I am sitting here at work, looking at the students around me, and wondering if any of them is secretly angry enough to want to kill. They all look harmless enough, perfectly pleasant, in fact – but then, the same was probably true of many (most?) of the students who have killed their classmates. Frightening to think that, at the end of the day, one really has no idea what is going on in someone else's head ...
I am glad that we have such strict strict gun-control laws here in England. Since the person in the street isn't allowed to own a hand gun or a pistol of any description, let alone an assault weapon, our students can’t just stroll into a shop and buy a gun. Neither are there likely to be guns in their parents' homes. Which dramatically reduces the chances of their running amok with one. Thank goodness.
A New Beginning
12 years ago
4 comments:
When we studied in Cambridge, every host family had hunting weapons, and my own "host father" had an arsenal under his bed. He had a 3 year old girl and a 6 year old boy, and I caught them playing with the guns more than once :(
Yuck. You should have reported him - hunting weapons are supposed to be kept locked up. I'm surprised by your experience - none of the people I know has even the slightest desire to own a hunting weapon. And, because of the laws concerning other types of guns, they defintely do not own rifles, pistols etc etc ... which may be why our gun death rates are so very much lower than those in the US (and South Africa, though obviously that's more complex).
No guns here either following a massacre in Tasmania some years ago. At the time there was a small outcry from the gun lobby but I am sure they all sleep more peacefully and send their children off to school feeling confidant they will come home.
Our police do have guns … I believe that the “British Bobby’s” do not, is that true?
I don’t think we need guns. If you want to participate as a sporting shooter you can and we have several Olympic Gold Medallists so the sport is thriving despite the banns on guns.
I feel very sorry for all concerned, the families, the teachers and the co-workers. I hope you don’t feel too worried Annalise.
ITA wiht you about the guns but I disagree about the students. Most if not all of them had serious mental issues that were apparent before they snapped. Which means that if mental health issues are addressed and kids are actually supported, they would be less likely to go and shoot their schools up.
As you know I support a kid with severe mental health and violence issues and if he had access to guns, I am not sure how it would play out. Even though we've not succeeded in getting him the help he needs, at least we know he hasn't got access. Which is something ;)
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