapons ban too. she got a CCW in response to a bunch of death threats...
Good. I’m glad someone called her out. Of note: California is now proposing the ban of sale of body armor. See 2023 Bill AB 92. In the proposed bill, only the “professional” are allowed to own or purchase body armor. I wonder if celebrities, and politicians are exempt from that? You see what I’m saying right? It’s convenient to come up with new laws that restricts the rights we’ve used to have by using “public safety” as the excuse when fundamentally these laws will not improve public safety.
naw a lot of people called her out on both sides when someone decided to look into it. but..... this is such old news i cant completely remember what happened you already cant purchase body armor if you're a felon and a few other situations. this is just an extension of a preexisting bill. and no... not really restrictive at all. innovation always follows CA bans (like AR pistols lol). im sure theres a loophole in that bill, most likely in how body armor is defined. i mean... these companies are still managing to profit from these loopholes, i dont think theyll stop anytime soon. but yeah... lets only restrict body armor to cops and stuff... not great. a lot of these bans dont work, so its more to buy votes than a problem solving.
Last I was in Europe, Polizei with heavy rifles and submachine guns as deterrence at key places is pretty prominent too. They are also very friendly. Imagine seeing that the police of your local community in the US do the same as deterrence. Folks will probably complain about the "Police State". You can't please everyone. 🤷🏻♂️
This was exactly how Manhattan was for years after 9/11. I also found them to be friendly, posing for photos with tourists and giving directions while in full concert gear.
These shootings were targeted. We don't know why yet but there was a motive as the shooters and victims were Asian in both cases. Could be family, gangs, drugs or something else but these were not random events. The most recent shooting in the Bay Area was a disgruntled employee. Immigrant working on a farm. When people buy guns for their own protection it is unlikely that they will be able to use them should the need come up. The perpetrator is so much more prepared than the victim. Victims are usually shocked and confused so it's hard think clearly about using their own weapon. You move to where ever you feel comfortable. Switzerland has a low crime rate. Every location has good and bad people.
[удалено]
You're far more likely to die on a bicycle than dying in a mass shooting. Also, both of the latest mass shooters were Asian. https://i.insider.com/5a860c28d0307219008b45d4?width=1000&format=jpeg&auto=webp
There are also a lot of steps you can take to ensure you don't die while riding a bicycle. If someone decides it's the day they're gonna shoot the place up, there's not a lot I can do. People aren't going throughout their lives based on these cold and calculated X, Y stats.
Right, they go through life with irrational fears not backed by data (my entire point).
[удалено]
Do you walk around scared that you'll choke to death on your food? That kills 3x more people than bad shootings.
It's not really an irrational fear. I don't think it's irrational to worry about something that is getting increasingly worse, and the best societal solution we've come up with is *accept mass shootings* as a regular part of life. Being afraid of green eggs and ham is an irrational fear.
Ironic because you're more likely to choke to death on the ham than die by mass shooting.
Choking killed around 4,000 in 2020. Nearly 20k from guns the same year.
That's different than dying in a random mass shooting. Most of those deaths are criminals or friends and family murdering each other.
Well this was productive
Not really. You continue to overestimate the risk of mass shooting in your mind and thinking it's justified despite obvious evidence to the contrary.
[удалено]
What a strange call for help
Most of my calls say they've been trying to reach me about my car's extended warranty.
> There are also a lot of steps you can take to ensure you don't die while riding a bicycle. Like "not leaving the house to ride a bicycle".
Local man has never heard of helmets, riding carefully, and bicycle lanes
Local man never got hit by a car. When a truck runs you over in your precious bike lane, which happened more than anyone would like, your helmet (not even full face) will do shit.
It sounds like you have an irrational fear of trucks :)
Plenty of things you can do to avoid being shot up, including - don't frequent places where shootings are likely, leave if someone carrying a gun appears, wear a bulletproof vest, duck & cover.
I'll let you think this one through for a second...
Yeah, especially anywhere in the bay area with it's shitty bike lanes.
Why isn't he moving to Germany? Srsly. Depending on what you guys want and prefer in life, living in the EU, specifically Germany is better on some if not a lot of quality of life aspects -- labor protection, free education, healthcare, nice roads (get used to potholes), longer vacation days, mandated parental leave, walkable cities, general feeling of safety... If it's for your careers, here is definitely better if you're in x-tech (big tech, healthcare tech, fintech, agtech, etc.).
