# US school massacres.



## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Amazing that there have been 18 school mass shootings in the US THIS YEAR.!!!!
As one news reporter said the US Government is run and controlled by the NRA.
There are more guns in the US than most current wars. What is the matter with Americans?

Ray.


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

Yet trump and his ilk are more concerned with Banning Muslims and Keeping out Mexicans. Bizarre. Except it's not really, we all know the real reasons.


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Votes. There are more shooters than victims at the present time.

Ray.


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## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

My brother lives in Minnesota. He, like others, tells how powerful the gun lobby is. Americans call it their "right" to bear arms and are so proud that they live in a country that allows them to do so.


When we had the Northern Ireland struggles I advocated evacuating the children to peaceful places in order for them to see a different way of living. America is very insular and I think the children grow up not knowing that there is a different way of life. Most of them don't know where England is (is it near Australia?!) or any other country that they haven't been at war with.


When my brother and my13 year old nephew visited us this summer, my nephew told his father that he did not want to go home. My brother put this down to him enjoying his holiday but could it have been a feeling of safety that he felt on these shores?


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## Gretchibald (Jul 22, 2011)

patp;2864242. My brother put this down to him enjoying his holiday but could it have been a feeling of safety that he felt on these shores?[/QUOTE said:


> An old friend of mine,after many years in Florida, has recently resettled back in N Ireland for as he put it ' peaceful retirement'.
> He says that the people over there have become all angry and nuts and you are liable to get shot over a traffic accident or an argument in a supermarket etc
> 
> Mind you the way things are going here 'frying pans and fire' comes to mind.


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## dghr272 (Jun 14, 2012)

patp said:


> My brother lives in Minnesota. He, like others, tells how powerful the gun lobby is. Americans call it their "right" to bear arms and are so proud that they live in a country that allows them to do so.
> 
> When we had the Northern Ireland struggles I advocated evacuating the children to peaceful places in order for them to see a different way of living. America is very insular and I think the children grow up not knowing that there is a different way of life. Most of them don't know where England is (is it near Australia?!) or any other country that they haven't been at war with.
> 
> When my brother and my13 year old nephew visited us this summer, my nephew told his father that he did not want to go home. My brother put this down to him enjoying his holiday but could it have been a feeling of safety that he felt on these shores?


Over 20k children from NI troubled areas were taken away for peaceful breaks, ironically they went to the USA.

https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/...ng-troubles-subject-of-new-film-35069663.html

Terry


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

Gretchibald said:


> An old friend of mine,after many years in Florida, has recently resettled back in N Ireland for as he put it ' peaceful retirement'.
> He says that the people over there have become all angry and nuts and you are liable to get shot over a traffic accident or an argument in a supermarket etc
> *
> Mind you the way things are going here 'frying pans and fire' comes to mind*.


I fear you may be right. At least we dont all have automatic assault rifles and Glocks here though. Its fair enough if people want to own a gun but why does anyone need military type assault rifles and why do they make them so easy to get hold of? Its just bonkers.


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## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

It troubles me that my nephew lives in an atmosphere of fear. They have regular drills on what to do in the event of an attack. It must affect the children as they grow up. Almost like living in a war zone.


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

Its only in America it happens though. Australia, Canada are a bit rootin tootin shootin type places albeit with a much smaller population but they dont go around massacring each other.

Its so common place now nobody is surprised or even bothered anymore. Its all forgotten in a few days, the world moves on. The families and those effected wont though but this is how appalling it has all become. Its a common occurrence and almost accepted as a fact of American life!

They dont even have to ban guns completely just make them harder to get hold of but how can it be justified for a civilian to own an automatic assault weapon? Ever?


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## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

I was telling my brother of my only (near) encounter with a gun. I was walking my dogs when approached by the new landowner. We had a "discussion" about the rights or otherwise of my position and he told me he "could shoot my dogs" (there were no sheep or other livestock within miles so he was wrong). He than behaved aggressively towards me by driving his car at me several times. I was shaken but unhurt.
I reported his behaviour to the police and they took his gun licence away from him. His behaviour was considered to be out of keeping with someone who should be allowed to own a gun.


That is the way to handle gun ownership.


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## GMJ (Jun 24, 2014)

I used to go to South Carolina a lot to see American friends. We regularly went fishing on the coast. One of the friends had a 22 year old son whom I had watched grow up from a kid. We were out fishing on our last trip over there and it transpired that he had a concealed weapons permit and was packing a hand gun! On the beach...fishing!

