‘Absolute joke’: Americans respond to Aussie gun laws after Uvalde mass shooting

In the wake of the Uvalde school shooting, Americans are once again forced to confront an ugly reality. But not everybody is convinced by the alternative.

Americans are once again forced to confront an ugly reality about their nation in the wake of its worst mass shooting in a decade.

They have been left reeling by the horrific killing spree at Robb Elementary School in Texas yesterday, in which Salvador Ramos, 18, shot and killed 19 young children and two teachers.

It is well-known that America has a problem with mass shootings. This year alone there have been 248 of them in the US, killing more than 250 people, and we’re not even in June yet.

Perhaps one of the most disturbing aspects of Tuesday’s killing, for those of us who live outside the US, is that Ramos walked into a store and legally bought the powerful automatic weapons used in the massacre just days after turning 18 last week.

However, the nation’s liberal gun laws – heavily backed by the NRA and many politicians – still remain popular among a large part of the American population.

Even when confronted with what other nations have done, like Australia’s successful amnesty of 650,000 guns after the 1996 Port Arthur Massacre, many Americans appear to be quite happy with the way things are.

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Australia recovered hundreds of thousands of firearms as part of gun reforms after the Port Arthur massacre in 1996.

On an article about what Americans can learn from Australia, many from the US in the comments suggested the Aussie approach wasn’t viable for their country.

“There are few ways to interpret the data Australia published after the ‘gun confiscation’, although there are still guns in the public hands in Australia, don’t be fooled,” one person said. “Australia is not the United States. What the United States needs is mental health care for people in need, not authoritarian arms confiscation.”

“America is not Australia,” said another. “The gun culture here is very deeply rooted in American culture.”

“America has over 360 million (guns), and that’s only what we know of,” added a third. “You’re also talking about a major world power here (the US). No one wants to invade Australia. If anyone invades America, not only will you face the strongest military in the world, you will have a very hard time with America’s own citizens.”

“Wait for an enemy invasion from another country and get back to me after your experience,” said another.

However, many other Americans suggested their country could learn a lot from Australia.

“The main takeaway is: They do it better. EVERYONE ELSE does it better,” said one. “We are, as poet Amanda Gorman wrote, “One nation, under guns.” And we are an absolute joke and failure on this front.”

Gun-control advocates hold a vigil outside of the National Rifle Association (NRA) headquarters. Picture: Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images/AFP

“We like our guns more than we care about strangers’ children. It’s that simple and it’s the quiet part we rarely say out loud,” added another.

“Unfortunately most Americans have accepted this is who we are,” added another. “We are a society of guns. We will always have guns. So because of that we have to accept that mass shootings are who we are as well. As long as there are guns there will always be mass shootings.”

After yesterday’s tragedy, US President Joe Biden, in an emotional address, called on politicians to take on America’s powerful gun lobby and enact tougher laws.

Mr Biden announced on Wednesday that he would soon visit Uvalde, as he renewed his plea for “commonsense gun reforms”.

“I think we all must be there for them. Everyone. And we must ask when in god’s name will we do what needs to be done to, if not completely stop, fundamentally change the amount of the carnage that goes on in this country,” he said.

“I am sick and tired of what’s going on and continues to go on.”

US President Joe Biden: ‘When in god’s name will we do what needs to be done?’ Picture: Stefani Reynolds/AFP

There have been more mass shootings – in which four or more people were wounded or killed – in 2022 than days so far this year, according to the non-profit Gun Violence Archive.

Despite that, multiple attempts at national reform have failed in US Congress.

The Uvalde shooting is the deadliest since 20 children aged between six and seven, as well as six staff, were killed at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut in 2012.

- with AFP