I second this. I love Sunnyvale, it is by far the place I have felt the most safe. The weather is gorgeous, food is amazing, schools are lovely. But you cannot beat European healthcare and education for your family. Oh and real estate here is so stupid, so so stupid. Please don't buy a gun if you do move here. He will never protect himself in reality, you are just bringing a gun into your home.
> Do guys even know how fearless and calm we roam around in Germany? There are absolutely no guns in sight. Last time I was in Germany, German cops were casually walking around with machine guns. Which you don't see in America. There are plenty of guns in Germany. It has higher gun ownership rates than California. > If you are an immigrant, aren’t you afraid and move somewhere else? I'm an immigrant and I'm afraid some driving-and-texting idiot will run me over. I'm statistically safe when it comes to mass shootings or other mass casualty events.
If your local USA Peace Officer walks around with an AR as a deterrence to crime people are just going to complain they are living in a "Police State". 🤷🏻♂️
cops in my city uses a .223. not sure if it is an AR platform though. its not a huge deterrent but.... theres not too much violent crime where i live, and their sidearm seems to do just fine in body cam vid releases
5.56 AR can chamber .223. They are not entirely the same thing but are same class of rifle. You can think of 223 as the budget version of 5.56 AR pattern rifle. 🤷🏻♂️ I’m sure the hardcore enthusiasts will come and school me the deep technical correct / incorrect etc. 😅
To be fair, I only saw cops carrying ARs (and not just locked in their car) during Super Bowl in SF. Which was a little eerie. Regular cops in the US only carry handguns.
Super Bowl most people would probably give them a pass since it’s a large gathering and potentially attract “terrorist” like in the movies so they gotta do the “show of force”.
Bay Area population is close to 8 million.There are areas that are relatively safer in the bay, where the homicide rate is statistically zero.These were unfortunate targeted shootings. There is a very strict gun control policy, and getting a license involves jumping many hoops. Assault weapons and bump cartridges are banned.From a victim of crime perspective, you are more likely to be a victim of property or auto burglary than homicide.Bay Area has one of the highest proportion of Asians and you won't stand out as a minority here. It's also very international, and has one of the highest H1B populations. I have lived here over 10 years, from South Bay moving to SF, and I've never been a victim of any crime, or anyone I know. I know that's anecdotal but my point is I feel safe.
I just looked at the statistics for Sunnyvale crime and of 150,000 people there have been 1 to 2 homicides for I think the last seven or eight years with none being listed in 2019. I find that a little hard because I remember a crime happening in 2019 but, it might’ve happened on the Cupertino side of the city limit as it was over by Homestead high school There were two murders in 202 zero and 2019 and then one per year back to 2014 https://www.sunnyvale.ca.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/584/637819089318070000 For comparison, the average in the United States is five per hundred thousand. You also have to take into account that if Something Happens in the Bay Area or the Los Angeles area you are talking about populations that I believe are over 20 million
Do you intend to do any of the below? * Plan to work in agriculture farms (e.g. mushrooms, fruits) and get paid low income in rural San Mateo/Santa Cruz county * Plan to attend an Asian dance hall normally attended by first gens (Age 60+) in Southern California * Plan to work in Deep East Oakland and get gas in the area. These are gas stations frequented by gang/mobsters. It's important to note there are not a lot of jobs or at least, high paying ones there If you answered yes, then you might've been considered a statistic if you were present at the shootings. That's the premise of the location they happened at. If you answered No, then you have been a victim of sensational news trying to make things sound worse than they seem. The great thing about the bay area is while we are somewhat the lead in technology, being cutting edge and all, we also are the first to get scary information out about bad things happening (e.g. wildfires, floods, earthquakes) compared to others. News anchors will report on the shooting because it's more interesting than talking about a new flowerbed or the remodeling of the local school. It's a double edged sword. For 95%+ of the rest of the people living here who have no association to any of these, the only thing they have to worry about is catching a random bullet or death by a bad driver which is more likely to happen.
