Xmas, 2012, remember

[Brian]

A very Merry Christmas to all !
This is a sad time for the people who died and those who will never be the same after the horrible massacre in Newtown....and now, those firefighters in upstate New York. The response of the NRA is both shocking and disgusting. How dare they say that the answer to gun violence is more guns. Assholes. PLEASE, our American friends, write, phone, do something to let your federal representatives, and senators know, in no uncertain terms, two things : 1, there needs to be new, and very strong legislation against assault guns of any sort, and 2, that the NRA's lobby status must be revoked, and 3, ALEC (the non registered lobby organization that influences most of the pro-big business legislation in the USA) must register, and must stop buying off congress and the senate at both the state and federal level. ALEC is the subversive underground ultra right government, and they are VERY, VERY scary. Google who belongs, who finances, and what laws they have changed. They are corrupting the very foundation of the democracy that you love. These people are the worm in the apple.They are morally as corrupt as Satan.
To do these things, and to act upon what you learn, would be the most wonderful gift you could give to the democracy that so many believed in, fought for, and sacrificed for....this should be your Christmas gift to your country.
I love all our friends, and I wish every single person a bright and a wonderful period of love for others, love for yourselves, and the will to share the best of who we all are.
brian

[Brian]

There were 3 things, not 2....sorry for this little mistake.

[angel]

Merry Christmas Brian! It's so sad, so many tiny beings that never got to see their next Christmas.

[legalweapon]

A belated Merry Christmas and a very wonderful New Year to you too, Brian (and to all the users of the message board).

You are absolutely right, it must have been tragically unbearable for those who have lost their dear ones in such dreadful circumstances.
And some of the responses from the gun lobby and the gun enthusiasts have been appalling.
Some even say: "They do not take away my car because there are drink drivers, why should they take away my gun because there are gun crimes?" and other similar nonsense.
Well, for a start, nobody would expect a person to drive a Formula One car in a normal street, so why should they allow assault weapons to be used as "self-defence" weapons?
Nobody would let a person with serious psychological problems drive a car, so why should there not be checks on who has a gun permit?
One would not allow an inexperienced driver to drive an articulated lorry, so why some 18 years old kid should be allowed a powerful gun?
And any given person drives one car, not five car, storing 600 gallons of gasoline, so why should a person own a large number of guns and an enormous quantity of bullets?
Finally, comparing a car and a gun, one of the two has been designed and built with the specific purpose of hurt and possibly kill, whilst the other may kill, but usually is used to take us around the roads.
Here in the UK there was a massacre in Hungerford, years ago, and they banned semi-automatic weapons. Then, in the 90s, an evil scumbag murdered 16 school children and their teacher, and they banned handguns altogether.
There were protest marches instigated by the gun lobby and the "Countryside Alliance" (those morons who dress in their riding jacket and watch a fox being eaten alive by dogs, shouting "Tally-ho!") and they are still fighting the ban but, for once, the government is not budging.
The lesson has been learned and at a high price.
Hopefully, one day that will happen for our friends in the US.

Nobody should have unfettered access to such powerful weapons, simple as that.

And this world would be a far better place if we got rid of a lot of weapons.

... except maybe for giant dragonflies, the size of Manhattan with enough power to blow planets off... but that is because giant dragonflies are the coolest thing in both universes.