I’m sad to hear of yet another mass shooting in America. I won’t say where, because every few weeks or days there are new reports of them. To pin it down to one murderous incident would emphasise it and possibly diminish previous ones.
Clearly thoughts and prayers doesn’t help. Each time something happens these trite words are uttered. As if a sticking plaster could stop a flooding river.
Guns, particularly assault rifles, are weapons of war. They destroy blood, flesh and bone. Bodies are ripped apart or badly injured. They are meant to stop an enemy, not kill a father, mother or child. Innocent people die, are buried or cremated, and often forgotten in the wake of the next mass shooting.
In the UK we have gun laws, there are very few shootings, so much so it makes the headlines for days if a shooting happens. Yes we have them, and stabbings, but you don’t get mass stabbings here either.
In March 1996, in Dunblane in Scotland, there was a mass shooting of children at a primary school there. Following the shooting the Cullen Report looked into gun ownership. Parliament bought in gun control and most guns were taken out of circulation. There have been no mass shootings since then. That’s 27 years. Yes there have been shootings with shotguns and rifles, but not like the madness in the USA.
The American constitution talks about an armed militia, the right to bare arms. Use that to change the law there. Make the guns the population can use muzzle loading flintlocks, the same as we’re used when the constitution was written.
Thoughts and prayers for sensible gun control!
Mallaband-Brown 
I can’t even react to this any more. People pick and choose parts of our laws for what they like and what they want to believe. Basically, we’re pretty fucked over here…
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I didnt exactly know if I should say something, but every time I hear about shootings I feel like saying something. I chose my words carefully. I dont want to inflame feelings but I thought I should comment.
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It’s OK. You’re not here. You don’t have a representative that supports guns and opposes abortion. Just kill the living, right? It’s seriously fucked.
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Yes, I cant imagine why this is even allowed. Heartbreaking.
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We had a law. The law expired. I don’t remember — 2002? 2006? 2012? Doesn’t really matter.
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I know, ive been keeping an eye on the history of this. I think Obama bought it in? May be wrong though…
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It expired under George W. Bush. Personally, I believe state laws have a better chance of effectively slowing them down. I saw that happen when I lived in CA. I think it’s unlikely that the Federal Government can do that because of the stupid 2nd amendment. Who knows when the British might attempt to invade us again?? 😉
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Lol, we have enough problems of our own!
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🤣
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True, guns are designed to cause grievous harm to the intended target. When that target is trying to rape, mutilate or murder you or a loved one, the greater the harm the better to stop the threat.
Knife and acid attacks, which you all have left yourselves defenseless against, are far more gruesome. Fatal stabbings are soaring in the UK and, yes, there are mass stabbings, too.
As for Dunblane, there’d never been a mass shooting prior to the ban on handguns, either. So it’s a bit ridiculous to claim that was what did the trick.
The Second Amendment states that, to preserve a free state, a properly-functioning militia is needed. Therefore, the people must be armed. The Battle of Lexington & Concord was won by civilians who were either armed with the exact same gun, or superior ones, than the British soldiers, and who were more proficient with them as well. That is, with the ‘weapon of war’ of the day.
The First amendment protects free speech, including over radio, TV, the internet, etc., even though none of those had yet been invented in 1791. The Fourth Amendment’s protection against illegal search & seizure extends to electronic records. Your suggestion that another enumerated right be restricted to 18th century technology is trite.
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Thanks for your comment, you clearly have more knowledge the subject than I do. I am only trying to understand the situation and to share my thoughts. I may have been trite, but I can only express my honest feelings. I guess we are both using our first amendment rights?
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Fair enough. I appreciate an open dialog.
I suspect much of what you hear about guns in America is skewed. May I suggest perusing sociologist, David Yamane’s blog, Gun Culture 2.0, and his excellent Youtube channel, Light Over Heat, for a well-balanced and thoughtful exploration of the subject?
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Thanks for your suggestion.
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You are admirably polite as ever, Christine. All I can think about is Bill Hicks (loved him, RIP):
“But there’s no connection. You’d be a fool and a communist to suggest it. No connection at all between having a gun and shooting someone with it and not having a gun and not shooting someone. Some of you liberals think there’s a connection, don’t you?”
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I hope that quote was sarcasm! Yes I was bought up to be polite, perhaps it helps build understanding?
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Bill Hicks was a genius comedian, that quote came from one of his routines.
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I will look him up
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Oh, and everyone who lives here in the UK remembers the Hungerford massacre of 1987, so it is simply untrue to say that there were no mass shootings before Dunblane. I am extremely glad to live in a country where 16 people being shot dead for no reason is not just an everyday occurrence.
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I’d forgotten about Hungerford sadly. I am glad we did something about the situation.
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Thanks
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