Latest shooting

The gunman is said to have used weapons belonging to his mother whom he also shot. That raises the question of why a middle-aged teacher should need to have two semi-automatic pistols and a high-powered rifle. This is frightening. Obama alone cannot do anything about gun control. He would need immense public support and the backing of Congress and, given a few weeks, the gun lobby will have marshalled its support.

Nana

Nanadog welcome back, such a distressing time for those poor parents and their children. Obama has got to do something about gun control this time.

nanad good to see you back {{{hugs}}}

Nanad - lovely that you're back with us. {{hugs}}

Nanadog Nice to see you back.

What a dreadful dreadful thing. Unbearable to watch or listen to. My heart goes out to those poor people - just can't understand any of it.
Poor nanadog - appalling timing for you and to those people in the US.

Thanks jodi

nanadog you're back ((((hugs)))) this must be very hard for you today of all days

I'm a bit biased on this one as I was involved in shooting in the days when we were allowed to have guns, and it still irks me that many perfectly law abiding people, most of whom would never even have shot a rat never mind a person, were deprived of their sport while the criminal fraternity amasses more and more weapons and uses them with impunity. But if you watch any of the American gun programmes they are jaw droppingly appalling. People are hoarding arsenals of the most lethal weapons that no normal person could have any legitimate use for and in most states there is nothing to stop them. their attitude seems to be that if some innocent people get killed it's unfortunate, but s**t happens. Studying statistics has no chance in that sort of culture. Sad but true.

I thought I'd cried myself dry today...then I turned on the news. No,no,no.

Absolutely tragic.

How can we remotely understand how those poor people are suffering right now.

I know I gave my GD a big big hug when I saw her today after watching it unfold.

Just been watching it on the News. Those poor children, parents and teachers. The killer was the son of one of the teachers and it appears he shot his own mother dead as well as the other victims. What an unbelievable tragedy.

jane don't hold your breath. The gun lobby is very powerful in the US. You would think they would just study the statistics and realise. Sad, yet again.

Just seen President Obama's speech - very moving.
He said things must change 'despite the politics'.
Let's hope that he can bring this about.

Why would anyone, deranged or otherwise, want to slaughter innocent babies? My heart bleeds.

The poor little children. There are no words that can describe the horror of this.

It is so sad that they just don't "get it". After we had Dunblane we tightened out gun laws. it could still happen here, but it is so easy in the states for unbalanced people to stockpile not just revolvers and shotguns but serious military firepower.

I can't fine the words to describe how I feel about the awfulness of this. Mindless; senseless.

Tragic, and so terrible to see those little children being led out of the school looking so frightened. What's going on that needs guns to be available to every citizen or deranged nut-job? I know anyone can get hold of a gun if they're determined, but the gun culture is pervasive in the USA.