Erstellt am: 17. 12. 2012 - 15:17 Uhr

Everyone is shocked, but nothing will change

Reality Check: Sandy Hook shooting, the political year ahead in Austria, Tunisia 2 years on, same sex adoption in Switzerland

After 20 children and 6 adults were killed in the Connecticut school shooting, the issues of US gun laws and the problems in dealing with mental health issues in the US are becoming the hot issues.

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Obama: "We can't tolerate this any more. These tragedies must end." Bold words, but action looks unlikely.

In the aftermath of the tragedy, the anti-gun lobby is demanding immediate and wide reaching changes to the existing piecemeal regulations, which vary widely from state to state. To a European mind, it seems bizarre that people would want to keep assault weapons in their homes. Perhaps it is understandable, even if you do not agree with it, that people might make a case for sports or hunting weapons being available to the general public. What I find completely baffling is under what circumstances people would feel the need or desire to keep semi-automatic weapons designed specifically for killing people.

However, while we are all reeling with the shock of the latest horror, let's not forget that this is NOT an isolated incident. While researching this, I came across this website: Citizens Crime Commission which makes shocking reading.

I found these two sentences particularly telling:

"The increased lethality of such incidents is made possible by the use of large capacity ammunition magazines (defined as more than 10-rounds) which enable a shooter to rapidly fire off as many as 100-rounds without having to reload the firearm. Designed for military use to kill greater numbers of people more effectively, large capacity ammunition magazines have facilitated some of the worst mass murders ever committed in the United States."

This is not the type of thing people use to shoot deer or rabbits. What on earth was such a weapon doing in a private home, let alone in the hands of a deeply disturbed 20 year old? However, it seems the guns involved were bought legally.

The list of similar attacks is long, and while the current one may have the additional impact of targetting young children, and while President Obama appears to be promising action, he has stopped short of specifically mentioning gun laws.

It seems that even a tragedy on the scale of Sandy Hook is not enough to make Obama want to take on the powerful National Rifle Association, as Steve Crilley found out:

Alongside the gun law fury, there is also wide controversy being stirred up by an article by writer Liza Long . She highlights the problems facing parents with disturbed children, and the difficulties in getting the help and support when confronted with violent behaviour. Our Washington DC correspondent, Priscilla Huff, explains the problems in getting help faced by people with mental health problems and their families.

2013 in Austria

Annelise Rohrer looks ahead to the political scene in Austria next year in the first of our 2013 series.

Tunisia 2 year anniversary

It's 2 years since the self-immolation of Mohamed Bouazizi sparked protests on the streets of Tunisia which eventually brought down the government and inspired similar uprisings across North Africa and the Middle East. How is Tunisia faring 2 years on?

Gay adoption in Switzerland

Switzerland has just voted to allow same-sex couples to legally adopt the children of one partner, in what is being seen as an important step towards gay equality.

FM4 Reality Check

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