What drives us nuts over here (I'm sure I'm safe speaking for others) is the constant, vociferous defence of the indefensible that gets thrown out by US-ians every time there's a gun-related 'incident' over there (and there are lots).

We know, from our own experience, it's perfectly feasible to live safe and happy lives, free of fear and paranoia, without firearms - we all do it all the time. Yet every time there's an incident in the US out come the all-teeth-and-trousers meat-heads with their brains in their balls, rattling on about 'the bad guys' and 'mad-dog killers', talking like John Wayne, and telling us we don't know what we're talking about.

Compare the numbers of gun-deaths in our respective countries - it's QED.

We know that it's not simple, that there's a huge cultural implant to be overcome in the minds of many Americans. But hand-wringing and moaning that it's impossible isn't what the world expects from the US - you used to be the 'Can Do' nation, what's gone wrong with you?

There are a lot of people outside the US (I'm one) who love your country and its people. But it's becoming increasingly difficult to love and respect a nation of people who think it's their right, and perfectly OK, for every citizen to possess firearms, the only purpose of which is to provide the means to kill fellow citizens.