Richard, I said, "......there is a substantial number of us who are, indeed, working very hard toward those ends."

This IS true, and being in another country and counting on the news you are fed, you are obviously unaware of this. Be assured that there ARE, INDEED, may people petitioning, writing and phoning their political representatives, and generally working to change the status quo.

Just this morning on the news, I heard that yet another state has passed a law insisting on background checks before purchasing firearms and still another state is passing laws to ban gun shows, requiring that all firearms sales be made only by a legally authorized dealer.

Needless to say, the National Rifle Association (the "gun lobby") is furious.

This doesn't solve the problem by any means, but it's certainly a step in the right direction, with more to come.

It's easy to make judgements from afar, but one runs the risk of being wrong and talking nonsense.

Don Firth