We must tackle America’s pro-hunting gun lobby to enact real change
Please send your letters to letters@independent.co.uk
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.In none of the coverage of the school massacres have I seen mention of the great power of the hunting fraternity in America. A light should be shone into this dark corner of the pro-gun lobby. We know from our own experiences in this country that hunters are very powerful, and in the United States a huge proportion of the hunters take out guns and slaughter animals for their personal gratification and glorification.
Barack Obama quickly learnt how powerful and ruthless is this lobby group. President Trump supports them wholeheartedly and his own family kill large animals in African countries and then boast of their kills in photographs and posts. No doubt they are just as trigger happy in their own country.
Some people want guns to protect their families, or so they say. A lethal few want them to kill people. But a huge number want them to kill animals. Control this group and the whole problem would shrink dramatically.
Penny Little
Great Haseley
I have no faith in an isolationist Britain
As an 80-year-old I am unimpressed by Boris Johnson’s claims, which vary from wild and exaggerated statements before the referendum, to his careless words as Foreign Secretary which resulted in supposed further danger for Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe.
Neither do I have faith in Jacob Rees-Mogg, a man who appears to live in the 19th century when the UK was benefiting from exploiting its possessions in the rest of the world. A man who has six children, seemingly unaware of their drain on world resources at a time of global warming. A man who opposes abortion in all circumstances.
David Davis, our Brexit negotiator, tells us he has done some impact assessments and then later says he hasn’t done them.
Many of the migrant workers have returned home leaving food not harvested and hospitals short of doctors and nurses.
Europe was created to bring peace after the war, and in that it has been relatively successful. An isolationist Britain is not the country I can be completely comfortable with.
President Trump declares America comes first, and I remember that our friend America was unwilling to enter the last war until attacked at Pearl Harbour. With his obsession with Twitter, Trump seems to change his opinion so frequently that it is difficult to be certain what his views are or what action he intends to take.
Ironically, the majority of Remainers were young people who will be most affected by Brexit, and those who voted Brexit were older and are unlikely to live long-term with its consequences.
Molly Eastman
Ipswich
It’s time to review limited liability
The Limited Liability Act of 1855 allowed limited liability for corporations. Prior to this, they were treated like partnerships and shareholders were liable for the company’s debts. In 1855, it was not envisaged that some companies would grow into the mega-corporations of today.
Recent insolvencies of huge companies like Carillion and the 2008 banking collapse have been extremely detrimental to other stakeholder, such as employees, pensioners, other businesses and their employees, the public purse and our standard of living generally.
Is it time to review limited liability in light of these events?
Geoff Naylor
Winchester
We are being led into danger by a bunch of donkeys
Right from the start of the Brexit process, from referendum to Boris Johnson’s speech, all we seem to hear is well-heeled, inflation-proof and recession-proof people telling us how wonderful it’s all going to be. Boris’s speech suggests that a nation of lions will soon be led into the abyss by a bunch disorganised, inflation-proof, recession-proof, squabbling donkeys!
Name supplied
West Midlands
The NRA and the US government have blood on their hands
Again the tears rolled down my face while reading of the events of these avoidable, horrific and senseless murders of innocent children and assistants in school. It’s a while since I went to school (in the UK), but it was a place of safety.
I cannot fully imagine what the families of the dead children are experiencing but it must be the worst feeling in the world – my heart goes out to them.
Why on God’s good Earth are the Americans delaying the much needed legislation to control ownership of such a vast array of unnecessary weapons?
Evidently there are more guns than people in the US – ludicrous! Members the of gun lobby ought to be ashamed of the themselves for it’s this group and the weak legislators who shoulder most of the blame.
Rest in peace young children.
Keith Poole
Basingstoke
Theresa has lost the plot
Never mind pots and kettles or motes and beams, the metaphor has yet to be devised that can begin to do justice to the mind-boggling lack of self-awareness informing Theresa May’s lecture to the EU on ideology.
D Maughan Brown
York
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments