Yet again the USA is in the press for a shooting in a school

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2248197/Shooting-Sandy-Hook-elementary-school.html

This is not the first this year , and probably not the last

In the uk ,i don't think we have had an incident like this this dunblane , and guns of all types are illegal in the uk , and have been after that shooting ... Took a while to get all the guns away , but uk is pretty much gun free , and even if you are just got with one here in the uk , it's 10 years min

Should the USA now look to ban all gun ownership ?

There could be a million people in the USA shot up in schools and there STILL would be NOTHING done about controlling guns. The right wingers see the downsides as the price of their so called freedom.

There could be a million people in the USA shot up in schools and there STILL would be NOTHING done about controlling guns. The right wingers see the downsides as the price of their so called freedom.

This could be the final straw , a lot of international press , people on on fb saying ban guns in the USA

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2248302/Sandy-Hook-elementary-shooting-Will-latest-massacre-finally-prompt-tightening-gun-laws-like-Dunblane.html

There could be a million people in the USA shot up in schools and there STILL would be NOTHING done about controlling guns. The right wingers see the downsides as the price of their so called freedom.

This could be the final straw , a lot of international press , people on on fb saying ban guns in the USA

http://www.dailymail...e-Dunblane.html

International Press and Facebook Force US to Change Constitution! That won't be a headline anywhere except maybe The Onion.

There could be a million people in the USA shot up in schools and there STILL would be NOTHING done about controlling guns. The right wingers see the downsides as the price of their so called freedom.

In every country where left wingers have taken complete control they have disarmed the population - then murdered them by the millions. I'd rather keep the 2nd Amendment and lock up the crazies and criminals and throw away the keys...but the left wing believes that would be violating their rights. The left wing ALWAYS sides with the criminals over the victims.

There could be a million people in the USA shot up in schools and there STILL would be NOTHING done about controlling guns. The right wingers see the downsides as the price of their so called freedom.

In every country where left wingers have taken complete control they have disarmed the population - then murdered them by the millions. I'd rather keep the 2nd Amendment and lock up the crazies and criminals and throw away the keys...but the left wing believes that would be violating their rights. The left wing ALWAYS sides with the criminals over the victims.

And there rests the case as to why this thread should have a Sticky, as long as there are attitudes like that we will be seeing atrocities like last night.

There could be a million people in the USA shot up in schools and there STILL would be NOTHING done about controlling guns. The right wingers see the downsides as the price of their so called freedom.

In every country where left wingers have taken complete control they have disarmed the population - then murdered them by the millions.

Could you name a few examples of where this has happened...thank you.

It will not happen. There are too many people who are pro-gun. (Me included.) It's something you grow up with and is a part of your life. They do also have legitimate purposes too, you know.

I have never owned a gun, but used them in the Marines. I understand both sides of the issue, but as there are so many guns in the US already (and most people will not turn them in) I have no clue what to do about this problem.

I have never owned a gun, but used them in the Marines. I understand both sides of the issue, but as there are so many guns in the US already (and most people will not turn them in) I have no clue what to do about this problem.

Simple.

Let folk bear as many arms as they like but prohibit the sale of ammunition.

Any country has come to a pretty poor pass when schools are a danger zone.

It's simple: if you want crazies to continue murdering your children, keep the gun laws as they are. If your child was one of the victims, would you still support the current laws?

The real underlying problem isn't that the guy had access to guns, it is that he felt so angry, disconnected from society and reality that to him it was a good idea for whatever sick, crazy reason to randomly kill anyone, let alone many children. Some psychiatrists say that publicizing events like this non-stop on TV just makes the matter worse, it shows other prospective nuts that this is a way to show the world, to show the people you feel slighted by whatever it is their sick mind wants to show them. Did guns make it easier? Probably, yes. Without guns we don't know how he might have vented his crazy anger. Maybe bomb the school or start a fire? Certainly more violent than making angry posts on an Internet forum. But I can guarantee that guns had nothing to do with turning him crazy in the first place.

The real underlying problem isn't that the guy had access to guns, it is that he felt so angry, disconnected from society and reality that to him it was a good idea for whatever sick, crazy reason to randomly kill anyone, let alone many children. Some psychiatrists say that publicizing events like this non-stop on TV just makes the matter worse, it shows other prospective nuts that this is a way to show the world, to show the people you feel slighted by whatever it is their sick mind wants to show them. Did guns make it easier? Probably, yes. Without guns we don't know how he might have vented his crazy anger. Maybe bomb the school or start a fire? Certainly more violent than making angry posts on an Internet forum. But I can guarantee that guns had nothing to do with turning him crazy in the first place.

Try this for size, gun law supporters.

There have been a number of attacks on schools in China recently with as many casualties as the US cases. In the US, the crazies use guns, and many kids get killed. In China they can't get the guns so easily, so they use knives. The result is that few kids are killed. If the crazy uses a knife, he has to get to close quarters and think where to stab.... and by that time they're really not thinking. Also, if they come to close quarters, there's more chance of grappling with them and subduing them.

