BBC: "Life in the US with guns"

[cuchulainn]

From the BBC's children's site.

The kid's numbers are way high. She probably used old numbers from the early 1990s.

Updated 01 January 2003, 14.25

Life in the US with guns

Melissa thinks there should be stricter gun laws in America.
She lives in the US and thinks guns are dangerous.

"In social studies class we talked about how so many people are killed by guns each year.

About 15,000 people are killed intentionally by handguns in the United States, however in Great Britain, no more than a few dozen are killed each year.

Accidents

That 15,000 doesn't include suicides (about 18,000) and unintentional deaths (about 1,500).

Altogether that's about 34,500 people who were killed by guns alone. Every day there is news about a murder victim, or a child who was accidentally killed by a gun.

Lock-down drill

We have to do "lock-down" drills at school, where we turn out the lights and sit in the back of the classroom away from the doors and windows, as if an intruder had come into the school.

On April 25, 1999, at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado, two shooters killed 13 people, and afterwards killed themselves.

Police

My country's lack of gun control has taken the lives of thousands each year, and we need to do something about it.

My social studies teacher said that police officers in England often don't carry around a gun in their belt, but every officer in the U.S. has a gun at their side.

People say they need the guns as protection, but they wouldn't need the protection if we had gun control."

Melissa, Pensylvania, USA

 

[nemesis]

Melissa seems to be a highly qualified expert to be providing such testimony. I'd say her credibility in such matters is about the same as a head of cabbage.

 

[El Tejon]

When did Melissa get elected Speaker of the House in California?

 

[JPM70535]

While I support Melissas right to believe the way she does, she labors under the delusion that if there were no guns, there would be no crime. (Of a violent nature)

The fallacy of this belief is evident if one merely goes back in history to a time before guns, and discovers that indeed crime was rampant. From the time when Cain slew Abel, mankind has been commiting crimes of violence against their fellow man.

The difference the gun has made is that thanks to its invention, the world is no longer ruled by Neanderthals whose size insured dominance prior to its creation. What the gun did was level the playing field.

As to the Police in England not carrying guns, that is becoming less and less true. More English police are carrying guns (not necessarily in the open,rather in a pocket) than their government will admit.

Violent crimes are increasing daily and the Criminals know that as long as the populace is without guns ( the means of self defense ) in the hands of the people, all that is needed is a knife,or a club, or a rock and their success is assured.

Perhaps Melissa sincerely believes that the taking of a human life even in defense of herself and or her loved ones is wrong and that is certainly her right, she and her kind (Sheepels) have no right to try and impose her pacifism on the rest of us.

 

[Diesle]

These eduactors somehow feel its in the best interest of the child to teach statistical jibberish. These kids arnt old or knowledgable enough to seriously question the scewed facts..... But, I guess in many casses, neither are the educators...

Id like to hear from the educators on why exactly it is they reenforce what they know is obviously weighted jibber jabber.

Diesle

 

[Rangerover]

I'd say her credibility in such matters is about the same as a head of cabbage.

Your insight is impeccable and it would be impossible for me to agree more.

Well said.

 

[Tommy.Gun]

 

[4v50 Gary]

I'd love to see the BBC pay for a trip to Merry Ole England for Melissa. Melissa can find out first hand the consequences of gun bans and how they don't work. She can watch the funerals of the gang bangers who die because of fights over drug turf - just like here.

 

[Wildalaska]

Missing the point here..its not WHAT Melissa says...nor her credibility...but rather...what she is being TAUGHT in social studies class...

Just another example of how important it is to MAINSTREAM firearms again and shut down the radicals on both sides....

 

[PATH]

BBC. Yes the BBC. Are they reporting the recent release of documents showing the British Government wanted to move people out of Northern Ireland and into the Republic of Ireland. I believe the term is called ethnic cleansing.

Is the BBC reporting on how the government wants to do awayu with jury trials in Britain. No! I think not. The clods at the BBC spout the socialist line in keeping with the present disarm the peasants mentalitiy in Britain.

 

[Sodbuster]

I'd say her credibility in such matters is about the same as

Amy Carter's was during the Carter administration when Jimmy shared her thoughts on nuclear weapons with the world.

 

[jmbg29]

From the time when Cain slew Abel, mankind has been commiting crimes of violence against their fellow man.

Eve eventually gave up on the One Mommy March. Try as she might, she just couldn't talk God into banning rocks.

 

[WonderNine]

Where's the puke smily when you need it.

 

[dave]

"People say they need the guns as protection, but they wouldn't need the protection if we had gun control." by cuchulainn



Yeah, kind of like the "gun control" they have in Britan, eh?

 

[sm]

What Melissa is being Taught--here in the US--concerns me.
Kids used to (I was) taught at home some morals, values, ethics,and about FIREARMS. Schools used to teach firearms in school also. I have nieces and nephews , I listen to what they are being taught...not always good.
Parents are not doing thier job IMO, and we wonder why kids turn out as they do.

Concerns me, but at least we are armed and can rid ourselves of "attack squirrels".

 

[WonderNine]

My social studies teacher said that police officers in England often don't carry around a gun in their belt, but every officer in the U.S. has a gun at their side.

Then disarm the police!!!