>>>I can only hope that next generations in the US will change their minds
>>
>>But has it really changed? There were mass shooting just last year in Alphen aan den Rijn:
>>http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-16176658
>>
>>Tristan van der Vlis, later killed himself. He was a member of a local gun club and legally owned three guns - despite having previously been a resident at a psychiatric institution.
>
>>What is most surprising to me (regarding the laws) is how he owned them legally.
>
>You can drum up multiple of these kind of incidents, anywhere. This particular case, in hindsight, he should never have gotten a permit. So it was identified something went wrong here, and now there are more strict rules and a lot more emphasis on enforcing them. but at least there was some action taken to try to prevent this from happening again
>
>You can never entirely prevent this from happening, as long as guns are available. But its the incidence that is the important factor here, which is much higher in the US than it is here in Europe. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_firearm-related_death_rate

Do you know the rate per capita? Regardless, the causes behind mass shooting need to be looked at.

The U.S. also has something most of Europe does not have: A 36% percent minority population (higher in younger age groups: 50.4% of American children under the age of 1 are in a minority groups) that has been victimized for generations because of our extremely aggressive war on drugs. Most Europeans employ a treatment approach while America employs a "lock em up" approach.

As you yourself stated, stats can be drummed up to support any argument. What is tiring is the propensity for some folks to continuously attack the U.S. while disregarding the issues in their own countries and yet vehemently denying it while doing so. Enough. Yes things need to change, but there are serious issues in the U.S. and western Europe that need addressing as well - mental illness, bullying, and the war on drugs are some of those, not just gun control. The U.S. is only your punching bag because the media perpetuates it and you all become fixated on anything American. It is clearly demonstrated here over the past few years. I am sometimes still surprised at the infatuation you all have with the U.S. and everything American. It's too be expected when the media overseas focuses so heavily (and here at home) on tragedies like these - and they should provoke discussions and changes where necessary. But there is definitely a propensity for some to focus on everything negative and gloss over the same in their own countries on a daily basis.


http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/00000.html