Least we forget... The British psyche can be equally unfathomable.
Dunblane school massacre - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Hungerford massacre - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Cumbria shootings - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Murder of the Innocents.
- Thread starter neptune
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Dunblane school massacre - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Hungerford massacre - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Cumbria shootings - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
We did ban all handgun ownership after Dunblane whether America adopt any gun controls is very unlikely
Or did we ?
Bans and laws only apply to the law abiding, and with two of the quoted cases (if not 3) the horrible acts could of been avoided if certain officers had followed the guidance relating to firearm licensing....
But at the end of the day no matter the circumstances before the event, the murdering swine did what they did, may they rot in hell
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Yes, and to make a valid comparison with the size of the USA, we need to divide their mass shooting incidents by five. The result would I'm sure make us much less complacent about our supposed superiority in these matters.
The "right to bear arms" in their constitution,
when was that formulated ? In the times of flintlock, muskets, muzzle loaders, swords ?
If their laws were restricted to ancient arms perhaps it would make sense.
However, "arms" in the modern world has quite a different meaning.
A nuclear weapon can now be made about 6inches diameter by about 2foot long, does that qualify for bearing of an arm ? !
We know what the answer is, we have told them time and time again after many tragedies like this, do they listen ?
No they dont, so why should we have our news channels hijacked time after time by all this hand-wringing about which we can do nothing ?
when was that formulated ? In the times of flintlock, muskets, muzzle loaders, swords ?
If their laws were restricted to ancient arms perhaps it would make sense.
However, "arms" in the modern world has quite a different meaning.
A nuclear weapon can now be made about 6inches diameter by about 2foot long, does that qualify for bearing of an arm ? !
We know what the answer is, we have told them time and time again after many tragedies like this, do they listen ?
No they dont, so why should we have our news channels hijacked time after time by all this hand-wringing about which we can do nothing ?
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FWIW, I dug out some statistics (yes, I know, lies, damned lies etc) a while ago. Here's a league table of homicides from firearms per 100,000 population for the past year:
South Africa 74.57
Colombia 51.77
Mexico 3.66
United States of America 3.60
Costa Rica 3.05
Portugal 0.85
Sweden 0.61
Canada 0.41
Germany 0.33
Australia 0.31
Austria 0.30
Ireland 0.26
Denmark 0.25
Spain 0.21
Switzerland 0.09
United Kingdom 0.02
Luxembourg 0.00
Also worth noting that one of the lowest incidence countries in that list, Switzerland, has a population that is armed to the teeth, with fully automatic weapons in a very large number of households.
The bottom line is that the USA may seem superficially civilised, but in reality it is as lawless and dangerous as some third world countries. Guns aren't really the issue, it's a cultural one where Americans value human life less than many other countries and seemingly accept violence as part of their culture.
They copied the "right to bear arms" from our old Bill of Rights from 1689, I believe. The difference is we rescinded this right in a series of acts starting in Victorian times and ending in the handgun ban following Dunblane.
When Florida brought in their concealed weapon legislation one of the first people shot was a cyclist.
A woman driving an SUV had been frightened the way he had cut her up ~ so she shot him, and got off.
A woman driving an SUV had been frightened the way he had cut her up ~ so she shot him, and got off.
A further arguement is that the right is a collective one for the 'People' in a 'Well regulated Militia'
(ie they did not trust the King and his army) not a personal right at all.
(ie they did not trust the King and his army) not a personal right at all.
I was sitting in a hotel bar in Wuxi,China. An American guy watching the Afghan war on the TV,he had a few beers but not drunk was arguing with a colleague about the best weapon to blow Taliban heads off these mother ........ He was making the bar aware that he was a purple heart medal holder from the Gulf War and had an arsenal of assault weapons at his disposal back home,I did believe him.
He appeared so aggressive towards any disagreement of his methods that the bar emptied as we all felt uncomfortable in his company-if this guy's attitudes are widespread in the US and clearly war had mentally scarred him, I am surprised massacres are not more common. I am not a wimp and well travelled but his attitudes concerned me. He was a white guy but clearly racist.
After the massacre in Port Arthur,Australia in 1996 the Aussie government bought back all multi shot rifles and since then I don't think there has been a major death event.
