Editor Amandala
Sir,

Sometime ago, probably in the late 60’s a young university student attending a university in Texas climbed to the top of a bell tower and, using a rifle, systematically began to assassinate students who were on the campus below. How many were killed that day I cannot recall, but the amount was in the forties. It was one of the first acts of terrorism in the U.S.A that I read about.

Over the years, there have been many such acts, many of them not reported or under-reported, meaning that the American media may have mentioned it once or twice. Sometimes, I suppose, not enough were killed to be of any importance.

Anyway, home grown terrorism was not supposed to be happening in one of the finest examples of a democratic nation. Citizens were supposed to be satisfied with the best the world had to offer – health care, shelter, education, pension plans and friendship in all walks of life. Was there a problem? There must have been one.

As a child, I can remember going to the Majestic cinema on Sundays for the matinee. For me, the best part of the matinee was the cartoon shown at the beginning. I remember Elmer Fudd trying desperately to murder the rabbit, Bugs Bunny. His weapon of choice was the double-barreled shotgun. I also remember Wylie Coyote and the Road Runner. Wylie was trying to kill Road Runner (apparently for no reason), but his choice of weapon was dynamite. I think he invented I.E.D’s. Then there was Yosemite Sam, the little red mustached pirate firing his pistols at Daffy Duck, trying his best to kill the duck (again for no apparent reason). All this was hilarious to us children; it was funny.

Much later, the games arrived for the next generation. You got points for killing people or destroying vehicles or installations. Maybe a soldier was 100 points, but a tank would be 1000 points and so on.

The necessary ingredients for this stew was guns, and the U.S. had them. They are the largest arms manufacturer in the world (I mean, on this earth).

The American constitution, drawn up over 200 years ago, guaranteed the right to bear arms. But this was because there was no standing army, much like in Somalia. Today there is an American army, marine corps, navy, and air force, and hence no need for militias. But the largest gun–manufacturing nation has to have a market.

It has been determined that U.S. citizens own over 300 million firearms and all the ammunition needed to start a war. And all this with no control.

What is a lobbyist? He is someone authorized by his company to approach the lawmakers of his country to offer bribes to the lawmakers to either repeal laws or make new ones to benefit his company. So you see why there is no gun control in America.

There is a problem there, and every now and then a new home grown terrorist will pop up and do exactly what some people will expect him to do according to studies in the art of subliminal seduction. He will kill because he can.

Thanks,
Wayne Perez