There are currently three threads running on the school shooting in Connecticut and not once have I see the words "Norway" or "Anders Breivik".

How quickly Europeans and Aussies forget.

if you want crazies to continue murdering your children, keep the gun laws as they are. If your child was one of the victims, would you still support the current laws?

The current gun laws. Actually, the problem isn't the current gun laws. The problem is that the gun laws in existence weren't enforced. The latest shooting in Connecticut, the shooter was 20 years old (too young to legally purchase a handgun) and also had a history of mental instability. He took the guns from his mother who he also shot. He should not have had a gun under the current gun laws.

The Virginia Tech shooter also was mentally instable and had been seeking psychiatric help. Due to patient confidentiality, the doctors could not report it to authorities so they could deny him purchase of a gun. Under current gun laws his mental health should have excluded him from gun ownership.

In Columbine, both shooters were underage to own a handgun. Yet, they stole it from their parents. Under current law, they should not have had guns.

So how about instead of banning all guns, we first try just enforcing the laws that we have?

Yet again the USA is in the press for a shooting in a school

http://www.dailymail...ary-school.html

This is not the first this year , and probably not the last

In the uk ,i don't think we have had an incident like this since dunblane , and guns of all types are illegal in the uk , and have been after that shooting ... Took a while to get all the guns away , but uk is pretty much gun free , and even if you are just got with one here in the uk , it's 10 years min

Should the USA now look to ban all gun ownership ?

I strongly disagree that UK is gun-free.

Maybe the average citizen does not possess a gun, but there are many drug gangsters, especially in London and Manchester, who carry and use automatic weapons, let alone pistols and the like. And Northern Ireland is certainly not weapons free, thanks to their supporters across the pond.

There could be a million people in the USA shot up in schools and there STILL would be NOTHING done about controlling guns. The right wingers see the downsides as the price of their so called freedom.

In every country where left wingers have taken complete control they have disarmed the population - then murdered them by the millions. I'd rather keep the 2nd Amendment and lock up the crazies and criminals and throw away the keys...but the left wing believes that would be violating their rights. The left wing ALWAYS sides with the criminals over the victims.

Getting rid of the 2nd makes getting rid of the 1st so much easier.

The real underlying problem isn't that the guy had access to guns, it is that he felt so angry, disconnected from society and reality that to him it was a good idea for whatever sick, crazy reason to randomly kill anyone, let alone many children. Some psychiatrists say that publicizing events like this non-stop on TV just makes the matter worse, it shows other prospective nuts that this is a way to show the world, to show the people you feel slighted by whatever it is their sick mind wants to show them. Did guns make it easier? Probably, yes. Without guns we don't know how he might have vented his crazy anger. Maybe bomb the school or start a fire? Certainly more violent than making angry posts on an Internet forum. But I can guarantee that guns had nothing to do with turning him crazy in the first place.

Try this for size, gun law supporters.

There have been a number of attacks on schools in China recently with as many casualties as the US cases. In the US, the crazies use guns, and many kids get killed. In China they can't get the guns so easily, so they use knives. The result is that few kids are killed. If the crazy uses a knife, he has to get to close quarters and think where to stab.... and by that time they're really not thinking. Also, if they come to close quarters, there's more chance of grappling with them and subduing them.

So the problem is crazy people who attack small children. Let's focus on stopping that.

The real underlying problem isn't that the guy had access to guns, it is that he felt so angry, disconnected from society and reality that to him it was a good idea for whatever sick, crazy reason to randomly kill anyone, let alone many children. Some psychiatrists say that publicizing events like this non-stop on TV just makes the matter worse, it shows other prospective nuts that this is a way to show the world, to show the people you feel slighted by whatever it is their sick mind wants to show them. Did guns make it easier? Probably, yes. Without guns we don't know how he might have vented his crazy anger. Maybe bomb the school or start a fire? Certainly more violent than making angry posts on an Internet forum. But I can guarantee that guns had nothing to do with turning him crazy in the first place.

Try this for size, gun law supporters.

There have been a number of attacks on schools in China recently with as many casualties as the US cases. In the US, the crazies use guns, and many kids get killed. In China they can't get the guns so easily, so they use knives. The result is that few kids are killed. If the crazy uses a knife, he has to get to close quarters and think where to stab.... and by that time they're really not thinking. Also, if they come to close quarters, there's more chance of grappling with them and subduing them.

So the problem is crazy people who attack small children. Let's focus on stopping that.

I agree, Koheesti, but stopping these crazies involves so many aspects of our society that I think it is frankly impossible to start at that end. It involves massive censorship, including censorship of the internet, far more provision of facilities for the care of the mentally disturbed, and so on.

