THE solution to eradicating mass shootings is to introduce more guns into the population, only this time in the hands of guards at schools.
That’s if you choose to believe the US National Rifle Association, the biggest and most powerful lobby group for the weapons industry in the US of A.
This brilliant idea comes from the mouth of Wayne LaPierre, the NRA’s vice-president, just a week after 20 children were killed in Connecticut, along with eight adults.
It was announced at a press conference where LaPierre blamed violent video games, the media and lax law enforcement for the numerous shootings in schools and other public places that have become as much a feature of life in America as the four-yearly presidential elections.
Only, the shootings come more often and with more violence.
So the NRA sees the solution as good guys with guns to combat bad guys with guns. No restrictions on the sale of firearms at all.
The arrogance of the NRA was evident in that neither LaPierre nor the group’s president, David Keene, would answer any questions from the media present. Of course, the US media have themselves to blame too as they have become lapdogs for this lobby or that and are now viewed as easily buyable.
The NRA, thus, thinks it is fine for a man on the street to own an M-16 or a Kalashnikov. And in support of this, no doubt many crazies would cite the second amendment of the US constitution which refers to a period long ago in the country’s history when turf wars were being fought.
In states: “A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.” It was adopted in 1791 and has no relevance to the state as it exists in 2012.
But try telling that to the NRA or any of the millions of gun nuts in the US of A.