The thing
@Aussie Willy is that you make the same posts over and over and over each time there is news of a shooting.
So does everyone, with regards to guns anyway. That's the tragedy. Every time it's the same "discussion". Then it dies down until the next time.
So what
is happening to change this in the US? Are there protests? Are more people voting? Are people contacting their members of congress? It is the same discussion every time - but that's not just from non Americans - it's from everyone. Pro guns people say if so and so was armed it would be better, anti guns say we don't need the gun that was used, and everything in between.
So I'm asking honestly, what are you doing about it? What is your neighbour, community, friends and family doing about it? What is your state, your local congressman etc. doing about it? What is your country doing about it?
Because from where I stand, it's nothing. Prayers and thought and vigils and talk isn't changing anything. I'm not saying you're doing nothing, just that it seems like that. So what are you (collective you) doing to change the discussion and the situation?
If the majority of the people want change, how do they make that happen in the US? Do the majority of the people want change? Seems some (many?) believe that arming more people is the answer, and others want less, or a restriction on guns. So there's the stalemate.
And yes, it's hard as a non-American to see these tragedies happen as well. And it is hard to see the same discussion with no obvious changes. The US is a hugely powerful country, and yet the only one with this problem.
When I bring up Australia's solution, it isn't to rub anyone's face in it, it's to give hope that there is a solution. Is it the same solution for every country? No, probably not, like I said we don't have the same gun culture (or second amendment) in Australia. But there must be a solution. When I hear people say "we can't do that" it pisses me off (like when people say you can't change the second amendment- yes, you can. It's really hard and complicated, and may not be the best way to go, but it is possible). It's especially annoying to be dismissed without coming up with something else. So it's hard to change the second amendment, what can you do instead?
The US *can* do things to fix this. It's not going to be easy, in fact it'll be hard and complicated, and you'll need a majority of people (or at least a lot of powerful people), but to just say things can't happen is not going to change anything.
To dismiss non-Americans views is also not the right way - God knows, the US needs all the help it can get, and maybe it does take some outside views to help give some hope and make some change.
It always looks to me - as an outsider - that the same discussion comes up each time there is a tragedy and then dies down until the next tragedy. I always think it's better having these discussions - actual discussion to talk solutions and try and reach a compromise - when emotions aren't running so high (which is actually the opposite of what happened in Australia, our leaders took advantage of high emotions to change things).
Has anyone in this thread changed their mind about what changes should happen since the last thread like this? Has any politician changed their view (either way) since? Do Americans in general feel that the situation is hopeless? Honestly, it is hard to think things will ever change, and that could be why things aren't - it's hard to keep fighting when you don't see any results.
I'm usually in favour of discussions, and I think something good to come of out this is the open support for the LGBT community. I'm sad to read that the support and discussion may not be there on a smaller scale in workplaces and neighbourhoods.
Yeah, we realise that a shop keeper would not know if a person had any issues. That's kind of the problem there. Since it's impossible to get through all these complex layers of information and do proper background checks, surely the only plausible solution would be to stop selling guns to private individuals! Duh...
