uni shooting, page-65

Can't really agree with you that gun control is a good idea, Clacoste.

The US college shooting incident is indeed a tragic thing, as have been all of those types of incidents we have witnessed as news items over recent and not-so-recent years: Columbine, Huddle Street, Port Arthur, Dunblane, etc. There have been not a few of them by now.

Yet, as terrible as these kinds of incidents are, the numbers of victims are relatively small (I accept that this is no solace should you happen to be one of them) if we compare them with the numbers of road victims, of sports-related or alcohol-related killed and injured, to give just a few examples. Few people suggest we should ban cars, sports activities or alcohol. The things people DO campaign to ban are guns, cigarettes, and drugs. (The banning of drugs is more understandable, given what a monstrous scourge of our society it is ... although, once again, it could be debated as to whether prohibition is the best answer.)

It bothers me quite a bit to see that the media is again quick to fan the flames for a further increase in gun control (e.g., the Sunrise program on 7 this morning). I believe that gun control is a huge mistake and, although I myself have no interest in guns (I have not owned one for some 40 years), I do resent the fact that my freedom to defend myself and my loved ones has been taken from me.

I can¡¯t help but wonder where the so-called ¡®do-gooders¡¯ in our society are coming from. Why would you want to take these very basic rights from law-abiding citizens and make life easier for lowlifes to invade people's homes and, without provocation, to beat up perfect strangers on the street. I have no statistics, but I wager that the victims of such violence would outnumber all shooting victims, whether deliberate or accidental.

I will not spell out all the arguments, but will suggest that you take a look at the almost everything presented and documented there: http://home.overflow.net.au/~nedwood/guns.html
I do not know or have any connection at all with the author or publisher of that site. I just happen to agree very strongly with what I read there. I found the website when I went looking on the net this morning after listening to remarks on Channel 7's Sunrise program this morning which suggested that gun control possibly needed further tightening here. God spare Us!

More than anything else I agree with the author of the website that proper debate of this issue was never really permitted in Australia. And it is disturbing, I think, that the media are now using this most recent tragedy to push this barrow once again.

Probably, many people will not agree with me. That¡¯s their right, but I¡¯m just expressing my own feelings on the matter, for what they¡¯re worth and that¡¯s MY right.

It would be interesting to know just how many people really DO agree with gun control. I suspect it¡¯s not as many as some would have us believe.

Anyway, have a good day.
Tez