Charlie Kirk and the costs of school shootings

Let me start by saying that the murder of Charlie Kirk is wrong.

I have listened to The Newsagents discussing the murder of Charlie Kirk. On the day he died, another school shooting took place in the USA, but this was not discussed.  This is because yet another school shooting in the USA is no longer news.

His comment about how it is “worth to have a cost of, unfortunately, some gun deaths every single year so that we can have the Second Amendment” is a price many advocates of Gun Rights do not pay. Sadly, this price was also paid by students at Evergreen High School, and I suspect that like many Americans, they did not agree with the price to pay for “Gun Freedom” in the USA.

I do feel a bit sorry for Charlie Kirk and the huge grief his loved ones feel, but my thoughts and prayers are with the victims of the school shooting that day, and the many other Americans who were murdered by gun violence yesterday, the deaths of whom are not getting the coverage of Charlie Kirk. 

Crime and being transgender

Sadly, there was another mass shooting in the USA, two children were murdered in Minneapolis in the USA. Some have felt the gender identity of the murderer is important, others have focused on the mental health issues. The obvious cause is simple, that is the availability of guns in the USA, an issue which I have posted about before. Basically, many people in the USA value lax gun controls over the lives of children. Also, it appears that being transgender makes it less likely that an individual will be the perpetrator of a mass shooting. It is my view that transwomen are more likely to be the victim of crime than the perpetrator. 

However, it is also important to note the figures about transwomen in UK prisons. That is that they do pose a greater risk to women than men do.  I mention this as it has been claimed that this is not the case. 

It is a shame that these awful murders are being used to demonise those with mental health issues. It is also wrong to blame the transgender community for the murders, facts and statistics show what risk they do not pose when it comes to mass shootings. 

Birthright Citizenship and Gun Controls

Trump wants to end Birthright Citizenship for the children of illegal (undocumented) migrants in the USA.  Is has decided to do this using an executive order, which from what many say, is not legal due to the constitution of the US.

What will be interesting is if this is allowed to happen.  If Trump is able to change the constitution using an Executive Order, then the next US president will be able to change Gun Control laws doing the same thing.  

It will be interesting to see how this plays out as I am not sure if those on the right realise the implications of this...

Getting shot for being lost

 Yes, another post about gun control in the USA. In my job, I have to visit people in their homes. Sometimes it can be hard to find the address, not just in new build areas where road signs are absent initially, but also in more rural areas. Most of the time I can ring for directions, but there are times that this has not been possible, or I have not been aware that I have gone to the wrong address. 

I have never been shot for this, something which happens too many times in the USA. I am aware that this is because lax gun laws are valued more than the deaths of innocent lives, and I am grateful that I do not face this risk here. 

The Massacre of the Innocents (again)

 Let me start by saying that I respect the decision of Americans to value the right to bear arms over the lives of children, the deaths of whom are an acceptable price for guns being available.  I just do not understand it. 

Another school shooting has taken place in the USA.  I am sure that there will be people who will blame this on issues of mental health, or transgenderism, rather than the issue of having decent gun controls. Living in the UK, we have legal firearms here. My job includes among other things, providing information on licences to the police who are responsible for the decision to issue them and I have no issues with legal firearms being used for hunting and also for sport.   

In the UK, in 1996, following a mass shooting killing primary school children and their teacher, a ban on handguns was imposed. Years before this, following a mass shooting in 1987, semi-automatic weapons had been banned. Since then, we have had incidents where the murder of more than one person has occurred, but these have been relatively rare, one example being, how Derrick Bird killed many innocent people, followed by the murderous rampage of Raoul Moat. But this was in 2010 and while mass murder has occurred since then on several occasions our most recent high profile case being in August 2021, we have lower rates of mass shootings than the USA. Gun crime exists here, but the rates are far lower than in nations like the USA, just like how the overall murder rate in the USA is higher than in other developed nations.

The call in the USA by many is for weapons like the AR-15 to be banned. Those who are against it cite the second amendment to the US constitution which allows the right to bear arms. But this was made in a time when a well trained person would take almost a minute to shoot three times. I have discussed this with my wife, and she is of the view that nothing will change in the USA. And to be fair, she may be right. Despite the murder of many young children in Sandy Hook, the AR-15 and similar weapons are still legal. This is probably due to the campaign contributions made by organisations like the NRA to protect the right of Americans to have them, though this has meant the continued murder of children in schools. Something that does not happen anywhere near as often outside the USA.