Personally I used a rod and line!

22 y o...with a handgun, with a load of blokes, fishing! No need!

Crazy!

Graham :serious:


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

With all the school massacres and multi killings in the states the only 'defence' the pro gun lobby can say now is "The 2nd Amendment is a "God Given Right". 
But there aint no God.

Ray.


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## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

raynipper said:


> With all the school massacres and multi killings in the states the only 'defence' the pro gun lobby can say now is "The 2nd Amendment is a "God Given Right".
> But there aint no God.
> 
> Ray.


They always bring God into it when it suits them 

I saw a wonderful thing on FB. It said - "Wouldn't it be nice if all the owners of assault rifles donated them to Ukraine".


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## GMJ (Jun 24, 2014)

I had forgotten about this thread hence my starting this other one recently...









When will they learn? When will it end?


Another mass shooting in the USA. That's 2 this week now... https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-61573377




www.motorhomefacts.com


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Sorry G, It didn't come up when I searched for Massacre. 

Ray.


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## GMJ (Jun 24, 2014)

No worries at all Ray. I posted it in case you missed it


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## KeithChesterfield (Mar 12, 2010)

When I see and read about these deadly incidents I'm always reminded of the 2002 film 'Bowling for Columbine' by Michael Moore.

He opens an account at a Bank (there is a short Youtube video available) and is given a choice of a free gun, they have 500 firearms in their vaults, and is given a rifle to take home.

He does ask the question “Don't you think it's a little dangerous handing out guns in a Bank ?”

If there was an answer it's not shown.

It was at this point I began to question the mental capabilities of a Nation that seems so flippant with handing out guns and what level of IQ their law makers have.


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Yes Keith. I still have the DVD and Fahrenheit 9/11.

Ray.


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## jiwawa (Jun 22, 2007)

Why can't they see that noone is trying to stop them owning a gun (if they're responsible), it's just that noone should have need of an assault rifle (except the military).


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## GMJ (Jun 24, 2014)

Some small steps being taken in the USA but still an awfully long way to go...









US gun control: Cautious welcome to bipartisan deal on new safety measures


Shootings survivors say the planned reforms - although limited - are a step in the right direction.



www.bbc.co.uk


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

It's not so much a question of intelligence as of dogma. Republicans and NRA members know that people are killed, it's just that they cling to the right to bear arms on the basis that no rights can be removed. They rationalise that by saying that guns don't kill people but some of the people who have them do. That would then lead us to say that they should be OK with controlling who gets guns more rigidly and making sure that guns held by people deemed safe don't get into the wrong hands. But no, some of them would say that the right to bear arms is not qualified so that even if someone who may be a nutter wants one it is difficult for a rigidly principled politician to find grounds for denying him one.

These are spurious arguments because the right to bear arms is there to facilitate a militia for the security of the state. "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, *the* *right* of the people to keep and *bear* *Arms*, shall not be infringed". That assumes that those who hold guns do so as members of a state controlled militia which can be called up if necessary to act in the interests of the state. Thus it seems obvious that people who are not members of such a militia could in theory be prevented from owing guns. The method for selecting militia members and renewing their membership could and should concentrate on their suitability as gun owners.

But none of that matters because dogma rules.


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

But it's all based on an outdated civil war almost 200 years ago and they haven't moved on.

Ray.


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

After the war of independence Ray. 1791. Inspired by the possible need to fend off an imperial power.


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Thanks Alan. Still very outdated logic.

Ray.


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## KeithChesterfield (Mar 12, 2010)

erneboy said:


> After the war of independence Ray. 1791. Inspired by the possible need to fend off an imperial power.


Allowing teenagers legally to purchase Assault guns and kill children.

A magnificent achievement from muskets to this type of gun in around 240 years.

More citizens died by firearms between 1968 and 2017 than American Soldiers killed in all conflicts since the American War of Independence 240 years ago.


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

And Fahrenheit is the only measure of temperature as US gallons are only recognised.
And don't get me going on bums and fanny's. 

Ray.


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## GMJ (Jun 24, 2014)

...and they don't know what the word bollox means or how it can be used!


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

I was making the point that the lack of gun control in the US comes as a legacy of Empire.


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