This has been a terrible weekend in the life of the USA, and in the lives of all of us in the first world. A young man marched into a K to 9 school in Newtown, Connecticut, and shot 20 children, aged 5 to 7, along with 6 adults - some of them trying to protect the kids, his mother, a substitute teacher, and ultimately, himself. The media, of course, has covered this story like a blanket, and given the victims families no peace.
President Obama gave a heartfelt and moving condolence speech, close to tears himself as a father with children in school. "We must see that something like this never happens again in America." But, of course, it will happen again. It will happen again in weeks or in months, because the USA is a gun culture. The second amendment to the US Constitution gives every citizen the right to bear arms, although how that covers automatic assault rifles, I don't understand.
there have been nineteen such events in the last decade or so, and still the gun lobby keeps expanding its influence, so that now, in the State of Illinois, people have the right to pack a weapon even in school! The State of Connecticut is home to three or four of the largest weapons manufacturers in the world. The second largest association of gun owners in the country has its home in Newtown, Connecticut! IT WILL HAPPEN AGAIN!
It will keep happening regularly until some laws are changed in that country, until the control of personal and impersonal weapons becomes real and stringent. There is no use in praying for a change; it must be legislated by men and women with the guts to stand up and do it.
We have more stringent gun control in Canada, although guns can still be had if you know how. God forbid that our laws loosen; God help the Americans who want the shooting to stop, but who will not stand against the gun lobby. It's them I pray for: get a spine; say no!
President Obama gave a heartfelt and moving condolence speech, close to tears himself as a father with children in school. "We must see that something like this never happens again in America." But, of course, it will happen again. It will happen again in weeks or in months, because the USA is a gun culture. The second amendment to the US Constitution gives every citizen the right to bear arms, although how that covers automatic assault rifles, I don't understand.
there have been nineteen such events in the last decade or so, and still the gun lobby keeps expanding its influence, so that now, in the State of Illinois, people have the right to pack a weapon even in school! The State of Connecticut is home to three or four of the largest weapons manufacturers in the world. The second largest association of gun owners in the country has its home in Newtown, Connecticut! IT WILL HAPPEN AGAIN!
It will keep happening regularly until some laws are changed in that country, until the control of personal and impersonal weapons becomes real and stringent. There is no use in praying for a change; it must be legislated by men and women with the guts to stand up and do it.
We have more stringent gun control in Canada, although guns can still be had if you know how. God forbid that our laws loosen; God help the Americans who want the shooting to stop, but who will not stand against the gun lobby. It's them I pray for: get a spine; say no!
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