You start with the things you can tackle, of which gun control is one. It doesn't help to say, "Oh, the kids were underage, and stole the guns from their parents". Parents are often careless about what they leave accessible to their children.... and how do you control parents? And at least I would rather have wounded children than dead children.

Last year 10,728 people were killed by handguns in the US. The figure for the UK was EIGHT.

Of course the problem is not restricted to the US, but it seems to be a dam_n sight worse there. Breivik was ONE incident (a very nasty one, but still just one); any more in Norway?

There could be a million people in the USA shot up in schools and there STILL would be NOTHING done about controlling guns. The right wingers see the downsides as the price of their so called freedom.

In every country where left wingers have taken complete control they have disarmed the population - then murdered them by the millions.

Could you name a few examples of where this has happened...thank you.

Koheesti

Any chance of some examples? Thanks.

Solutions to gun crime in the USA?

No easy ones that will just fall off a proverbial tree. But here are a few humble suggestions....

Treat guns like cigarettes. Admit they are a problem, crank up the prices of weapons and particularly ammunition via taxes, reinvest the revenue generated in public education programmes and weapon buy backs.

All handguns and semiautomatic weapons made illegal. Buyback programme instituted for these, expensive but worth the investment. All weapons have to be securely stored with ammunition kept separately, annual police checks of this and only hunting weapons allowed with a license.

40 years ago most adults smoked (and drink driving was not regarded as much of an issue) now it is regarded as somewhat weird. Perhaps the attitude re weapons might go the same way. Any decent society can change the way it does business if enough people regard current activities and attitudes as unacceptable.

Treat guns like cigarettes...........

All handguns and semiautomatic weapons made illegal................

40 years ago most adults smoked (and drink driving was not regarded as much of an issue) now it is regarded as somewhat weird. Perhaps the attitude re weapons might go the same way. Any decent society can change the way it does business if enough people regard current activities and attitudes as unacceptable.

The only problem with your suggestions,

I don't think anything in the Constitution states a citizens right to smoke "Shall Not Be Infringed"

If a change is wanted by American Citizens they will change the Constitution legally.

Until then it is there for all who swore to defend & uphold it when they took office to do just that.

Defend & Uphold It

Last year 10,728 people were killed by handguns in the US. The figure for the UK was EIGHT.

I think you'll find those stats are decades old according to the thread in World News.

There could be a million people in the USA shot up in schools and there STILL would be NOTHING done about controlling guns. The right wingers see the downsides as the price of their so called freedom.

In every country where left wingers have taken complete control they have disarmed the population - then murdered them by the millions.

Could you name a few examples of where this has happened...thank you.

Koheesti

Any chance of some examples? Thanks.

I thought that was a rhetorical question because it isn't a big secret. But here's a hint, check the past hundred years for large countries that have killed millions of their own citizens.

If someone kills another person while driving, the person is blamed.

If someone kills another person with a knife, the person is blamed.

If someone kills another person with a gun, the gun is blamed.

I thought that was a rhetorical question because it isn't a big secret. But here's a hint, check the past hundred years for large countries that have killed millions of their own citizens.

Gosh, past hundred years...

"Left wingers" take control, disarm population and murder millions of their fellow citizens...Russia, China are obvious candidates for the second half of your claim but "disarming" the victims to be?

If you want something really controversial try accounting for the indigenous population of the Western Hemisphere post the arrival of the Spanish et al. Most of those deaths were post disarmament of the indigenous population. Perhaps that explains today's gun fetish, a concern that the descendants of the victims might come back to avenge the removal of said population groups....

No

tightening gun laws in the U.S. is like a lukewarm fart in a hurricane. thieves don't care that theft is unlawful... murderers don't care that...

moreover, the number of existing guns in civilian hands has propelled the country beyond a point of no return, not to mention the constitutional right of a U.S. citizen to bear arms.

There are currently three threads running on the school shooting in Connecticut and not once have I see the words "Norway" or "Anders Breivik".

How quickly Europeans and Aussies forget.

As do the right conveniently ignore the hundreds of children killed accidentally with firearms in the US every year.

http://listosaur.com/miscellaneous/top-5-causes-of-accidental-death-in-the-united-states.html

A far better case for gun control could be made using these figures than hysteria over the occasional act of lunacy.

If someone kills another person while driving, the person is blamed.

If someone kills another person with a knife, the person is blamed.

If someone kills another person with a gun, the gun is blamed.

Catchy, Koheesti, but not true!

If you take away the vehicles, fewer people are killed in motor accidents.

If you take away the knives, fewer people are killed in knife incidents.

If you take away the guns, fewer people are killed in gun incidents.

Taking away vehicles or knives is really not practical; taking away guns is.

What do you want the guns for?

Hunting? No sympathy from me.

Self-defence? Is the US such a dangerous country?

Gun clubs? Keep the guns at the gun clubs, then.

The American Constitution is a 200+ year old document, written when the US was a frontier state. It can be amended.