oldeurope,
I am a bit late as my schedule has not put me close to a computer since the aforementioned happened. After reading through the thread I noticed you started as a guest and have joined the form. Welcome.
Please be advised, however, that when you start a conversation throwing "rocks" here, there will be some incoming shortly thereafter. There are strongly held beliefs from a variety of folks. And they will let you know. IM Haz and ask the difference between clips and magazines.
I understand that you have visited our country and have some unique viewpoints. I also understand that there are different mindsets: Old Europe (the place not your name) and the New World (the USA). There is a reason for the differentiation. Just a quick history lesson: The USA was formed by people who threw off the "old" world thought of control to a "new" world of freedom. When you break down the gun issue addressed here it will go back to that simple concept. You mentioned, "
Practically there are too many people not responsible enough or just too plain stupid to handle guns responsibly. Also, the 2nd amendment is too often used as a sorry excuse by guncrazy idiots. Freedoms are cool, when people can handle them." When approached from a control standpoint (old world thought) this would seem to be a logical progression. The question I would ask is: Who will be the arbiter of responsibly? Who decides? This becomes the proverbial "sticky wicket". You are at the mercy of the powers that be at the time. Now I could insert an ominous reference to some bad guy, but I will let you insert your own.
As for the Freedom standpoint (new world thought), everyone has "inalienable rights" (We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights...) in other words, when the new world threw off the shackles of the old world used the very document that declared our independence to show that freedom was the basis and not control. This was further illustrated by the Bill of Rights that included the dreaded 2nd Amendment. The rights mentioned therein are limits to the government's power not the individual's. Without the 2nd amendment the rest are just some good ideas on paper. The 2nd gives the Bill of Rights teeth. Dig up King George and ask him.
Now that I've bored you completely, back to the issue at hand. When one uses an isolated incident, that person's world view will temper how the incident is viewed. This is why you ran afoul of most here. The loss of a child's life in such an unnecessary manner sickens all. To add a political agenda to that loss would raise the ire of any "new worlder".
Thanks for joining and I look forward to future conversations. Just remember, if you are asking questions to advance an agenda there will be some spirited exchanges. If you ask with an open mind the exchanges may still be spirited but you will learn as will we.