European Press Reactions: Blaming Charlton Heston - International - SPIEGEL ONLINE - News
EUROPEAN PRESS REACTIONS
Blaming Charlton Heston
With a view to Monday's deadly shooting rampage at Virginia Tech, European newspapers are blaming the lack of gun control measures in the United States and implying that Charlton Heston is indirectly responsible for the scope of the killings.
Dumb. Yeah, it's Heston's fault. What about the people who wrote and adopted the Constitution? What about all the federal employees who swear an oath to uphold the Constitution?
Papers reserve their sharpest criticism for the 2004 expiration of a 10-year ban on semi-automatic weapons under the then Republican-controlled Congress.
The attack was done with plain old hanguns. Not assault rifles, which are basically ordinary rifles that look scary, and have scopes, stocks and bayonettes.
British daily The Independent writes:
"The passionate feelings of the gun lobby may be traced to the Second Amendment of the US Constitution, enshrining 'the right of the people to keep and bear arms'.
Yeah, that freedom thing again.
Although the provision stems from the times when 'well regulated militias' were deemed necessary to protect against a British attempt to regain the lost colonies, it is the default position of any argument against greater gun control here."
Actually is was to protect us against an overbearing government, not the british. That's why Madison called it the most important right.
"As such, it has trumped every other consideration, not least the fact that on any given day about 80 people are killed by firearms, the vast majority by murder or suicide. Gun violence may cost $2.3 billion each year in medical expenses, but it is a price, gun supporters believe, that is worth paying to protect a fundamental freedom ..."
Oh, and declaring war on gun owners, and breaking down the doors of 33% of the citizenry who lawfully own guns and igniting a civil war, well, that won't cost anything, or harm any lives at all.
Besides the fact that guns are used to STOP crimes every single day. Without legal guns, crime will rise. Just like crime in England, Mexico, Jamaica, and other countries that don't have legalized firearms ownership have higher death rates from guns.
"There is no sign of attitudes hardening. Despite the opposition of every police force in the land, Congress in 2004 allowed to lapse a 10-year federal ban on semi-automatic assault weapons, a particular favorite of violent criminals.
Actually, assault weapons were very rarely used by criminals. An assault weapon is an ordinary rifle, with 3 out of the following 5 things: folding stock, scope, removable magazine, bayonette mount, flash supressor, pistol grip. None of these attributes makes the gun more dangerous or deadly. They just look cooler! Totally cosmetic.
The reaction was not exactly deafening. Even amid yesterday's shock, the initial calls were for stricter security measures on campuses -- not serious moves to reduce gun ownership."
French daily Le Monde writes:
"This new tragedy presents a new opportunity for American public opinion to interrogate itself about a society which, as one of the students who survived Columbine said at the time, is very much responsible for what has happened."
Yeah, this from a country where the muslims riot and burn cars every day, and the government has said that only official news agencies can talk about this. And the official news agencies sweep it under the rug. Fix your own problems, France.
So one guy goes crazy, and the whole society needs to look at itself. BS. This guy came from Korea. Is Korea going to look at itself? Let's face it, Europe dislikes us, because they decided to make an alliance with the Middle East years ago to offset the power of the U.S. Power politics. Not some "moral high ground" What a joke. This is an opportunity for them to rip on our country. Whatever.
EUROPEAN PRESS REACTIONS
Blaming Charlton Heston
With a view to Monday's deadly shooting rampage at Virginia Tech, European newspapers are blaming the lack of gun control measures in the United States and implying that Charlton Heston is indirectly responsible for the scope of the killings.
Dumb. Yeah, it's Heston's fault. What about the people who wrote and adopted the Constitution? What about all the federal employees who swear an oath to uphold the Constitution?
Papers reserve their sharpest criticism for the 2004 expiration of a 10-year ban on semi-automatic weapons under the then Republican-controlled Congress.
The attack was done with plain old hanguns. Not assault rifles, which are basically ordinary rifles that look scary, and have scopes, stocks and bayonettes.
British daily The Independent writes:
"The passionate feelings of the gun lobby may be traced to the Second Amendment of the US Constitution, enshrining 'the right of the people to keep and bear arms'.
Yeah, that freedom thing again.
Although the provision stems from the times when 'well regulated militias' were deemed necessary to protect against a British attempt to regain the lost colonies, it is the default position of any argument against greater gun control here."
Actually is was to protect us against an overbearing government, not the british. That's why Madison called it the most important right.
"As such, it has trumped every other consideration, not least the fact that on any given day about 80 people are killed by firearms, the vast majority by murder or suicide. Gun violence may cost $2.3 billion each year in medical expenses, but it is a price, gun supporters believe, that is worth paying to protect a fundamental freedom ..."
Oh, and declaring war on gun owners, and breaking down the doors of 33% of the citizenry who lawfully own guns and igniting a civil war, well, that won't cost anything, or harm any lives at all.
Besides the fact that guns are used to STOP crimes every single day. Without legal guns, crime will rise. Just like crime in England, Mexico, Jamaica, and other countries that don't have legalized firearms ownership have higher death rates from guns.
"There is no sign of attitudes hardening. Despite the opposition of every police force in the land, Congress in 2004 allowed to lapse a 10-year federal ban on semi-automatic assault weapons, a particular favorite of violent criminals.
Actually, assault weapons were very rarely used by criminals. An assault weapon is an ordinary rifle, with 3 out of the following 5 things: folding stock, scope, removable magazine, bayonette mount, flash supressor, pistol grip. None of these attributes makes the gun more dangerous or deadly. They just look cooler! Totally cosmetic.
The reaction was not exactly deafening. Even amid yesterday's shock, the initial calls were for stricter security measures on campuses -- not serious moves to reduce gun ownership."
French daily Le Monde writes:
"This new tragedy presents a new opportunity for American public opinion to interrogate itself about a society which, as one of the students who survived Columbine said at the time, is very much responsible for what has happened."
Yeah, this from a country where the muslims riot and burn cars every day, and the government has said that only official news agencies can talk about this. And the official news agencies sweep it under the rug. Fix your own problems, France.
So one guy goes crazy, and the whole society needs to look at itself. BS. This guy came from Korea. Is Korea going to look at itself? Let's face it, Europe dislikes us, because they decided to make an alliance with the Middle East years ago to offset the power of the U.S. Power politics. Not some "moral high ground" What a joke. This is an opportunity for them to rip on our country. Whatever.
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