The young guy who shot these young children clearly had some mental or personality problem but I blame the American Gun Lobby who are,if anything are more guilty than this guy,for allowing assault rifles to be so freely available.
Dave
Kudoscycles
He appeared so aggressive towards any disagreement of his methods that the bar emptied as we all felt uncomfortable in his company-if this guy's attitudes are widespread in the US and clearly war had mentally scarred him, I am surprised massacres are not more common. I am not a wimp and well travelled but his attitudes concerned me. He was a white guy but clearly racist.
After the massacre in Port Arthur,Australia in 1996 the Aussie government bought back all multi shot rifles and since then I don't think there has been a major death event.
The young guy who shot these young children clearly had some mental or personality problem but I blame the American Gun Lobby who are,if anything are more guilty than this guy,for allowing assault rifles to be so freely available.
Dave
Kudoscycles
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It is reported by Sky News today that gun sales increased by 43% after the theatre massacre in Colorado.Also, some of the parents of the children murdered in the Connecticut massacre are already making enquiries about buying guns. It is interesting to note that the weapons used in this massacre belonged to the mother of the perpetrator. She was apparently of the "survivalist" mentality. Sadly, in the final analysis, this failed to ensure her survival.
His main arms were two pistols though, clearly any access to any firearm can lead to many deaths of innocent people, even our British licenced shotguns.
I think it's more a matter of national culture. The American have notoriously been gun happy, some other nationalities have a history of aggressive knife usage.
Nope from BBC report
He was carrying an assault rifle, which police say was the main weapon used during the shooting, as well as two handguns loaded with high-capacity magazines
BBC News - Connecticut shooting: How it happened
Will admit the handguns would sadly of been just as effective.
Paranoia breeds Paranoia, a very dangerous state to be in. I wonder if you can diagnose a Nation for mental Illness, If so, I wonder what the diagnosis would be for America ?
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My sister did 55 years ago! A multi-skilled nurse, she wanted to have a spell of mental nursing to enlarge her range of experience and decided where better than a spell in the land of the nut case, the USA. However, once there she eventually met the man who was to become her husband and she's lived there ever since, with just one return visit. At first in New York, they soon moved out to a rural area of Pennsylvania, Delaware Water Gap.
Highlights how there's both good and bad everywhere.
A state trooper stopped a 95 year old woman on Interstate 20 and noticed as he was checking her drivers license, that she had a concealed carry permit. He said, "Got any guns with you ma'am?" She said yes, "A 45 Smith & Wesson in the glove compartment, a 357 magnum in the console and a 38 special in my purse" The trooper said, "LADY what are you scared of?" She said.... , "NOT A DAMN THING!"
Indalo
Indalo
I live in Cambodia and I have read that the nation suffers from PTSD following the horrors of the 70s. The sad thing is that the condition seems to be transmitted to the next generation.
I can't help feeling that President Obama is being rather hypocritical about guns given that during his first term, gun ownership in the US actually accelerated. Did you know that:
1) US citizens now own 5 times more guns than the combined armies of NATO?
2) 44% of all gun purchases in the US are now what the FBI comically calls 'long guns' (most of them army-style assault rifles to you and me).
3) More than one million Americans have died from gunshots in the US since JFK was assassinated in 1963? (Only 405,000 Americans were killed in World War 2).
4) It's easier to buy an assault rifle in the USA than get mental health treatment? (This may explain (1), (2) and (3) above.
If American citizens wish to 'bear arms' let them buy as many guns as they want: just make it completely illegal to buy, sell, own or make ammunition.
1) US citizens now own 5 times more guns than the combined armies of NATO?
2) 44% of all gun purchases in the US are now what the FBI comically calls 'long guns' (most of them army-style assault rifles to you and me).
3) More than one million Americans have died from gunshots in the US since JFK was assassinated in 1963? (Only 405,000 Americans were killed in World War 2).
4) It's easier to buy an assault rifle in the USA than get mental health treatment? (This may explain (1), (2) and (3) above.
If American citizens wish to 'bear arms' let them buy as many guns as they want: just make it completely illegal to buy, sell, own or make ammunition.