Letters to the Editor
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EUROPEAN PRESS REACTIONS
More to read at
www.spiegel.de/international/europe/0,1518,477686,00.html
There you can find excerpts from "The Independent", "Times of London", "Le Monde", "Le Figaro", "Il Corriere della Sera", "Il Messaggero" and "El Pais" (all translated)
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Thank God
Thank God that Americans don't care about what anyone else in the world thinks, otherwise we might have to actually listen to what is being said, recognize it as a consensus, give it rational, deliberate thought, and then actually do something about it. It's so much easier to throw our hands in the air, question 'why?', and then wonder about what video games he played before the next news cycle.
It's a sad sign when Saudi Arabian opinion makes sense than American policy.
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Thank you
Every nation on earth has its blind spots and baggage. Sometimes it takes an outside voice to see the real ills of a society. In this case, the U.S. "fun with guns" fetish is exposed again. Thank you for providing a glimpse of logic in the whole mess.
No other "developed" or "civilized" country in the world allows this kind of violence via gun ownership and the veil of "freedom". In fact few "developing" or "uncivilized" countries allow this sort of crap.
Indeed, as long as the U.S. allows guns on-demand, it's clear we're a barbaric society. No one should be shocked. Ultimately we make our own bed before sleeping in it.
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Some valid points....and kinder than I would have thought
The senselessness and magnitude of the tragedy at VT are overwhelming. Yet, at the same time, it is troubling how this tragedy highlights how numb we are to the tragedies in Iraq. Iraq. 32 innocents dead would be a good day there. I guess we have a shock factor they don't have. But the tragedy? Is it is less?
I am surprised we got the pass we did by the international press. And encouraged because I think they still believe in the spirit of America, if not our leaders. Because while we are, in large part, indirectly responsible for the deaths Iin the sense those specific deaths wouldn't have occurred but for us)even the necons didn't mean it to turn out so badly. We meant well. We just didn't know what we were doing. We are lucky to be viewed so kindly.
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Thank you for this.
It's always instructive to see how the world views us.
I found the London paper most alarming. It's one thing to read the general disdain and puzzlement by others about our gun culture; it's quite another to hear so baldly that there will be another, more serious shooting on a college campus in a couple of years. That strikes fear in the heart of this mother of a high school junior, making it all the more personal.
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Firearms in the USA: Utterly and Completely Out of Control
I would like to communicate my deep sadness about the horrific killings at Virginia Tech. However, I must agree that until the U.S. government (on both state and federal levels) can somehow reign in the use/abuse of firearms, we will not see an end to the massacres of such brave, accomplished and innocent people.
As a proud American, I feel what is truly lacking in our "right to bear arms" is the lack of "checks and balances" in our current system.
There are many ways we can approach the issue, perhaps by making handguns and automatic weapons available only to law enforcement and gun clubs who are accountable to both their members and to communities in which they reside? All shot guns and hunting/sport rifles could also be registered and monitored by local authorites.
They are all lethal weapons, mainly designed to kill and/or cause serious injury. There are people who use firearms for sport (hunting, skeet, target exercises, etc.) and truly mean no harm by their use. However, the ease at which firearms can be obtained and the countless that have been maimed or killed by criminals and psychopaths should prove that there needs to be more stingent control over their accessibility. I truly feel all firearms must be monitored as controlled substances with the potential for abuse.
As a nation, I agree we should be able to defend ourselves from tyrrany. I also believe that firearms are feats of engineering and I respect those who use them responsibly. However, I do not think they should be so readily available to all.
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Another thank you.
That's all I wanted to say.
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The world press on Virginia Tech
It is discouraging to know the world opinion, generally, is not very positive regarding us here in the U.S. We must "fix" that! However, I read the Comments to the Canadian Globe
editorial - most from Canadians - and was gratified and surprised at the tone: mostly critical of the Globe editorial and pretty balanced in general. Very little U.S. bashing!
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Gun Culture, Yes. But Also Our Culture of Not Being Nosy
I've just moved to England, and I have to tell you -- Americans don't get involved with one another half as much as the English. So many people have told me, "if Katrina had happened in our country, and so little had been done at this stage, there would be OUTRAGE. Marches in the street. SOMETHING"
It's true. THE ENGLISH LOOK OUT FOR ONE ANOTHER. It's evident in their welfare and health systems (not performing well right now, but everything ebbs and flows with time). It's evident because they have STRICT gun control (which yes is being broken... but it's still better than the States). They even have a term for the nosy neighbor -- "curtain twitcher" -- because over-involvement with one another is so common.
If someone had cared enough long ago to stay involved with this wretched person's welfare, to make the tough calls, this MAY not have happened. Believe me, I am in NO WAY blaming the persons who knew this kid -- he was so scary from all accounts that I don't think I would have befriended him myself.
But a CULTURE of being more involved with one another, with the government as well as individuals caring and offering ongoing FREE assistance to kids who fall through the cracks... with a culture where every person you meet is so damn nosy that they would actively TELL YOU how to get help if not TAKE YOU THERE....
It may lessen the numbers of these kids who finally get here.