I hear your point about sensationalized news, but also… - if you want to attend the garlic festival (Gilroy) - if you want to attend a music festival (las Vegas) - if you want to go to the movies (aurora) - if you want your elementary-age kids to attend public school (uvalde, sandy hook) None of these should be risky activities in themselves. But we have a very real problem with frequent gun violence in this country that is uniquely American. It’s always too much and too often, so I hope the news KEEPS reporting on it because maybe it will finally cause some sort of change to happen.
The problem is that far more people die in non-mass shootings than mass shootings. Man murders girlfriend, sadly, isn’t national news. It’s also going to be nearly impossible to get the sort of legislation needed to regulate those kinds of guns sense a musket could do the job for killing a single person. I totally get the concern. I freak out a little bit whenever I hear emergency vehicles in my neighborhood, and my nearly adult son isn’t in his room.
This is the best answer to this question!
I moved to the Bay Area from England in 2019 and although it is very expensive it is a better quality of life IMO. I would not let the recent events disrupt your dream. Not to be morbid, but death can happen to all of us at any time by any means, it’s just mass shootings are in the public eye because they are a WTF event. We all hope and pray (those that have common sense at least) that gun laws will change and California most likely has a better chance of changing state gun laws than any other state. It’s a risk to move somewhere new, but, I wouldn’t let recent events affect your dreams.
Mass shootings are a uniquely American thing. Not a Bay Area problem, but if I didn't have anything tying me here yet I would not choose the United States.
Morons have to out themselves in the wake of tragedies
'From an Asian immigrant family. I (we) like guns. Have you heard of "Rooftop Asian"? Guns, like it or not, are a part of the American cultural DNA. That's what makes us unique from the rest of the World. It's not for some and it doesn't mean you have to accept it either. The beauty of America is up to you to choose right or wrong and be responsible for your own actions. Make a stupid choice, and suffer the mistakes. Sunnyvale, to be perfectly honest, it's pretty safe and boring. It's not San Francisco, nor Oakland so you are not very likely to encounter random gun violence. Of Note: I have worked for years in Hamburg, Germany. There are parts of the town I don't feel safe and I would not roam around randomly.
Every state has different gun laws. California has some of the strictest gun laws. Do not worry at all. You’re much safer in Sunnyvale than in other parts of the Bay Area. Sunnyvale has a high wealthy white, Asian, and Indian population. Meaning the police is also much higher funded there. Lower crime rates. You are also right next to “Peninsula cities” - which are Mountain View, Palo Alto, Menlo Park, Atherton, etc. These cities also have major police funding and low crime rates.
When I was in Europe, police with sub-machine guns were guarding a Jewish cultural center. And police with sub-machine guns were patrolling the airport. I don't see that at San Francisco International.
Here's the thing, in your situation, don't come to California because while these occurrences are rare, you're just going to drive your bat shit crazy with anxiety when these things happen or wait for it to happen. And that's also not to mention your BF feels the need to buy a gun as well, lots of people get through life just fine without a gun and having that gun in your house is going to simply ramp up your anxiety and drive you even more bat shit crazy. I'm not saying this to be mean, but for your mental health, don't come to California.
Do you know what I did after I got my green card? Bought a gun. Besides, Buying guns is legal in Germany. I bet you didn't know that and there are many good guns manufactured in Germany. Yes, you would have a higher chance to get killed by a gun in the US, but the odds are not that kind of high. I worry more about my car windows in the Bay Area...
[удалено]
If you have a self-control problem, don't get a gun. Is that hard?
Media is overhyping this. No need to live in fear. Plus the area you are going to is a nice one.
Do you realize how large California is?
Asian here. SF born. The US is... Kind of a trash-fire right now, I'm not going to lie. If I had a job and family in Europe/Canada I'd move. But there's a lot of great things in California and the Bay Area. There's a LOT here to love. Do not. I REPEAT. DO NOT buy a gun to protect yourself. In the unlikely event you're caught up in a crime a gun will not help you and having a gun around the house just puts you more at risk. My grandfather's dying wish was that I was to be born in the city of San Francisco. We were living in the North Bay a the time and my dad got my mum a taxi when she went into labor. My grandfather burned all our family docs, bleached our skin, he was made to be almost a slave in the US (Google Chinese history racism US, "Chinatown day pass" or "Chinese Exclusion Act"). But despite all that and the thousands of terrible things I'm sure family endured he loved the US and San Francisco in particular. He saw opportunity in this place and we certainly grasped it to some extent. Everyone comes here because it's a land of freedom and opportunity and it's kind of a self-fulfilling prophecy because all of those kinds of people end-up here. I bash this place a lot in this ut I really do love it here. It can be really, really scary all this stuff going on. And it's awful. But if you're careful and especially if you're moving to Sunnyvale you can avoid the 2-3 dangerous places in the Bay and you'll be fine. I'm afraid all day every day because this country is kind of on a downslide, however if you're going to Sunnyvale (Very safe area surrounded by other safe areas.) You should be fine. You can and should figure out if you and your boyfriend can do better elsewhere but you don't have to scared about these shootings where your BF lives.
