SIR GUESTLING THORN

 I return to an old subject, a well worn path, that no doubt will be trodden again and again.I read there has been yet another shooting in America this time in Colorado. Six adults shot including the gunman who shot himself. At a birthday party on a trailer park. Each time we read about these shootings, Wendy and I trot out the same old observations and struggle to understand a nation where even the liberal element have a fierce determination to hold on to their guns! Of course shootings happen elsewhere in the world, some more tragic than those that take place in the States. South American countries, Mexico, Columbia have terrible murder rates mostly to do with the drug cartels and other criminal activities but only in America do random shootings take place with no other reason then the mental instability of the shooter and the easy access to all sorts of weapons. European nations are not completely free of these shootings but by comparison they happen so rarely, we are even more shocked. What is the difference? The free availability of guns. It does not take a genius to work out that if you are able to buy a gun easily, then there will be more deaths! You would think that a nation where so many deaths are gun related that a sensible nation would ban there purchase (of course the horse has long long ago bolted and you would have to say it is to late) but it seems the desire to own a gun is hard wired into the American psyche? When the constitution was written is was a different time and there was a need for the population to be ready to defend their fledgling nation and the possession of a gun was required to quickly do so. Shows the disadvantage of a written constitution that becomes like a holy rule of a countries rights! America has been discussing gun restrictions ever since I have been old enough to understand and nothing has been achieved by either party. The Democrats get some restrictive legislation through and then the next Republican administration repeals that law. I suggest that much of the population accepts that if you have guns then people will die and see it as an occupational hazard. Spare a thought for the trauma of those who survive or witness a shooting, they are also victims and have to live with the tragic events for the rest of their lives!

Stay well