The United States’ latest mass shooting tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut, has thrown the issue of gun control into sharp relief once more. Gun control remains one of the most hotly contested topics in the US, often dividing pro-gun Republican and anti-gun Democrat constituencies in local and national elections.

The Second Amendment of the United States Constitution enshrines the US citizen’s right to keep and bear arms. But with Newtown being the fourth gun massacre in five months in the US, pro-gun control lobbyists are pointing to examples like Australia to curb the availability of firearms in the US.

In April 1996, 35 people were killed in Tasmania, in what was Australia’s deadliest mass murder. Twelve days later Australia established tough new gun laws. including the buyback of upward of 600 000 semi-automatic weapons, taking almost a fifth of the country’s shotguns and rifles out of circulation. Additionally, new gun buyers had to supply a reason for needing a new gun – “self-defense” wasn’t a legitimate one. In the years since the amendments, there have been no gun massacres in Australia, while murders and suicides by firearms dropped more than 50%.

In his speech to the nation following the shooting, Obama indicated that amendments to the current laws may well be tabled for consideration.

We’ve endured too many of these tragedies over the past years… As a country, we have been through this too many times. We’re going to have to come together and take meaningful action to prevent more tragedies like this, regardless of the politics.

[Source : Slate]