The campus shooting in the US has once again raised questions about gun control. Is that the problem? A number of US readers are especially taking issue with the views of Kiwis on this issue.

After Aramoana, New Zealand reacted and tightened its gun control laws significantly. After Port Arthur, Australia reacted and tightened its gun control laws significantly. After Columbine, the US talked a lot about 'trench-coat mafia' and did...

You New Zealanders are very sick, disgusting people.I hope a tragedy like this happens in your crappy country 10 times as worse. "Big deal", "who cares", "stupid americans" Those of you saying this should be lined up and shot for such callous disregard for peoples lives. Half of you have the nerve to mention Iraq like its relevant to this. In case many of you idiots are unaware its the Arabs killing each other over there. So stop acting like Americans are in Iraq shooting up a storm for fun. You guys are just as pathetic and ignorant as Europe. And yur America bashing rhetoric along with Europe is soo old, find something new to complain about. Barely anyone can find your damn country on a map because thats how unimportant all you are. Really all of you go to hell, you dont know anything about America than what you read in you ignorant America bashing papers.And if you hate us and our culture so damn much, stop buying our music, watching our movies and TV shows. Stop paying attention to our politics and everything America does. You are the same with Europe, irrelevant. Now really shut up and stop worrying about our gun-control laws because in case you didnt know, doesnt affect you.

It's good to know who your friends are in the world. After reading one bitter anti-American post after another here, I am shocked that the theme here seems to be that these innocent people deserved this act of evil. When the next tragedy strikes New Zealand, will Americans come and post that NZ deserved it? I doubt it. To Peter Mathys and his like - I hope for your sake, there is no such thing as Karma.

As a young American living in Auckland, I have been suprised by the level of support offered. My younger brother attends Virginia Tech, and while he is safe, many other families are not so lucky. Before we start the big old argument over gun control lets keep things in perspective--many bright, young students and professors were killed, not some "idiot Americans". They deserve to have a moment of silence and respect before we drag their memories into a debate.

I am sick to death of you people in other Western societies pointing the finger at us when you have even worse problems with assimilation. I am an American citizen whose ancestors came over from Ireland in the 1850s and did everything in their power to join American culture, even slicing the "Mc" off their names. Yes, we read about the gang rapes of Aussie women by Muslim men. We read about how English school curriculum has been edited so as not to offend any ethnic group. The shooter is to blame for this, of course, but so are all of us because we are not raising up and making it plain and clear: You accept our culture or go back where you came from. And I'm a lib. We are doomed.

I am an American and I would just like to say that I am deeply upset by some of the American bashing comments here. My father fought in the Pacific during WWII and was in New Zealand. He talked about the beauty of you country often. If it weren't for men like my Dad and others like him, you might all be speaking Japanese right now. American are the first to respond to a crisis no matter where in the world that crisis happens. We are very compassionate! The shooter in yesterday's killing spree was a South Korean National - not that it makes a difference. Shootings like this can happen anywhere so don't think it's confined only to America. Gun control? Only the criminals will have guns if we allow that to happen. The right to bear arms is guaranteed in our constitution! So, before you bash us, please stop and think of all the good things that America has done for you, and for the world! Thank You.

I have read the messages posted by many Kiwis, and find it ironic that you call American's heartless and violent in the same sentence that you add, it was due, karma and an overall "who cares". In a country of 250 million, there are always those who will act in evil ways, but the person responsible for this cowardly murders was not an American. He was an Korean immigrant who was given the opportunity to be educated and welcomed. I do agree that there is a need for some tweaks to our gun laws, but I find it laughable that you think Americans are blood thirsty John Wayne's. Fact is, if this type of murders happened in New Zealand, Americans would be genuinely sad for your country, and would openly pray for those involved. We would offer more than prayers, we would offer to help you in any way. I'm not here to change the minds of those who's dislike for America and Americans, are misguided. Only to say that this is a great country, with a strong heart, pride, warm compassion and good people. Say what you will, but our love for each other in a time of crisis is first, last and always.

