[WS:] The most amusing part of this story is readers' comments - some 533 of them as I am posting. The Europeans are having a field day. Here is a selection:
"Americans I've spoken to are delusional. They use all kinds of excuses for owning Assault Rifles and none are relevant. Assault Rifles are useless for self defence, too extreme for hunting, and if they think they're ever going to "overthrow" their government they are naive at best! The NRA is a propaganda machine for a multi billion $ industry, no surprise they want to sell more guns!"
"Thats all they can come up with...? Sick.... GLAD I am not an American, there is NOTHING to be proud of at all... as for world respect... that just went out the window...."
"There are too many idiots who have guns, and who won't give them up. The level of debate is "I have a gun, it's mine and you cannot take it off of me, so there". The NRA's cynical stance is sickening. The lack of support for people with mental sickness is just a tragedy that going to get worse. The US is still stuck in the 19th century. Leave them to it, I say.The future is Asia anyhow."
"The culture of fear fuels the gun industry in the USA; the fear that ANYBODY could be carrying a gun...
If I moved there, I would probably crack sooner or later and buy a gun, just to feel safe."
"The NRA should have some kind of prize for the most ridiculous argument ever made.
If every school in the US had an armed guard, wouldn't that actually increase the chances of a similar tragedy, if one of the guards ran amok? What then? Would they suggest every schoolkid should be armed?"
"I think the NRA should be classified in the same catergory as the taliban, terrorists thinking that the gun is the way of life and young innocents must die to prove their point. USA, you're a very messed up country, the west was won, the natives were all rounded up and the buffalos were all shot. Whats left to shoot other than each other?"
"Oh my God! What a sick country! I thought my country had problems! I cannot believe that these people (NRA) could defend possession of these lethal weapons. I guess they think it is cool to blow everyone away even little children."
"NRA are brain dead ;why give a bad guy a gun to start with?Is this man demented?Who puts armed police on school premises & who's paying?He blames TV games,really? American has huge problems:you are gun crazy.What do you need guns for?Hunting children?Hunting is not a sport.It will happen again & again;I won't be surprised if it happens again tomorrow. Big industry this gun business,lots of $"
And so on ...
God Bless America.
-- Wojtek
"An anarchist is a neoliberal without money."