Las Vegas Massacre

I tell ya’ what the problem is: they ain’t enough guns.

There are two methods of controlling gun violence: first, of course, get rid of the guns. That was basically the UK’s solution. The second is to have more guns so if something happens, somebody with a gun is there to try to protect the innocent.

Both methods have their backers and both indeed are capable of reducing gun violence. However, Australia stands out in the debate because of its cultural similarities to both the US & Europe. For most of it’s existence, the country had few restrictions on gun ownership. But durning the 1980’s a series of shootings like Las Vegas shocked the country into action. The result: Between 1991 and 2001, the number of firearm-related deaths in Australia declined 47%. 

With recent history as our guide, here is what is most likely to happen in the US:

• The liberal party will talk about the need for better gun laws while the conservative party will talk about the need to pray and send heartfelt condolences.
• State Legislatures will again loosen gun laws so it will be even easier to buy firearms
• Gun sales will spike – big time. “I want my wife to be able to defend herself!”
• The N.R.A. (National Rifle Association) typically remains silent   
• It will all blow over, which is the desired result
• In about eighteen months it will happen again

In the meantime, we will hear sincere, heart-felt speeches from average citizens about the Second Amendment. Now, you may imagine that this bit of business specifically defines the right to bear arms. It does not. The Founding Fathers wrote Federalists Papers as they will busy figuring out how not to be killed by Red Coats. A fellow named Alexander Hamilton makes clear the Second is about the Army, not about the farmer. Ironically Hamilton died by a gun, but I digress.

There were towns in “The Old West” where you had to turn in your firearms at the Sheriff’s Office when you rode in. The Second Amendment wasn’t considered an irrevocable right to carry a gun until the 1970s. It was during that period that the N.R.A. successfully changed the interpretation of the text to cover all civilians, not just those joining the Militia. We quietly forgot about Mr. Hamilton and the Second Amendment became a symbol.

So, that brings us back to today… It will blow over and the N.R.A. will prevail over the liberal party, The Democrats. Republicans, who advocate for looser gun restrictions, are in power on Capitol Hill and in the White House. Let us join them in sending our hollow prayers to the grieving.

Not only will we forget you, we will make it easier for the next killer.

Amen.

An American tragedy: no way out

This blog will be short. What happened in Las Vegas is terrible, but it was just a question of time.

Another jerk, or a psycho, with an automatic rifle, another crowd of people, this time at the Route 91 Harvest Country Music Festival.

The only difference is the all-time high death toll: 59 killed, more than 500 injured.

The discussion about automatic rifles ban is fruitless. It is a stalemate and, I think, there will be no ban. Period.

So many guns are already out there that even a total ban (which is a utopia) will not solve this problem.

All I know is that in Russia, thank God, you can’t buy a gun and for a good reason; I am sure half of the country would be dead in 24 hours as the public tensions and criminal rate are both are very high.

As to what happened in Las Vegas, the real drama, the real tragedy is that the country is divided and no solution can be seen on the horizon.

The automatic guns sale must be stopped. It will not happen. No way out. Sad.

Another year, another massacre.

Nobody, but nobody is the least bit surprised.

I don’t care what the precious NRA and their millions of supporters, and that chump of a president say, but if you let all your citizens play with their guns and rifles all day, with some of laxest laws around, something like this is bound to happen, and happen often. And it does.

Being brought up in Britain, I soon realised that the only people that had guns were criminals. Even our good old Bobby (policeman) had no gun. And still doesn’t. And compared to America, Britain remains a relatively peaceful place. It has one of the lowest gun killings in the entire world.

After an extremely rare but awful British incident back in 1996, the already strict gun laws were made even more punitive, so that today, it’s extremely difficult to get a licence even for a sporting pistol.

I’ve heard all the patronising arguments about the second amendment, the right to bear arms, the right to defend oneself blah blah blah….

Listen, more guns, more killings. Simples.

Trump of course, has made the atmosphere in America toxic – there’s more and more hate since that fateful day he was elected, thus things can only get worse.

And remember this everyone. The world appears shocked at what happened in Las Vegas this week. But if you look into all the reliable statistics, the equivalent of a gun massacre occurs virtually every single day in America. So why are we even mildly shocked?

What is so special about what happened in Las Vegas? Nothing really; while it just happened to be the deadliest massed shooting in US history,   it just managed to double the normal amount of people killed by guns in one day in America. Just doubled. No more. God bless America!

Everyone I’ve heard from the pro-gun lobby is saying: “Let’s not debate gun laws just after a massacre.” As the equivalent of a massacre happens every single day in this gun-wielding country, there’s going to be a very, very long wait for that debate.

So, life goes on – another day, another massacre.