A doctor was quoted as saying that the injured had no less than 3-4 bullet wounds each. Multiply that by 60-odd dead and wounded and that's an awful lot of bullets. The right to bear arms is controversial enough - but the right to bear arms that hold so much ammunition? Or enable such quick reloading? How can that possibly be justified?

Firstly it is disgraceful that the American media were quick to label the accused as being a Korean National, been that he has been in the USA for 15 odd years, pointing the finger just shows how arrogant you are and does less to quell anti American sentiment. Secondly to own a gun should be a privilege to only those whom specifically need them for their workplace, and or for sport in which case for sporting shooters should have their guns locked up in gun clubs, hunters clubs and should also undergo a annual registration/licence fee to determine if the gun user is fit to use that appropriate weapon. It is at a sad cost at what has happened that the American Government needs incidents like this to happen to spawn debate.

'The Right to Bear Arms' Nearly as out of date as the Ten Commandments. Laws change to fit the times but because this is in the Constitution it will never change. When a dog bites someone laws are reviewed to see that all is being done to minimise the possibility of it happening again. When someone shoots 32 people the NRA and their supporters are the first to stand up and say 'it's not the Gun's fault' in a complete lack of respect to the families of those who have died. The fact of the matter is that if the rules governing buying a handgun in Virginia were more strict with background checks, waiting periods and the like, it would make it a lot harder for idiots to get guns. You people in here talking about your right to bear arms... at least let the blood dry before you parade your ongoing and undying right to walk around ready to murder in front of those affected.

I think it is very shameful of you to print what Italy thinks of the shooting, being as American as Apple Pie. It is outrageous! We have 300 million people here and 8900 deaths from firearms, equals about .000029 per cent. Not everyone here owns a gun, actually about 60 million do. We do not think this crime as casual, like apple pie. We are heartbroken that someone would be so uncaring in his ways to take others lives. Do you even know why we believe in the right to own a gun? Do you know our history? What about country's that are communistic and just take people off the streets and do away with them, just because they disagree with their government? Not everything is easy to understand, but you should have compassion for others in their moments of sorrow and grief at the least, instead you make light of the situation with your quotes.

Again the gun lobby tells use that if the other students were armed to protect themselves that less lives would be lost. But arming everyone is a recipe for disaster. In the US how many lives have been lost when access to a gun has made an argument a gun-death? Years ago TIME magazine ran a cover story which investigated every gun death in one 24-hour period across the U.S.A., and on that particular day around 78 people died, the vast majority were domestic arguments, not shooting bad guys. The truth is that those who advocate carrying weapons live in constant fear of a supremely rare event, such as the tragedy at Virginia Tech. What kind of society exists when trust is replaced by fear, violence and retribution? Ironically if the gun lobby argument was applied to global scale, the argument would be that all nations, ethic groups, political movements should have nukes for 'self-protection'. Whether another student would have gunned down the shooter impossible to determine. However I don't think 20 other shooters trying to get the bad guy in the confusion of what might end up as a gun-battle is too smart. Who of the 20 is the bad guy? How would anyone know whether there isn't more than one bad guy? Who do you shoot?

Incidentally I enjoy shooting and have used handguns both in NZ and the US a secure pistol club ranges. But I cannot for the life of me understand why anyone would want to carry one in public.

Like many who woke up to the terrible news yesterday, my first reaction was - well there ya go, easy access to guns equals this sort of out come i.e. Virginia Tech massacre. But on reflection I think the argument is a little more subtle. I am beginning to believe that the American lawmakers are taking the easy road here. George Bush said this morning that the victims were in the "wrong place at the wrong time". Excuse me - what utter crap. He is lowering this shocking event to the level of an accident. They were in the right place at the right time - just going about their business of getting an education. If the US staunchly defends their citizens right to carry arms, then why can't students and the public expect to be protected from the loonies that can get easy access to these weapons. Surely this is the price ($), the government must pay to allow this right to easily access guns. To continue on and not provide security for those not toting guns is criminal. People should be searched and screened before entering these establishments. "It will cost the earth" you may say but I say this is the price to pay for supporting the gun laws. But then maybe the US government are prepared to carry this risk. Maybe they have measured the risk and believe that occasionally some innocent people will be in the "wrong place at the wrong time". We are truly blessed to be born and live here - in NZ.

