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America’s Gun Madness, as Seen From Europe
NY Times ^ | OCT. 7, 2015 | MIRA KAMDAR

Posted on 10/07/2015 6:28:55 PM PDT by TroutStalker

PANTIN, France — My mother lives near Roseburg, Ore. Her part of the world isn’t often in the news in France. But when I woke up last Friday morning, the mass shooting on the Umpqua Community College campus in Roseburg had made the French morning television news. There was video of a landscape I know well, of distressed local citizens, and of President Obama delivering his solemn remarks.

Viewed from France, everything about the United States looms large. Still, the numbers the newscasters ticked off — more than 300 million guns in circulation, mass shootings occurring at a rate of nearly one per day, thousands of victims of gun-related deaths — were shocking in their magnitude.

Guns are highly regulated in France. Hunting is a popular sport, but a hunting license is required before a rifle can be purchased. Guns can be bought for use at firing ranges, but only after an application has been filed and approved by the police. All gun buyers must provide a medical certificate of mental and physical fitness to own a weapon, and all guns must be registered. It is illegal to possess military-grade weapons. That the Oregon shooter, Christopher Harper-Mercer, was equipped with five handguns, a semiautomatic pistol and several magazines of ammunition — all purchased legally — is unimaginable here.

*

Terrorists in Europe typically obtain their weapons illegally, and arms trafficking, a serious problem, is growing worse. In 2012, France increased fines and jail terms for possession and trafficking of illegal guns, but it’s unclear if that has had much effect.

(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: banglist
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1 posted on 10/07/2015 6:28:56 PM PDT by TroutStalker
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To: TroutStalker

Europe, home of WW1 and WW2 and unknown numbers of wars before.


2 posted on 10/07/2015 6:31:00 PM PDT by minnesota_bound
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To: TroutStalker

Europe will wish they had a little gun madness after they let in 10 or 20 million Islamic zealots whose mentality on religion and human rights remains firmly in the Dark Ages, and those zealots kick their campaign to kill Europeans who don’t submit into high gear.


3 posted on 10/07/2015 6:31:20 PM PDT by Opinionated Blowhard ("When the people find they can vote themselves money, that will herald the end of the republic.")
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To: TroutStalker

Europe has been successfully invaded by gawdless moslem bastards and now they are disarmed!!!Adios amigos.


4 posted on 10/07/2015 6:31:30 PM PDT by WENDLE (We have little time. We must save our country quickly.)
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To: TroutStalker

Eurotrash should stay in Europe and take care of Eurotrash business. And the NY Slimes should move there.


5 posted on 10/07/2015 6:32:33 PM PDT by Vaquero ( Don't pick a fight with an old guy. If he is too old to fight, he'll just kill you.)
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To: TroutStalker
"That the Oregon shooter, Christopher Harper-Mercer, was equipped with five handguns, a semiautomatic pistol..."

Here's a suggestion: If you don't know what you're talking about, don't write articles on that subject.

6 posted on 10/07/2015 6:33:02 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet (TED CRUZ. You can help: https://donate.tedcruz.org/c/FBTX0095/)
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To: TroutStalker
Guns are highly regulated in France. Hunting is a popular sport, but a hunting license is required before a rifle can be purchased. Guns can be bought for use at firing ranges, but only after an application has been filed and approved by the police. All gun buyers must provide a medical certificate of mental and physical fitness to own a weapon, and all guns must be registered. It is illegal to possess military-grade weapons.

So they can't own pistols??

That the Oregon shooter, Christopher Harper-Mercer, was equipped with five handguns, a semiautomatic pistol and several magazines of ammunition — all purchased legally — is unimaginable here.

It is also unimaginable thinking about France actually winning a war. They're about to be overrun by Islam. They may want to rethink their policies.

7 posted on 10/07/2015 6:33:07 PM PDT by ealgeone
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To: TroutStalker; All

Madness is walking around unable to defend yourself in a world of psychopaths and religious fanatics, all the while pretending that the policeman 20 blocks away will be able to help you in your moment of desperation.

Now THAT is madness.


8 posted on 10/07/2015 6:33:09 PM PDT by Red in Blue PA (war is peace, freedom is slavery, ignorance is strength, obama loves America)
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To: TroutStalker

Read our lips: we do not care what you think.


9 posted on 10/07/2015 6:33:13 PM PDT by Da Coyote
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To: TroutStalker

Sure. Because I measure all of my politics by what the French think. BTT


10 posted on 10/07/2015 6:33:31 PM PDT by Billthedrill
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To: TroutStalker
Remember the riotous muslims in London a few years back, the poor english bastards were on line trying to buy baseball bats to protect themselves
11 posted on 10/07/2015 6:33:58 PM PDT by ronnie raygun (better to have a gun and not need it than to need a gun and not have it.)
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To: TroutStalker

If anyone doesn’t like our gun culture they can always stay in Europe, or move there. Please!


12 posted on 10/07/2015 6:34:47 PM PDT by Wildbill22 (They have us surrounded again, the poor bastards- Gen Creighton Williams Abrams)
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To: TroutStalker

“Guns are highly regulated in France. “

Over here we laughed at the video of the unarmed police running from the terrorists.


13 posted on 10/07/2015 6:34:47 PM PDT by TexasGator
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To: WENDLE

...Europe has been successfully invaded by gawdless moslem bastards and now they are disarmed...

Its a sure thing that the Gawdless bastards won’t be deterred by gun laws ala Charlie Hebdo.


14 posted on 10/07/2015 6:35:03 PM PDT by Sasparilla (If youce, prepare for war.)
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To: TroutStalker
Did the euroweenies happen to mention that one of the Americans that saved their azz recently was supposed to be at that school?

Dint think so.

15 posted on 10/07/2015 6:35:25 PM PDT by rawcatslyentist (Genesis 1:29 And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed,)
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To: ronnie raygun
Madness, in one picture:


16 posted on 10/07/2015 6:35:34 PM PDT by Red in Blue PA (war is peace, freedom is slavery, ignorance is strength, obama loves America)
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To: TroutStalker

America’s gun madness? And allowing hordes of young Muslim men into their country is not insanity? And taking away the people’s ability to defend themselves against such hordes is so much more enlightened?


17 posted on 10/07/2015 6:36:26 PM PDT by odawg
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To: rawcatslyentist

Even if they did, the NY Slimes would have not mentioned that inconvenient fact.


18 posted on 10/07/2015 6:36:27 PM PDT by Red in Blue PA (war is peace, freedom is slavery, ignorance is strength, obama loves America)
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To: TroutStalker

19 posted on 10/07/2015 6:36:58 PM PDT by cripplecreek (Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.)
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To: TroutStalker

We never should have rebuilt Europe after WWII. They are worthless, ungrateful louts, and willing slaves to their Brussels bureaucrats.


20 posted on 10/07/2015 6:37:08 PM PDT by Objective Scrutator (All liberals are criminals, and all criminals are liberals)
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