News & Current Affairs
31.05.22
Shame on you, Bob Katter
Independent Bob Katter has won his seat easily (once again) with 34,575 primary votes. That is 41.74% of the electorate of Kennedy. That means his approval increased by nearly 1%. On a two-candidate preferred basis – he received 61,575 votes (a whopping 63.2% of the vote).
One of Mr Katter’s ideas is to give children guns. After all – he had a .303 rifle when he was 12 (in 1957). His idea was supported by analysis of other countries and their ideas about firearms. That analysis has later proved to be entirely false. On Mr Katter’s forceful argument, we should have more guns. The idea being “guns don’t kill people, people kill people”.
How’s that worked out for Uvalde, Texas?
How’s that worked out for the USA generally?
The USA have now clocked up 27 mass shootings in schools. The latest one killed 19 kids and 2 teachers. Many more were wounded. Those who were there and not shot will only have to deal with a lifetime of post-traumatic stress disorders. They’re the lucky ones. We’ve seen the awful footage on the news of terrified kids running away from the school – literally running for their lives.
About 10 days’ ago another mass shooting in New York. That one was not so bad – it only took 10 lives. Doesn’t even register really – only 10.
Sandy Hook – 28 dead
Las Vegas – 59 dead
Columbine -15 dead
Orlando nightclub – 50 dead
There are too many more to mention.
We had the awful experience of the Port Arthur massacre in 1996 with 35 dead and 23 physically wounded, many more psychologically wounded. That followed a swift and brutal overhaul of gun laws in Australia. Nearly 30 years’ later, we have had nothing like it since. New Zealand swiftly enabled similar reforms following the tragedy in Christchurch in 2019. They have been similarly effective.
There is no doubt gun control works, and the USA is a perfect example of how NOT to do it. Time and time again (27 times in schools alone) and the USA do nothing about it. Maybe they will after the 28th school massacre.
I know people kill people. But if you give them assault rifles, easy access to firearms (effectively unvetted), automatic, semi-automatic firearms, and have open carry laws they can kill a lot more people a lot more quickly. There can be no argument about that. I just wish people like Mr Katter would say the argument for guns like it really is. Their best and only argument for guns, and more guns, is this…… “I like guns”
Shame on you, Bob Katter.