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News & politics

Las Vegas shooting

(36 Posts)
Iam64 Mon 02-Oct-17 13:09:10

How can this be? A man using a machine gun has killed 50 people in Las Vegas.
The news is still emerging but I do hope we don't get the usual nonsense from the pro gun lobby, that if only everyone in the crowd had a machine gun, the shooter would have been killed earlier.

Imperfect27 Tue 03-Oct-17 07:55:28

I have avoided watching the news reports. This is so awful, but we know that the same-old, same-old media coverage, every last drop of emotion wrung from traumatised victims, minute after minute of mobile phone videos, stories of 'heroics' will be trawled out and the same old, same old protestations, political posturing and finger wagging will take place. AND NOTHING WILL CHANGE.

Luckygirl Tue 03-Oct-17 08:04:41

Americans are wedded to their weapons - pathetic.

Christinefrance Tue 03-Oct-17 09:04:52

There will be no change, the gun lobby financially supports the Government so no one wants to change. President Obama tried but with no success.

MaizieD Tue 03-Oct-17 09:33:13

I followed an American conversation about the gun control issue on twitter this morning. The most horrific aspect of it , for me, was the way that person after person joined it to say that they had lost close relatives and friends to guns. One of them even reported on another mass shooting which had just occurred. 'Only' 3 people killed in that one, thank goodness.

I can only think that America will never be 'Great' again until it becomes a more civilised nation and stops allowing the slaughter of its citizens.

lemongrove Tue 03-Oct-17 09:41:19

Nothing to add really, as it has all been said by others, except that rage, despair, depression and all manner of mental health issues in the US seem to have no bearing on the amount of guns one can own, but surely the type of guns comes into it? Who needs a machine gun for personal protection?

maryeliza54 Tue 03-Oct-17 10:09:16

I gave up investing any emotion in US shootings after Sandy Hook. If that wasn't going to change things, nothing will.

Iam64 Tue 03-Oct-17 20:05:12

Mr T has announced the shooter was a very very sick individual, demented and that gun control will be discussed at some point.
The next change it seems, is to approve silencers so that those using guns don't damage their ears. You couldn't make it up could you.
America is in a bad way isn't it, with growing gulfs between the have and have nots, between the white Americans and the rest. Dreadful and I feel quite despondent that the current Potus doesn't have the ability or the desire to improve things in any meaningful way. In fact, he seems to fuel the differences.

paddyann Wed 04-Oct-17 00:25:44

interesting discussion on Radio Scotland this morning ,an American man was explaining they "couldn't" change the gun law as it was an amendment ,the scotsman who was discussing it with him asked why it couldn't be changed ..well its been law for 100 years was the answer....But wasn't SLAVERY law once an dyou managed to change that amendment was the answer... apparently guns are far more important to Americans than slaves ever were

BlueBelle Wed 04-Oct-17 05:32:05

It’s a complete idea that seems bred into the psyche of all US people I was told catergorically that without owning a gun they would lose their freedom ? I have no understanding of what that means they have no freedom looking over your shoulder constantly is prison not freedom
The very thought of going shopping with a pistol in my shopping bag brings me out in a cold sweat
As for the amendment I guess they were still on horseback with muskets when that was made

ffinnochio Wed 04-Oct-17 08:12:38

BlueBelle It is not an idea that seems bred into the psyche of all US people.

Some, yes. Not all.

I would hazard a guess that I know many more Americans than you, and they are enormously saddened by this horrendous event, and by the stranglehold the NRA have over the politics of their country. They would see the 2nd Amendment overturned in a heartbeat.