As a NZer living in America for 17 years ,I was very disturbed by the hatred expressed in the E mails. I have spent more time in NZ the last 2 years then America due to family illness so am qualified to have an opinion. Stop saying Americans behave in this way or that. Define an American; Me and my South African husband? the Brazilian, Spanish, Korean, Italian, Persian, Russian, Turkish women I work with? This is a shocking event but in a country of over 300 million people, it is not inconceivable that there would be someone so disturbed to take such action. Think numbers. Let me remind you of a certain shooting in Tasmania, not that long ago. My youngest daughter graduates from college next month, She has friends at Virginia Tech. How dare you say that these bright young beautiful people deserved this because of Americas sick society.Let me make one point, do your selves a favour and forget about America and all its so called ills. I never understood New Zealands obsession with what happens here. Why do you care? Concern yourself a little more with what China and India are currently doing. More in your neighbourhood. Is it sour grapes? Does it bother you that 90 per cent of Americans never give NZ. a thought? The state I live in has more people for goodness sake. The Americans I know are just ordinary decent people, living their lives the best way they can. N.Z has some very serious issues of its own to attend to. And you all know what they are, not the least is an extremely high young male suicide rate. No lack of troubled youth there. I read NZ newspapers constantly and am always disturbed how the press and public relish any negative happening here. People usually put someone else down to make themselves feel better.I guess thats all that is really happening. Interestingly enough in NZ I can read more rubbish about Paris Hilton, Brad and Angelina etc etc,seems a little odd to me, a country obsessed with someone elses culture.

Dont ya hear all the time "it's people, not guns that perpetrate crime" why don't Australian Universities get shot up or Varsities in England, France, Ireland etc etc. blah, blah 'cos they don't have ...guns... If you Yanks need to defend yourselves so bloody much why don't you take up boxing, or martial arts or knife throwing or even midget throwing. The US constitution is simply too old, some of its philosophy is relevant some of it isn't. The US needs to "Pimp my Constitution."

After reading much of the views it would appear the finger is either blamed at American culture, the freedoms to hold a gun and/or the effects from playing too many video nasties. I feel the problem lies with the ways we all live our lives across all boundaries and cultures where we strive above all else for material gain. We seem to forget there is more to life than this. This causes such a tunnel vision approach. The effects of this is well documented when people give little to their fellow person say at Christmas when we fight for the Toy of the Year for ungrateful brats without any spirit of the season. We all need to stand back and say no to a PlayStation, no to the latest car and get back to basics looking after the important things like peoples feelings. If we do some of this then perhaps this gunman might have been spotted earlier seeking professional assistance and/or cared for by his community. It will be interesting to hear from his friends at Virginia Tech whether his sentiment was spotted - if not he was obviously held at arms length??

No sympathy for America, just the families of the individual victims. If you will not outlaw handguns that can be so easily hidden about your person, then you deserve all you get. Re the people who quote ' the right to bear arms ', does that include nuclear arms?, and if not, where are you drawing the line?

Natarajan S. wrote: "It was a shock to me to know those many people were killed by the lack of gun control in USA." Last time I checked, Cho Seng-Hui killed 32 people including himself. Gun laws (or lack thereof) didn't kill anyone.

I am puzzled that the English Professor thought Cho Seung-Hui's little script was so strange tha t he needed counselling nor why Smoking Gun website called it a "bizarre play". It looks like its just a potted version of Shakespeares Hamlet. The Western Worlds view of the place of violence in its culture is not just an American aberration - it is widespread, deep-seated and taught to all its children from an early age. Why is everybody so blind to this?

I have been teaching English for 7 years in Korea and by large, most Koreans that I know are friendly. However and because of their beliefs, I do believe that a lot of them have difficulty in knowing who they are. This is because of their protective up-bringing and their in-ability to think for themselves, and to socialise with others. They are taught to hate the Japanese and Americans and are always blaming everyone else for their problems, especially foreigners. They are very self-rightous, and if you ask any average Korean about prostitution, unwed mothers and gays, they will tell you that those things don't exist in Korea etc. They are very racist, even unto their own! The student who was responsible for the latest killings, Cho seung-hui showed that it was obvious he was full of hate and was hell bent in seeking "utu." No doubt, I suspect there will be revenge attacks on Koreans and anyone who appears to be Asian.

