Americans and their guns

[mightytiges]

Another massacre and this time 20 primary school kids were gunned down  . When will the Yanks ever learn it ain't 1776 anymore, abolish their 2nd amendment and get some strict gun laws!

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/world/feared-dead-in-school-shooting/story-fnd134gw-1226537283734

[Crazy_Ivan]

So sad what happened in the States once again,But no Govt would have the balls to change their constitutional right to bare arms.

[WilliamPowell]

Obama says it is "So sad" but he like all those before him hasn't got the guts to change things

But the really sad part is that it would seem the majority of Americans believe the only way to stop this sort of carnage is not changing to strict gun laws but to just arm every single citizen and train them to shot and ask question later 

[dwaino]

If the US government ever tried disarming the citizens, the paranoid rednecks would put up one hell of a fight. A 'nation' that is nothing more than than a union of mercenary states is always doomed to imploding.

[Coach]

Horrible. So close to Christmas as well.

[Mr Magic]

Horrible. So close to Christmas as well.

Indeed. Can't begin to imagine how those parents will be feeling.

[Bengal]

i think there's a lot more to their problems than just banning semi autos..  They have serious class differences in the USA and we're following in the same fashion..  We should learn from their woeful social and economic decisions..    and  it doesnt happen here more often

[tiga]

So sad what happened in the States once again,But no Govt would have the balls to change their constitutional right to bare arms.

Or their right to arm Bears...  Americans are clueless when it comes to taking decisive action on stopping gun violence. They are a paranoid lot that's for sure.

In all seriousness, this incident cut me to the core as both my kids are in the same age group as these poor kids who's lives were so tragically cut short. As a parent, to get a call from the school telling you that your children have been killed would be the end of the world for me. May they all rest in peace and may their parents over time learn to cope with their tragic losses.

[Penelope]

Every time something like this happens we get the same outcry about guns.
You could ban the guns but the deepset problems in our society that lead to these horrific incidents would still remain.

The question that hardly anybody asks is why? What has changed from 50 years ago that makes this poo happen?

Guns may the tool used, but they are not the cause. As with any problem, the only way to solve it is to discover the root cause and address that

[Francois Jackson]

i agree Al but the simple fact is with stricter gun laws it would be extremely difficult for someone to come and kill 20 people, once, twice 3 times as has happened recently. People will harp on it each time something happens because well nothing ever gets done. I have a feeling this time its different. Could be wrong, but cant remember a mass shooting where so many kids were killed.

The kid had issues, yes, but so do a lot of people and with caring can be steered the right way. Its a shame his mother can no longer defend how she raised an absolute monster. Perhaps some blame needs to be squared at her

[Gigantor]

I dont understand why a a community would want to own guns unless they are farmers or sporting shooters.We have a police force and army to protect us from all criminal activity that should suffice.And a justice system to render punishment where appropriate

[Crazy_Ivan]

Stricter gun laws won,t solve the problem.Yesterdays killer got access to guns via his Mother whom he killed.Apparently he had mental issues and if such retrictions were brought in,he would be excluded from owning a gun but he still was able to obtain a gun via someone else{The Black market would thrive}.I agree with Al.The weapon is not the issue,but the one holding it is.

[Gigantor]

I would hazard a guess that just about everyone who has shot and killed someone other than during the call of duty(war,law enforcement) has had a mental issue

[Penelope]

i agree Al but the simple fact is with stricter gun laws it would be extremely difficult for someone to come and kill 20 people, once, twice 3 times as has happened recently. People will harp on it each time something happens because well nothing ever gets done. I have a feeling this time its different. Could be wrong, but cant remember a mass shooting where so many kids were killed.

The kid had issues, yes, but so do a lot of people and with caring can be steered the right way. Its a shame his mother can no longer defend how she raised an absolute monster. Perhaps some blame needs to be squared at her

actually daniel, your simple fact isn't really a fact.

some fertiliser, diesel and nails will create total carnage, all easily obtained.
google how to make a bomb. there are numerous ways to do so with easily obtained ingreadients

sooner or later someone's silicon chip inside their head will be switched to overload and this will be their MO.

once its happened once, then watch the copycat slaughters follow.

[Bengal]

Its an interesting debate because the media, as was Howard after the Port Arthur tragedy, are promoting how well Australia has done controlling violence by the gun reform.  What they dont say is most of the violent crime Australia had prior to the gun reform was mostly suicide.  These are included in the violent crime figures and inflate the real stats around violent crime with guns..  We've had 3 major incidents

1, Queen st massacre
2, Hoddle st massacre
3 port Arthur massacre

Julian knight was a Rambo, was into guns and had a gun license..

Hoddle st and Queen st were in the same year ( 1 was a copycat after sensationalist media coverage and also had a license) and the next was 10 years later,  and remember the guy in Port Arthur was sold guns without being asked for his license, which he didnt have...  Its not in our social make up here in Australia to worship guns as it is in the USA.. 

What also happened in the 80's was mental health reform in Australia.  Institutions were dismantled and more effort was put into helping people with mental health issues instead of just locking them up and doping them up..  We became better at recognising mental illness in people and helping them. 

What gun control has done here i believe is lower gun thefts because not as many people have them anymore and the ones that do, have them locked up.  But it has also dropped the rates of suicide by guns..

Although suicide rates and homicide rates have remained steady over the past few decades.. they're just not by guns anymore but by other means

So in my conclusion i would say if gun control happened prior to the massacres here it wouldnt have prevented what happened, nor will it stop it happening in the USA.. 

If there is more effort put into Social reform as it was here at the same time then we may see some inroads into their issues but until then there are far to many guns in homes in the USA and its a long road they need to walk before they see the last of these massacres..  Which i dont think will ever happen.

i should add that i dont like guns and dont believe we need them in our homes.  Although there is a need for some, such as farmers to have them when needed