Thursday, January 01, 2015

Big Bucks Big Bangs

It is often difficult for UK observers to understand the fascination the USA seems to have with the possession of guns. Take the city of Chicago for instance. Although the city is on track to register its lowest murder rate in decades the number of shootings has risen in 2014. 'More Chicagoans were shot and wounded than in 2013 when the final tally reached 2,182 . This year has even closed with a grim bang, with five people killed and 18 shot over the weekend.' (Economist, 29 December) Over-looking the peculiar history of gun possession in the USA the major  factor is of course the power and influence of the gun manufacturers. RD                

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