There is an argument for firearms to be used to defend schools in the USA, but they forget how Scot Peterson was the "Good Guy with a Gun" at the Parkland mass shooting affecting the Stoneman Douglas High School.

Basically, the only honest excuse for the USA allowing people to own more guns than the population of the USA is because guns are valued more than children.  I respect people who admit that, though obviously, I disagree with that equation.

And for those who point out the issues of knife crime in the UK, it is far easier to defend yourself from a knife than a gun.

Uvalde and the first few minutes

First of all, let me say how appalled I am at the death of children in Uvalde.  As explained by Trevor Noah below, while there was a delay in the response of the police to the shooting, most of the children would have died anyway due to the use of the AR-15.  An AR-15 was not around when the constitution of the USA was amended to allow people to have the right to bear arms, nor were mass shootings.

The good guy with a gun argument again is ruined, as there was a possibility that the murderer could have been stopped before he went on his killing spree.  But those on the right again are trying to resist gun controls, saying in effect that dead children are an acceptable price to pay for the right to own weapons like the AR-15.  

I am not going to repeat my previous posts on gun control in the UK, but guns are legal here and thanks to decent gun controls, things are far safer.  Yes, we have knife crime, but it is far easier to defend yourself against someone with a knife than it is someone with a gun.

Are the deaths of innocents an acceptable price to pay for lax gun controls in the USA?

Yes, this post is about the lack of sensible gun controls in the USA. there has been a mass shooting in a school, but also a hospital in the news. Living in the UK, we have legal firearms here. My job includes providing information on licences to the police who are responsible for the decision to issue them and I have no issues with legal firearms being used for hunting and also for sport. 

 

In the UK, in 1996, following the mass shooting killing primary school children and their teacher, a ban on handguns was imposed. Before this, following a mass shooting in 1987, semi-automatic weapons had been banned. Since then, we have had incidents where the murder of more than one person has occurred, but these have been relatively rare, one example being, how Derrick Bird killed many innocent people, followed by the murderous rampage of Raoul Moat. But this was in 2010 and while mass murder has occurred since then on several occasions our most recent high profile case being in August 2021, we have lower rates of mass shootings than the USA. Gun crime exists here, but the rates are far lower than in nations like the USA, just like how the overall murder rate in the USA is higher than in other developed nations. 

 

The call in the USA by many is for weapons like the AR-15 to be banned. Those who are against it cite the second amendment to the US constitution which allows the right to bear arms. But this was made in a time when a well trained person would take almost a minute to shoot three times. I have discussed this with my wife, and she is of the view that nothing will change in the USA. And to be fair, she may be right. Despite the murder of many young children in Sandy Hook, the AR-15 and similar weapons are still legal. This is probably due to the campaign contributions made by organisations like the NRA to protect the right of Americans to have them, though this has meant the continued murder of children in schools. Something that does not happen anywhere near as often outside the USA. 

 

There is an argument for firearms to be used to defend schools in the USA, but they forget how Scot Peterson was the "Good Guy with a Gun" at the Parkland mass shooting affecting the Stoneman Douglas High School. 

 

Others point to mental health being an issue, not guns, but we have mental health issues in the UK and other nations without mass shootings. The party in the US associated with fighting against Gun Controls, has also worked to limit access to healthcare and Trump himself made it easier for those with mental illness issues to get guns.  Violent video games, music and films have also been blamed, and while they may be a contributing factor, they also are present in developed nations other than the USA.

 

Thoughts and Prayers will not reduce the level of gun violence in the USA, action to bring in sensible gun controls will. But in the absence of such sensible gun controls, I just wish that those in the NRA just admitted that they consider the deaths of children to be an acceptable price to have weapons like the AR-15 and high capacity magazines.  They really need to consider why there are no drills for active shooters in Western European schools and universities.

I live in a nation with gun controls, we still have guns.

Living in the UK, we have legal firearms here.  My job includes providing information on licences to the police who are responsible for the decision to issue them.  I have no issues with legal firearms being used for hunting and also for sport.  

I type this due to two videos recently released in the US about the lack of gun controls. 

 

In the UK, in 1996, following the mass shooting in a school, a ban on handguns was imposed. Before this, following a mass shooting in 1987, semi-automatic weapons had been banned. Since then, we have had incidents where the murder of more than one person has occurred, but these have been relatively rare, one example being, how Derrick Bird killed many innocent people, followed by the murderous rampage of Raoul Moat. But this was in 2010 and while mass murder has occurred since then on several occasions, firearms have not been used as frequently to kill as many as occurs in the USA. Gun crime exists here, but the rates are far lower than in nations like the USA, just like how the overall murder rate in the USA is higher than in other developed nations. 

