Guns

The shocking recent murder of 20 children and six teachers in a Connecticut school by a young man armed with an assault rifle has once again revived the debate on US gun culture.

Guns are endemic in America with 310 million in circulation or one per head of population. The key issues are the types of weapons available, the ease of acquiring them, the kind of people who get their finger on the trigger and the culture surrounding their use.

In a country where there are ten times as many licenced firearms stores as McDonald's outlets and where the fastest growing segment of the market is military-style assault weaponry it is unsurprising that many are now saying that the key counter-argument to greater gun control — that it is not the gun but the person using it that matters — is losing currency.

The mood in America may indeed be changing with a number of key congressmen suggesting that greater controls are necessary — but then the same was said after other outrages, including, just five years ago, the deadliest school shooting in history at Virginia Tech.

One critical player in the whole debate is the National Riffle Association, a powerful lobby group. Their contribution to the debate has included suggesting that the response to this latest outrage should include providing armed guards in every school in the country.

Free training in gun use is now being provided to teachers in many states with a fourth grade teacher in Utah telling the media after a workout with a 9mm Ruger pistol, 'I don't think you can be too prepared.'

Such a response to America's problem with weapons makes my blood freeze — surely the right approach is to row back on their near universal availability? The President is trying — I wish him luck.