Check out Mexico, Guatemala, Brazil, Turkey, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Egypt, Palestine, Israel, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Somalia, Kenya, Nigeria, Uganda, Yemen, S.Africa, Zimbabwe, Indonesia. Do you think all the shootings in those countries are with bows and arrows? Also, England and Ireland have had their share of shootings. Don't tell me you never have a shooting in Australia! ....

quote=bcheary]And your point is?[/quote]

What was the point of your post? Does sharing the blame by saying that these events occur in other nations too, somehow justify what is happening with sickening frequency in America, - 'the policeman to the world'?
Is it your argument that it is OK when Mass Murders happen in the USA because they happen in other countries as well? I would like to watch you present that argument to the parents who have lost their children at Sandy Hook Elementary School.

None of the nations you have listed profess to being the leading nation of the world.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Number_of_guns_per_capita_by_country

Hi Danilo, Thank you for your kind words.
I may appear to be confrontational and hold views that appear "left of field" but frequently discussed topics tend to draw out the same old tired arguments and it is only when a discussion is tilted off balance that the 'wagon wheels escape the rutts in the road'.

1. "Your ideas about us being "saturated" with Firearms...."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Number_of_guns_per_capita_by_country (and that is just registered firearms).

2. "... is similar to our idea that you guys have kangaroos hopping all over the place, in and out of traffic."

http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/wildlife-trade/wild-harvest/kangaroo/population.html

True - you don't see Kangaroos hopping down the mains streets of major cities in Australia.
If however you drive west from Sydney to regional country areas you will see large numbers of kangaroo road kill. Kangaroos and traffic do not mix.

http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/wildlife-trade/wild-harvest/kangaroo/population.html


3. (With reference to another Wilpharm's post): There are many shameful things that have happened in Australia towards Aboriginals.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_massacres_of_Indigenous_Australians
http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/4344704.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_referendum,_1967_%28Aboriginals%29


In my opinion the issue of firearms in America is a sociological issue and can't be resolved on the individual level unless it includes all individuals.
That is why it keeps coming back to the Bill of Rights and the American Constitution.

I am looking forward to visiting the USA and I am truly interested in finding out more about your society.

I understand what you are saying. You live in a society that is saturated with guns. As a non American I find it very difficult to understand how, after all the horror that has been unleashed in your country no one has been able to come up with a plan to fix the problem. This problem exists to a far greater extent in the USA than anywhere else in the world that I am aware of.
I can understand citizens wanting to carry concealed weapons for personal defense in the USA, because as I said above, your country is saturated with weapons; and a very high number of these weapons are in the hands of persons who's intent is offensive rather than defensive. The saddest thing is that the gun slinging wild west culture still exists and is deeply ingrained in American culture. I also don't understand how it exists so happily side by side with fundamentalist Christianity.
I will be visiting the East Coast of the USA in November for the first time. I have concerns.

Bangee 5 I have just pick up your response now because I have been working and have just got home.

So why don't we start a new thread and invite only the women members of UHH to comment their thoughts on the 2nd amendment and the Bill of Rights, Gun Control vs NRA etc.
It is just my observation, and I may be wrong, but I think women in general tend to hold their thoughts in reserve when confronted with strongly expressed opinions by alpha males.
I don't recall any of the persons who have committed mass shootings in the US or anywhere else for that matter, being female.

grow up

UHH has a large number of female members. I don't recall ever having seen a comment from a female member posted on any of these discussions about guns.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lysistrata

Check these two links out:

http://io9.com/5916074/should-we-eliminate-psychopaths-from-the-gene-pool

http://vistriai.com/psychopathtest/

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.

When you realize that between1 to 2% of society have psychopathic characteristics you are allowing these people to keep and bear arms as well. It is just my opinion but I think that a lot of the individuals that commit these mass murders in the USA, (and elsewhere - though not to the same extent as in the USA), would score quite highly on the psychopath test.

Like David Koresh?

Isn't it the responsibility of a government to control the criminal activities of members of its society. By way of analogy, encouraging a diabetic to eat candy without regard for the persons medical condition places that person at risk.

Providing easy gun access to the 1 to 2 % of the population that clinically demonstrate psychopathic tendencies does not improve the health of the nation.

Point me in the right direction and post some links that support your statement.
It is very true that cultures evolve over time, e.g. most people today travel by motor vehicle or train rather than by horse. The majority of statements in the American Constitution, and the Bill of Rights point to rights (as you stated), that "you receive as a human being upon being born."
I don't however think that any of the words used in the 2nd amendment have changed their meaning to any significant extent since the amendment was written. Definitely not to the extent that the word 'gay' has.

This might help shed some light on why this problem exists and why there is so much resistance to even attempting to resolve it:

http://io9.com/5916074/should-we-eliminate-psychopaths-from-the-gene-pool

http://www.hare.org/comments/comment2.html

http://news.uchicago.edu/article/2013/04/24/psychopaths-are-not-neurally-equipped-have-concern-others

I see. Your statement is backed up here:
http://loc.gov/law/help/second-amendment.php

So if a being part of/joining a Militia is just an example and not the sole reason for introducing the second amendment, what other examples also fit the need for private individuals to own and 'bear' arms?

"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."

It would appear that the intent behind the drafting of this 2nd amendment was to provide a supplementary civilian fighting force to assist the military in case of an invasion from a powerful foreign army (such as the British, French, Spanish). Would I be correct in this assumption?

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/militia

mi·li·tia (m-lsh)
n.
1. An army composed of ordinary citizens rather than professional soldiers.
2. A military force that is not part of a regular army and is subject to call for service in an emergency.
3. The whole body of physically fit civilians eligible by law for military service.

No! Yes! and this is why.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Bryant