Another mass shooting

[Gofer Blue]

I believe you get the kind of society you deserve. If, apparently, the majority of the American population are happy for everyone to own a gun for their own protection (against whom - it depends who you ask it seems?) then all it takes is a tiny minority of that population with some warped mentality to cause mayhem. The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing (Edmund Burke).

I had a cousin in Pennsylvania whose husband kept a rifle at home. A perfectly normal bloke, he used it for hunting but told me he was perfectly prepared to use it to defend his home. I remember visiting them just after the famous Tony Martin case (the guy in Norwich who shot two burglars in his house) and he was gobsmacked when I told him that this guy had been arrested and jailed for killing the burglar, something which he (cousin) would have done without hesitation!

[Taunton Blue Genie]

I believe you get the kind of society you deserve. If, apparently, the majority of the American population are happy for everyone to own a gun for their own protection (against whom - it depends who you ask it seems?) then all it takes is a tiny minority of that population with some warped mentality to cause mayhem. The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing (Edmund Burke).

I had a cousin in Pennsylvania whose husband kept a rifle at home. A perfectly normal bloke, he used it for hunting but told me he was perfectly prepared to use it to defend his home. I remember visiting them just after the famous Tony Martin case (the guy in Norwich who shot two burglars in his house) and he was gobsmacked when I told him that this guy had been arrested and jailed for killing the burglar, something which he (cousin) would have done without hesitation!

I met a guy in Texas who shot dead a Mexican who had broken into his home (and got away with it scot-free) and a militia man who was convinced that the UN's intention was to take over the world and that he would be ready for them. He also thought that European leaders were communist. And who was out Prime Minister at the time? Margaret Thatcher. To think that such people have access to guns is truly frightening.

[Gofer Blue]

I met a guy in Texas who shot dead a Mexican who had broken into his home (and got away with it scot-free) and a militia man who was convinced that the UN's intention was to take over the world and that he would be ready for them. He also thought that European leaders were communist. And who was out Prime Minister at the time? Margaret Thatcher. To think that such people have access to guns is truly frightening.

I don't know if it's still the case now, as I haven't been there for at least 15 years, but I used to find most Americans were very insular/parochial in their attitude, with very few having travelled outside the USA. Hence plenty of scope for some pretty wacky ideas about foreign governments/foreigners. The exceptions were the people I used to meet on business trips who were working for the same multinational pharma company as me - they had a much more informed global outlook.

Most "ordinary" Americans who we met on our holiday travels were very polite and helpful, a strange paradox really. We had three very long road trip-type holidays over there so we were frequently well away from the usual touristy places. Most people had no idea where Wales was, if indeed they had heard of it at all!