[John Whitworth]

Nigel, I would argue that a system that is customary is much soperior to one that is rational. What on earth has rationality got to do with it. Robespierre was a totally rational man, mad as a hatter of course, but totally rational.

Ratonality slayeth my nymphs. It is also a male plot.

[Jan Iwaszkiewicz]

Paul,as Cally's post was ignored, it will be interesting if anyone addresses those Australian statistics.

We are not all that dissimilar in culture to the USA.

[Janice D. Soderling]

Cally, Paul and Jan,

Good to hear from all three of you with input from down under.

I thought Cally's post was very interesting and I'm sure I'm not the only who who read it and was glad to learn that things can be changed.

Paul, wonderful that you are strong enough to follow along and even give us some input.

Keep drinking that kickapoo joy juice. I hope you will be home for Christmas in the bosom of your family. You are always on my mind.

Jan, thanks for the poke. And M.C. to you and Cally too.

[David Rosenthal]

For what it's worth, yesterday my school was on lockdown for an hour in the morning due to nearby gunshots. Second one in the current school year, eighth in the calendar year. I was actually at my classroom door telling some fifth graders from another class to quiet down in the hallway and didn't hear the announcement. When I turned around, my class had come to the spot they are supposed to come to during a lockdown, and were telling me about the announcement. Depressing.

David R.

[Michael F]

Gregory Dowling, the reason the rest of the world thinks we are insane on the issue of gun control is because we are insane on the issue of gun control.

It is that simple.

[Ed Shacklee]

I don't know. On the surface, it would very much appear that we are insane. But I wonder if a large part of this is that our logic has been outpaced by our rhetoric -- we haven't yet developed mental or spiritual antibodies to deal with Orwell's Big Lie. 'Guns don't kill people', for example, doesn't make a lot of sense if you think about it, but apparently it's a devastating one-liner. If so: poets -- to the trenches!

Best,

Ed

[David Rosenthal]

Here's another update: last night the Grandma of two of the students at my school caught a crossfire bullet and died, and in an unrelated coincidence, one of my students told me she learned this morning that her uncle died the same way, I think yesterday or the day before. I could probably make posts like this every day or two, so I will stop now.

David R.

[Janice D. Soderling]

So sad, David. Really heartbreaking.

[Laura Heidy-Halberstein]

Originally Posted by David Rosenthal

I could probably make posts like this every day or two, so I will stop now.

David R.

On the contrary, David, I think you SHOULD post things like this every time it occurs.

Keep people aware that it's not just doves and ducks but dads and daughters that die at the end of a firearm.

[Don Jones]

Well, this makes me sick!

The NRA, America's most powerful lobby other than AIPAC, has spoken. Yes, folks, it's time to have an armed gunman in EVERY school in the U.S. Absolutely no accountability from these people. It's utterly shocking.

I don't think I can look Pro. Dowling in the eye...

Don