Guns in America

MaizieD gun ownership in the UK is very limited now. Full bore handguns have been banned since Dunblane and shotguns now need a firearms certificate. And of course we don't allow the sort of semi automatic weapons that they love in the US.

MaizieD gun ownership in the UK is very limited now.

Very nice of you to tell me, Deedaa but I am aware of that.

"Britain’s most senior counter-terrorism officer has said the police and security services are no longer enough to win the fight against violent extremism, and the UK must instead improve community cohesion, social mobility and education."

Guardian 6 August

PS quotation: Neil Basu, Britain's most senior counter -terrorism officer.

I think that's key, Alexa. Violent crime (any sort of crime really) is never going to be stopped, but it does seem that there's a common element with "shooters", in that they are "outsiders". If people have no respect for their society, whether on a local or wider level, they won't have any respect for the lives of other people.

Anja, thank you. It's just so embarrassing to have this president representing us and to know how much the NRA influences our politics. It feels like we're living in the Twilight Zone over here. My friends and I have been feeling so dispirited and overwhelmed. I actually found Gransnet one night when I was feeling particularly depressed by it all. I live alone and do a lot of swearing at the TV these days. It sometimes feels like the whole world is going to "he## in a hand basket" as the old saying goes.

Trump fanned the flames- But the nation had already been stewing in financial frustration prior to his presidential campaign- I'm not Republican- But I will not vote for nor support anyone that holds him accountable for the history of violence and hatred in the US-

He struck a chord with a disenfranchised population, overlooked and neglected by prior administrations- But what he did was unconscionable when he began baiting them with hatred- It was inhumane-

His rally in Cincinnati, Ohio that took place just days before ElPaso was a harbinger- I mean no disrespect when I say his supporters appeared emotionally toxic, overdosed with ignorance and adrenaline- Like Nordic berserkers-

It was awful to watch- But it's been awful .. Long before Trump took office-

I know that there was racial hatred and violence endemic in the USA before Trump was elected.

However previous presidents did not blatantly stoke the flames of fear and hatred as Trump has done.

The contrast between the measured, rational, statesmanlike, compassionate and inspiring speeches of President Obama and the irresponsible inarticulate xenophobic ranting of his appalling successor could not be more marked.

President Obama was eloquently, condescendingly, smug and fostered the same while fanning the flames of frustration of a disenfranchised population- It was impossible to talk about poverty in southern Ohio and West Virginia and Detroit with his dirty martini drinking supporters-

Whatever you think about their politics, President Obama is an intelligent, hardworking, family man who came from a background of working with people in poorer communities. He also began his presidency with the intention of reaching across the isle, which promptly came to a halt when Mitch Mc said, "The single most important thing we want to achieve is for President Obama to be a one-term president"!

Trump is a philandering, lazy narcissist who spends every single day Tweeting about himself and comes from a background of wealth and privilege which he used to deny housing to people of color, and to enrich himself at the expense of others. He said he was going to "drain the swamp" and yet he and his family, associates, and cabinet members have been embroiled in scandals and indictments since day one: www.bloomberg.com/graphics/trump-administration-conflicts/

Obama's "scandals": once not having a flag pin on, wearing a tan suit, holding a cup of coffee while saluting a couple of marines. Oh, and let's not forget Michelle Obama scandalously showing her upper arms and shoulders in a dress (cough Melania nudes cough).

Dirty supporters? Didn't they wash?

Is "dirty martini" an American cocktail?

Sorry, got off topic there. Tamping down too much frustration these days. Yes, gun violence has been increasing for years and also occurred under President Obama. However, in the first place, President Trump's incendiary words and speeches create a volatile atmosphere in which people feel emboldened to act on their prejudices and hatred of "others" and, in the second place, congress has been trying to pass common sense legislation to curb gun violence for years but has been stymied by Republican congressional members, who are beholden to the NRA, and now by Trump. Even commonsense ideas that have the approval of 80-90% of voters - like background checks & banning combat-style weaponry - have been blocked by Republicans since 2004!

With regard to disenfranchised voters in the Midwest, the same applies. Republican policies which deregulated Wall Street, gave tax cuts to corporations and the wealthiest, tried to stop the provision of healthcare, denied spending on infrastructure, etc., are causing great financial hardships for those folks. I was born in Minnesota as were my parents. Dad's 90 and hopping mad at all of the older, white, union men in his demographic who voted against their own best interests and threw the rest of us to the wolves.

And it's predominantly a fear of "others" i.e., a black president, a woman president, brown neighbors, gay couples, etc., that scares that demographic most and not financial concerns. The economy that Trump is trying to take credit for has been improving for years. Unemployment has been decreasing each year since 2008 and household income has been steadily increasing since 2010: www.npr.org/2018/09/12/646708799/fact-check-who-gets-credit-for-the-booming-u-s-economy

He is a loving and supportive husband and father who bailed out the banks to the tune of 29 trillion- He created 2 million jobs when 12 million or more were needed, leaving the balance economically insecure- He will forever be remembered as a president who focused on "some" Americans and forgot the rest-

Unemployment has not been decreasing since 2008- You cannot accurately track the unemployed and you cannot count each job as filled by a single individual when many have 2 or more jobs, struggling to make ends meet-

Inequality continued to increase on his watch and has yet to reset- And it sure as heck isn't gonna happen on this presidents watch either-

Guns, violence, inequality, dying environment- All 4 will remain a part of every day life until someone takes office and takes actions that benefits the country as a whole-

You can site as many articles as you like that support your view- But you can find just as many or more that don't-

I wish we had Barack Obama leading the UK , maybe we wouldn't be in the mess we are. He always comes across as someone with integrity, who speaks from the heart with honesty. Given that the Republicans blocked him at every turn it's a wonder he achieved what he did. After every shooting he wanted tighter gun control but Trump and his republican cronies just call for more and more guns. Trump continually lies even when there is video evidence to prove he is, and he can't even get the name of the city involved correct. I don't see mass shootings becoming rarer until there is a will to control guns, and more so the type of weapons allowed. Nobody except a soldier in a war zone needs an assault rifle. No ordinary civilian should ever be able to buy such a weapon.

All true, rosecarmel, but remember where we were in 2008 due to the deregulation of the financial industry which began with Republican Senator Phil Gram's 1999 and 2000 bills allowing risky activities like hedge fund trading with derivatives, subprime mortgages, etc. There were no clear cut solutions and we barely avoided a depression!

We have a political system - one party especially - that favors the wealthy, large corporations and those who lobby on their behalves. There are hundreds of bills that have been passed by the house covering background checks for gun purchases, election security, infrastructure spending, health care, climate issues, etc., etc. They are sitting on the desk of the republican leader of the Senate, and he would bring them to the floor for a vote!

Think of the jobs that could be created and the financial benefits to the middle class if these were passed, if we began investing in alternative energies instead of caving to the oil and gas lobbies, if we reigned in health care and prescription costs instead of catering to big pharma and insurance industries, etc.!

On guns, the house stands ready to ban military type assault weapons, require background checks and curtail gun show and online sales.

Sadly, it doesn't matter who gets elected president if we can't get common sense bills passed through the Senate.

Oops, that should have read "won't bring them to the floor for a vote."