Guns---why so important in the USA?

Americans love their guns and the Second Amendment entrenches their right to bear them. One would think that the majority of Americans support this stance. Not so, but to change it would require a massive swing in public opinion for what has been a part of American history. That the powerful NRA has fought long and hard, backed up by powerful lobby groups and politicians from both parties make the prospect of change almost impossible.

Sure there has been law change, some lasting only a few years around the access to guns and the type of guns able to be procured, but guns remain a factor in the lives of many Americans. I heard that there are as many if not more gun stores in the USA as MacDonald’s. Is that a myth or a fact? If it is true, you can figure out for yourselves what that says about the USA.

Semi-automatics, assault rifles; call them what you like, are available with ‘checks’ by the authorities and of course there is the black market. How many guns are purchased through the latter? No one knows. It seems pretty obvious that the underworld provides for its own and in the USA that is a large sector of society.

There has been a great deal of debate about the issue of classification of assault rifles and semi-automatics. I actually don’t give a stuff about that, because it clouds the real issue. Too many Americans are dying because some prat gets hold of a gun or guns and goes on the rampage.

Then the debate shifts to the user of guns being a ‘sick person’ who has been let down by ‘mental health agencies.’ Of course that is true. We know about then lessening of the State mental health services here, in New Zealand. We have simply replicated the same philosophy as the USA when it comes to ‘public spending’ and then reap the obvious flow-ons.

For those hard-arsed (NZ spelling) people who say that ‘killers’ will still kill, but that they will use other methods, like knives, I say----When did you last hear of a knife wielding, mentally health challenged, crazy, criminal killers slaughtering 20 plus people. I rest my case on that issue.

America--- you are not alone in having mass slaughter. Just watch the news every night to observe the more extreme as seen in the Middle East and other far off nations and you will see slaughter on a massive scale. BUT---is there any other country in the world where there may be more than one gun for every person in the country? Does that not tell you something about ‘greatest country on earth?’

Please don’t get me wrong. I am not an anti-USA basher. I make connections with many Americans on a daily basis through social media circles available and I admire much about the contribution of American ideals and products. It’s just that you have this terrible Achilles Heel when it comes to GUNS and their use.