"Dave Smith" > wrote in message
...
> On 17/12/2012 1:55 PM, graham wrote:
>> http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/story/2...nald-guns.html
>>
>>
> In the minds of some people, anyone who owns and uses guns, even only for
> target shooting, is a "gun nut". I might be considered one by people like
> that because I own a number of rifles, shotguns and handguns, all of which
> are used exclusively for target shooting. I have never advocated using
> guns for self defence and I am opposed to the idea of people carrying
> handguns in public, open or concealed.
>
> There really isn't much difference between an assault rifle and a target
> rifle or hunting rifle. They come on different calibres and the bullets
> share the same ballistics. Maybe it is the image of a combat weapon that
> scares some people, or impresses the bejeepers out of the real gun nuts.
>
> What I objected to in the article is where the author rejected the comment
> from a Utah congressmen who commented on the underlying mental health
> issue.
>
> I do not question that there is a major problem with gun violence in the
> US. I look at incidents like a young child dressed as a skunk getting
> shot by an uncle, a yahoo shooting fleeing burglars in his neighbour's
> hard, the daily crime related murders, the accidental shootings with
> carelessly stored firearms, the drunken arguments that end up with someone
> grabbing a gun and shooting a friend or loved one.
>
> When someone barges into a school and shoots 20 children, a bunch of
> adults and then himself.... it is a mental health issue.


There was someone on NPR earlier today that said almost all deadly shootings
have been young males 17-24 that had mental problems. Mostly with
depression and a feeling of hopelessness.

Also I read that although the US has much higher number of deaths by gun,
that the rate of crimes of burglary and muggings are about the same as
countries that have strict gun control. The point being the amount of crime
not being so different, the difference is access to guns.