27 Dead In USA Primary School Shooting.

[Raven]

They were talking to someone on the radio last night that had over 60guns why on earth do they need that many, can sort of understand a pistol for defence, a shotgun/rifle for hunting but why the hell does someone need automatic rifles or machine guns unless they are in the army?

Can't see it changing over there though, no matter what happens

[TANGODANCER]

They were talking to someone on the radio last night that had over 60guns why on earth do they need that many, can sort of understand a pistol for defence, a shotgun/rifle for hunting but why the hell does someone need automatic rifles or machine guns unless they are in the army?
Can't see it changing over there though, no matter what happens

Schwartzenager and Stallone type films have a lot to answer for. I'm not really joking.

[Beefheart]

I went to a shooting range in West Virginia when I was over there with a friend. We ended up asking the guy about the culture of guns over there, and why so many people seem to own them. It just seems it's hard wired into the way they think. 'We live rurally so it takes a long time for the police to get here', 'the criminals have guns so if they break into my house I need to have one too'. This guy had an assault rifle which he'd modified for 'home defence', and carried a .45 on him at all times with 3 clips of hollow point ammunition. He didn't seem the type to shoot up a school though, nice guy.

[americantrotter]

There are many reasons those that people give as to why they keep guns. Fear seems to be a truthful reason, but people are also very wary of curtailing of this right by government. In their eyes there are other ways to overt this tradgedy (yes including MORE guns) but there are few ways to feel safe in the knowledge you have the ability to defend yourself against a tyrannical government.

I was very anti-gun as a youth. However the true impediment I have realized as I have softened my stance with age is the slippery slope. If you could get hunters and responsible gun owners to believe that banning certain guns would not lead to an outright ban in the future. It's a shame, because there are many things legeslation could do that would be way short of banning guns altogether. But it's so politicized and as mentioned above a lot of people dont trust governement.

Truly horrific for those families involved on Friday.

[malcd1]

They were talking to someone on the radio last night that had over 60guns why on earth do they need that many, can sort of understand a pistol for defence, a shotgun/rifle for hunting but why the hell does someone need automatic rifles or machine guns unless they are in the army?

Can't see it changing over there though, no matter what happens

Here are a few newspaper articles of people shooting family members thinking they are intruders. This is what happens when you give people guns. On the other hand there are just as many links reporting intruders that have been shot in the process of burglary.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... ruder.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... ruder.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... rglar.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldne ... rglar.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldne ... rglar.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Beefheart]

Wouldn't it be more pertinent to find out how many people who don't own guns, have been shot by burglars who have broken into their homes? I'm guessing it's not many.

[Lord Kangana]

Well, I know there's an online petition afoot to get all school teachers armed, so that should solve it....

[TANGODANCER]

Given the fear of armed robbery in isolated areas in America, there might be a case for a shotgun or handgun for protection. How that in any way relates to automatic rifles and sub-machine guns I know not, unless they're all expecting an S.A.S style siege attack. Private citizens being allowed gun collections is ludicrous. Massacres of the type that's just happened are not common, thank God, and the products of deranged heads rather then crime. It's the towns and cities that seem to be where all the gun crime is. As I said before, illegal posession of a firearm should get twenty years right off. If anybody will have a gun knowing that, they deserve all they get. If you want to shoot, join a gun club.

[malcd1]

I wonder how many of these massacres are carried out by legally owned guns?

Hungerford, Dunblane and the latest one in Cumbria all involved legally owners guns. Without checking, I think the recent ones in the US have all involved legally owned guns. Is it because it is easier to buy the bullets and stockpile them?

[thebish]

There are many reasons those that people give as to why they keep guns. Fear seems to be a truthful reason,

I think it probably is... to the outsider (so this may be wrong) - it seems that the U.S. is basically a very fearful and insecure nation... which doesn't chime well with their idea that they are the "land of the free". Can you be the lad of the free if you actually live in such fear??

[Jakerbeef]

I assume they're doing a recount in Florida.

Good one, Willy! It's that hanging Chad.

Poor bugger...

[americantrotter]

There are many reasons those that people give as to why they keep guns. Fear seems to be a truthful reason,

I think it probably is... to the outsider (so this may be wrong) - it seems that the U.S. is basically a very fearful and insecure nation... which doesn't chime well with their idea that they are the "land of the free". Can you be the lad of the free if you actually live in such fear??

I don't know honestly. Like I said, my views have softened in recent years. Guns are important to so many people that I know. America seems to be a more violent country than other "developed" nations. It seems it has always been this way.

As far as being insecure, I don't think that's it as much as it is that for a large country we isolate ourselves. Even regionally. One of the things that most rural people across the country agree upon is guns. They vary by protestant denomination and by political party but all rural areas believe in guns. Have you seen how much land we have to hunt from?

Our development, settling, and taming of the land happened so recently in history. Many of our major squabbles have only been recently been resolved.

This country was born free through the gun less than 250 years ago. It last needed to use guns on inhabitants (For better or worse, Indians and Labor fighting) in the early 1900's. Don't even mention the role of the gun in the American South and keeping minorities in "check". We just never had a time to rid our gun culture before the modern world saw the gun as a liability only.

[Bruce Rioja]

There are many reasons those that people give as to why they keep guns. Fear seems to be a truthful reason,

I think it probably is... to the outsider (so this may be wrong) - it seems that the U.S. is basically a very fearful and insecure nation... which doesn't chime well with their idea that they are the "land of the free". Can you be the lad of the free if you actually live in such fear??

My American colleagues all live in Georgia an South Carolina. They can't believe that we don't keep guns. They work on the theory that if everyone knows that everyone else has one then there isn't an issue.

[thebish]

There are many reasons those that people give as to why they keep guns. Fear seems to be a truthful reason,

I think it probably is... to the outsider (so this may be wrong) - it seems that the U.S. is basically a very fearful and insecure nation... which doesn't chime well with their idea that they are the "land of the free". Can you be the lad of the free if you actually live in such fear??

My American colleagues all live in Georgia an South Carolina. They can't believe that we don't keep guns. They work on the theory that if everyone knows that everyone else has one then there isn't an issue.

and it's working well for them...

[William the White]

Unlike those unhappy lands where (almost) no one has one... Including (most) cops...

[TANGODANCER]

There are many reasons those that people give as to why they keep guns. Fear seems to be a truthful reason,

I think it probably is... to the outsider (so this may be wrong) - it seems that the U.S. is basically a very fearful and insecure nation... which doesn't chime well with their idea that they are the "land of the free". Can you be the lad of the free if you actually live in such fear??

My American colleagues all live in Georgia an South Carolina. They can't believe that we don't keep guns. They work on the theory that if everyone knows that everyone else has one then there isn't an issue.

I get visions of Farnworth as the new Dodge City. Frightening.

[Bruce Rioja]

I get visions of Farnworth as the new Dodge City. Frightening.

Well, the only thing that Farnworth has going in its favour is that it isn't Little Hulton.

[Hoboh]

Seems video games are being branded about as a possible cause now Why not just admit the boy was a nut, mother slightly unhinged, too many guns hanging about the house, its not hard!

[Worthy4England]

Can't be video games. No Chaingun.

[Jakerbeef]

Some people are just convined videogames are the root of all evil. Similar I suppose to the way people thought Black Sabbath and Co. would turn an entire generation into wrong 'uns.

My dad used to finish every bollocking at me and the brother by pointing at the computer, adding "and turn that bloody thing off!"

Even, and I must stress this, even when it wasn't even switched on.