Posted by jono_in_adelaide on December 21, 2012, at 21:14:09 [reposted on December 22, 2012, at 17:00:36 | original URL]
In reply to Re: The NRA, posted by schleprock on December 21, 2012, at 21:01:46
In Australia back in 2006, a mentaly deranged man enacted one of the worlds worst mass shootings at a small tourist town called Port Arthur.
In the aftermath, our (conservative, right wing) federal government passed laws that
*restricted assult rifles to the defence force and special police units. No more were allowed to be sold, and existing weapons were brought back by the government and destroyed
*persons wanting a firearm had to prove legitimate need (ie, farmer, hunter etc)
*target shooters could have ahdn guns, but they had to be stored in a gun safe at the gun club, they couldnt be taken home
*a person wanting a firearms licence had to be assessed by the police, producre references as to his good character, and there was a 28 day waiting period
The Prime Minister got a lot of flack from the far right, but he pusehd the laws through.
Since then, there hasnt been a mass shooting in Australia (we had had quite a few previously), also, gun related violence and suicides among young men have dropped dramaticly
I know America isnt Australia, but change can be effected if the will is there.
poster:jono_in_adelaide
thread:1033555
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20120929/msgs/1033558.html