US National Rifle Association urging politicians to have armed guards in every school.

[Pan]

Today in a news conference. Lots has been said in the time since Connecticut, but this surely raises the discussion to a new level, given how powerful the NRA are in US politics.

And if anyone needs reminding how ingrained gun ownership is in the USA, here is an ad from Walmart (Asda's company) for that last minute little stocking filler

To my Brit head this is lunacy of the highest order. Anyone differ?

I can't link to the story but apparently piers morgan has offended the pro-gun nuts so much they are petitioning to have him deported. I cannot stand Morgan but the snippets of his interview with a gun-nut made me smile. See sky news for the story.

It's a dangerous game, though, some nutter with a gun will contemplate simply shooting Morgan instead.

That thought did cross my mind. I think that is all part of why such a small group of people with guns have such a huge influence. Who wants to stick your head above the trenches when it just makes you a target?

Whilst I agree entirely with Piers sentiment, I fear his name calling will alienate some would be supporters. Once you start with name calling, you appear to others to have lost the argument on substance.

I agree niceguy, I suspect there is an element of Morgan seeking some notoriety in this, not about 'taking a stand' and arguing his case intelligently. But like the earlier post stated, it's a dangerous game to play, especially with people who own a cache of high powered weapons. I was watching CNN earlier and one of their anchors made a really good case against NRA and for strict gun controls. Maybe Morgan should listen and learn a bit more before wading in.

It's chilling to see in the Huff that in the first seven days after Sandy Hook over 100 were killed in the US by guns.

I double checked and that would be about right, I make it as 86.5 deaths/day and 78,000 other injuries each year (a quarter of those accidents).

Never thought about this before, but some close calls among my family, too. My brother had a gun pointed at him back in 1974. One cousin was asleep in back of a car, woke up to the sounds of his friends having a shoot out with an off duty cop.

This seems so badly timed, so utterly devoid of awareness, that I strongly suspect the NRA have something to do with this. This bit >> the student was traumatised by the killings of her schoolfriends, and accused the state of failing to protect students from "foreseeable harm just smacks of the sort of thing the NRA are desparately trying to argue. I am very uneasy about this, even though I know whoever that girl is, she will have endured a horrific experience. God forbid that was my child, I'd be more focussed on looking after her welfare while she slowly recovers from her ordeal, than think about launching a $100M law suit on her behalf when she survived, all the while knowing that other parents lost their child. Jeez this just makes me angry and I can't even explain properly why.

Crikey is that all they can think about? I'd be thanking my lucky stars I still had my child when others had lost theirs not wondering how much money I could make out of it.

Btw did anyone see this? (Mail link). It didn't take them long did it? I really can't see how they think this will make children safer.