 

The call in the USA by many is for assault weapons to be banned. Those who are against it cite the second amendment to the US constitution which allows the right to bear arms. But this was made in a time when a well trained person would take almost a minute to shoot three times. I have discussed this with my wife, and she is of the view that nothing will change in the USA. And to be fair, she may be right. Despite the murder of many young children in Sandy Hook, assault weapons are still legal, and this is probably due to the campaign contributions made by organisations like the NRA to protect the right of Americans to have assault rifles, though this has meant the continued murder of children in schools. Something that does not happen anywhere near as often outside the USA.

There is an argument for firearms to be used to defend schools in the USA, but they forget how Scot Peterson was the "Good Guy with a Gun" at the Parkland mass shooting affecting the Stoneman Douglas High School.

Others point to mental health being an issue, not guns, but we have mental health issues in the UK and other nations without mass shootings.  Also the party in the US associated with fighting against Gun Controls, has also worked to limit access to healthcare.

Thoughts and Prayers will not reduce the level of gun violence in the USA, action to bring in sensible gun controls will.

Thoughts and Prayers May 2018

Yet more shootings have occurred in US schools.  Again.


The above video was recorded last year in response to the way that US politicians keep blaming mental health for these shootings which do not occur anywhere as frequently in developed nations with decent gun controls.

I am grateful that I live in a nation where I do not have to worry as much as parents in the USA that my children will be murdered at school. Danger is everywhere in all nations and the mass murder of children can happen in any western nation. It last happened in the UK in 1996, following which a ban on handguns was imposed. Before this, following a mass shooting in 1987, semi-automatic weapons had been banned.

Since then, we have had incidents where the murder of more than one person has occurred, but these have been rare, one example being, how Derrick Bird killed many innocent people, followed by the murderous rampage of Raoul Moat. But this was in 2010 and while mass murder has occurred since then on several occasions, firearms have not been used in this manner to kill so many. The thing is that guns are still legal in the UK, though there are restrictions on what guns can be owned.

Gun crime exists here, but the rates are far lower than in nations like the USA, just like how the overall murder rate in the USA is higher than in other developed nations. The call in the USA by many is for assault weapons to be banned. Those who are against it cite the second amendment to the US constitution which allows the right to bear arms. But this was made in a time when a well trained person would take almost a minute to shoot three times. I have discussed this with my wife, and she is of the view that nothing will change in the USA. And to be fair, she may be right. After the murders of very young children in Sandy Hook, assault weapons are still legal, and this is probably due to the campaign contributions made by organisations like the NRA to protect the right of Americans to have assault rifles, though this has meant the continued murder of children in schools. Something that does not happen anywhere near as often outside the USA.  And when it is okay to kill kids aged between six and seven, teenagers have no chance of being protected by gun laws.  Which means, that other than the ban on bump stocks, Trump is not going to act to stop the continued mass murder of American children in schools.

Gun Controls do not mean banning all guns

I am grateful that I live in a nation where I do not have to worry as much as parents in the USA that my children will be murdered at school.

Danger is everywhere in all nations and the mass murder of children can happen in any western nation.  It last happened in the UK in 1996, following which a ban on handguns was imposed.  Before this, following a mass shooting in 1987, semi-automatic weapons had been banned.  Since then, we have had incidents where the murder of more than one person has occurred, but these have been rare, one example being, how Derrick Bird killed many innocent people, followed by the murderous rampage of Raoul Moat.  But this was in 2010 and while mass murder has occurred since then on several occasions, firearms have not been used in this manner to kill so many.

The thing is that guns are still legal in the UK, though there are restrictions on what guns can be owned.  Gun crime exists here, but the rates are far lower than in nations like the USA, just like how the overall murder rate in the USA is higher than in other developed nations.

The call in the USA by many is for assault weapons to be banned.  Those who are against it cite the second amendment to the US constitution which allows the right to bear arms.  But this was made in a time when a well trained person would take almost a minute to shoot three times.

I have discussed this with my wife, and she is of the view that nothing will change in the USA.  And to be fair, she may be right.  After the murder of many young children in Sandy Hook, assault weapons are still legal, and this is probably due to the campaign contributions made by organisations like the NRA to protect the right of Americans to have assault rifles, though this has meant the continued murder of children in schools.  Something that does not happen anywhere near as often outside the USA.