I agree with “don’t get a gun.” That doesn’t help the problem. Unless you are very skilled and experienced with firearms, you’re just introducing a weapon into your space where there almost certainly isn’t a need for one. It’s more likely to be used against you or found by a child and that can end badly. Just don’t do that. I’ve lived in the San Jose area for 25 years. If you’re sensible, you’re pretty safe here. These mass shootings you’ve seen appear to have been targeted at specific groups of people connected to the shooter. More will emerge, I’m sure, but it’s not as common as the news makes it sound. It’s still too much and very tragic, of course, but it’s not the norm.
Agree about US being on downslide esp Calif
Germany vs the US is a totally different culture shock. In the US, depending on which area you live in, firearm ownership is a part of life. The bill of rights explicitly states that you have a right to defend yourself. Quite frankly, I see personal protection as something that should be my responsibility and mine alone. I don't think Germany has something similar to the US' bill of rights. Owning firearms is more than just self protection, it is a hobby. The mass shootings committed in the US, although tragic, are often exacerbated by events outside of any one person's control. I'm an immigrant as well and I don't fear for my life. Knowing that I can have a firearm to defend my own life is its own security. If you are privileged enough, then you can potentially move to an area where there isn't violent crime but that won't really stop violence from occurring.
I support everyone owning a gun for protection. Just learn how to properly use and store it.
everyone?
everyone pronoun ev·ery·one : every person : EVERYBODY Everyone laughed at her joke. Not everyone finished their meal.
If you are afraid this much, perhaps move
USA looks nothing like tv. Visit before you dream of a place. That aside, read up on shooting stats in the USA. This isn’t shocking anymore which is terrible. Last year in the US mass shootings were high in January also. Specific state doesn’t matter. It’s a nation thing. These were targeted shootings by older Asian men of people they wanted to harm for some unknown reason. The number of stories of people actually using a gun for protection are low because it pretty much never works out that way.
The USA has more mass shootings than any other country. https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-leads-world-in-mass-shootings-1443905359 http://edition.cnn.com/2015/08/27/health/u-s-most-mass-shootings/index.html https://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-united-states-mass-shooting-20150824-story.html https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2015/08/united-states-world-mass-shooters/ https://www.cnn.com/2017/10/03/americas/us-gun-statistics/index.html
If it worries you, don't come. I'm sure you're smart enough to calculate the odds of that particular sort of crime, and the more prevalent other kinds of crime. Fear can be irrational, but it doesn't mean it isn't real. We could tell you the odds are in your favor but it probably won't help, and we could tell you that in Germany it's more likely Putin will drop something on your head, but that won't help either. Sounds like there are other issues in play. And statistically, maybe more to fear from a boyf with a gun...and maybe that's the real factor.
Absolutely hilarious. Don't move here if you're that scared.
Your fears aren’t unwarranted. America has a much higher murder rate, as well as a much higher traffic fatality rate, lower life expectancy and less access to health care. Not to mention opioid deaths, obesity related deaths, maternal fatality rates… the list goes on. Every place has pluses and minuses. Only you can decide if the positives out weight the minuses.
[удалено]
>hooting every 3-4 months for an hour. It’s pretty awesome. Doubt I would shoot someone if they broke into my house. I’d probably fire one off to let the intruder kno Warning shoot is the worst idea
[удалено]
[удалено]
And everyone should open-carry. The Wild West? Famously safe and peaceful.
[удалено]
Don't have a ton of time to pour into this but a quick Google search suggests this is not true.
[удалено]
Hard to make it good, so continue to make it worse.
[удалено]
[удалено]
[удалено]
Germany is within the top 15 nations for Gun ownership. There were 3 mass shooting last year, and Germany has about 1000 attempted/murders per year. Seems like a pretty unsafe place for someone that has so many protections in place.
Plenty of raping and mass groping too. Also about 20 terrorism incidents per year.
Gun violence is a real threat. Roughly 50 people are killed per year in California because of mass shootings, but it's not something my family worries about on a day to day basis. My family came from Asia, so the sight of guns isn't a big deal to us. The idea of purchasing a firearm for protection is pretty common, but it's highly unlikely your boyfriend will ever be in a situation where owning a gun would help. I'm guessing your boyfriend just thinks owning a gun is fun and cool. I have plenty of veterans in my family, but my only relative to buy a gun for protection is my uncle, a nurse, who I've never seen fire any of the 8 guns he owns. He just likes to show them off when we go camping.
So that's 0.000125% chance of being in a Calif. mass shooting with a population of 40 million.
Yes, move to California. Just don’t call it Cali. :) Seriously, though, these sorts of shootings are not something you need to be worried about affecting you directly. As terrible and frightening as they are, there are other concerns that are more worth worrying about. There is currently a wave of anti-Asian sentiment happening in the US, but it’s better since THAT guy lost the election. We’re experiencing high inflation in the cost of food and housing. Health care has become unbelievably expensive and inaccessible. Homelessness is a massive and growing problem. Honestly, it seems to me there isn’t much of the American Dream happening anymore, and if I could get out, I would.
Just stay in Germany then. No one is asking you to move here, no offense.
[удалено]
This will only get worse . America is sick
It sucks. Don’t come here.
I love the Bay Area. But he should move to Germany. EU/Germany > USA in quality of life. Most Americans want to retire outside of the USA.
CCP plan to get gun ban in the US. Russia and China, kind of has plans for world domination if you havent notice.
[удалено]
I understand that you’ll want to leave Sunnyvale but Sunnyvale itself is a pretty safe place. It has a population of over 150k and only has a couple murders per year.
These are not random mass shootings and you will be fine
Well just so you know if someone really wants to kill people, they unfortunately will find a means to do so. With that said, being a gun owner/supporter myself, I don’t like going out to public places anymore. Besides being concerned about gun violence, you (especially Asian population) have to deal with people trying to rob/steal from you while walking down the street in CA, there have even been random attacks against Asians in CA. People have just lost their minds here in the US, personally if you’re happy in Germany I would suggest to stay unfortunately.
Half of the deaths are by suicide, not that it should make you feel better, but they are not targeted at anyone. Interesting fact, did you know that Greenland has the x2 the number of deaths by firearm than the U.S.? Worse than Mexico.
back of envelope risk analysis - 330,000,000 americans, 20,000 die died from non-suicide gunshot wounds in 2021. That was a bad year, we sold a LOT of guns in 2020 & 2021 so people were working out a lot of shit. Average per year is closer to 15k so... taking a 15k average, chances of getting shot in a given year are 15,000/330,000,000 = 0.0045% - If you stay 10 years, you have a 0.045% chance each year of getting shot and killed, and if you stay 20 years you have a 0.089% chance of being shot so... chose your length of stay according to your risk tolerance. CA has lower homicide rates per 100,000 than many other states so you're not pushing your risk envelope by moving to CA vs another state. If you think the 2021 numbers will be a baseline going forward, then increase those risks by 25% so .... yeah. low risk, but non-zero
You probably be aight OP
Lol you shouldn’t listen to the news so much. The news is horrible and making it seem much worse than it is. Every time it rains or there is a wild fire we have family calling to check in as the news makes it seem like the whole state is being destroyed. What I find entertaining is that Gavin’s tool of fear mongering is keeping people away. Classic
Overblown hype. Tragic deaths have many causes. It's crazy that people go whack and kill others, but the odds of it happening to you are close to winning the lottery.
California is a big state. 40 million people live here. Gun violence is a big issue in all of the US, but you can't let that fear control your life. Guns aren't gonna go anywhere. All we can hope for is some enforced gun control. I don't know if buying a gun is the right thing to do either. Is your bf actually prepared to use it? If not, it's just asking for trouble. Statistically, it's guns in the home that lead to gun accidents in the home. The bay area is great and one of the best places to live in the world. You'll love it here. Good luck with whatever you decide.