Enough with all the blaming. I'm shocked at level of finger-pointing that I see on this "Your Views." Finger-pointing is exactly what drives people like this to commit these types of crimes. It's quite comfortable to blame society, guns, lack of community, not having friends etc etc etc- for irresponsible actions. If people took more responsibility for themselves and their problems and didn't justify them by blaming them on everything they don't like about the world, then tragedies like this wouldn't happen. I went through the US school system, was different and geeky, got teased and cried a lot, that's life. Life isn't easy, nor should it be. Dealing with our difficulties makes us stronger. It would be nice to see a little bit of sympathy for the innocent students who were killed by this person who used finger-pointing as an excuse to massacre. There is never an excuse for making the decision to kill people, so let's stop justifying him and his actions. Instead of just repeating the tired old "America is rotten" argument, which is always safe from a distance, why not feel a little sympathy for the students, who probably weren't that different from students at NZ Universities, who became this troubled person's victims. There is never any excuse for senseless violence against any people in any country for any reason.

If you have been to America and not just seen LA, Las Vegas or NYC, you'll know that most Americans are no different than the typical New Zealander. As an American living in NZ you get the daily commment from the bitter Kiwi who thinks they were left behind. I could elaborate on the fact that people from Remuera, Ponsonby and Parnell get the same comments you spouted from your mouth from fellow New Zealanders down south. Enacting gun control laws has been a bipartisan issue for a long, long time. I suggest if you have a solution on US Domestic Policy, first tell me what good you have done in NZ on your own domestic policy. Would love to see how much you know about your own government. Or is it like most kiwis...they just don't care.

A real tragedy. I notice the typical foreign reactions about violent Americans; apparently the shooter was South Korean, and English major, an in the USA on an education visa. Since it is legal to own weapons, not just hand guns, in the United States, it would seem absurd to create weapons free zones that only the law abiding adhere to, that can't possibly be policed and secured and remain weapons free from the psychological idiot or the political terrorist, creating helpless sheep for the slaughter. Good gun control is the skill to put six rounds in the bulls eye at ten feet, or the idiot trying to kill you.

Just after hearing what happened is really sad, but confusing thing though is to come up with "who to blame" theory, I find it disgusting to even think of "who to blame" when peoples lives has been taken..how about a bit of respect!? Wars, poverty, murder, rape, racism..now randomly gun shots at universities? This world aint perfect and it is about time people should wake up and see what this world has turned out to be. No- one is perfect and neither is every country.

The messages here don't seem to reflect that this student was a South Korean, not an American. He had a residence visa and was studying at Virginia Tech.

The United States is indeed a most dangerous place to be in, because of its sick and incomprehensible gun laws. So, what just happened at Virginia Tech has happened many times before and is certainly bound to happen again and again and again. Until some sane person in the US manages to convince its citizens that it's wrong for private people to own guns. In actual fact, it was safer to be a US soldier in Vietnam than walk the streets of the USA. Little over 50,000 US soldiers died during the approx 12 years the Vietnam War was going. But in the US some 26,000 people are murdered each and every year by other US citizens with handheld weapons. And they are not even at war with each other, officially, that is. Another sad factor of all the killings by handheld weapons in the USA is the National Riffle Association (NRA), led by extreme right-wing, Charlton Heston. Heston abruptly claims that not guns kill people but people do. So, if that's the case just keep the weapons out of reach from people. Thank goodness that we don't have the same insane cowboy mentality in New Zealand or we'd see daily killings in Queen Street or Lambton Quay and up and down the length and breadth of Kiwi shores. However, sadly so all that the US authorities and its citizens are likely to do after the sad and totally unnecessary Virginia Tech killings is to sit down and wait for the next tearful killing spree. And, believe me, it's bound to happen any day soon again in the US.

This is a sad event in whichever light you look at it. Gun law does help and that is a fact you make it harder for people to get guns and you simply wont get the amount of deaths by guns as the USA has .Nz'rs dont carry guns. It is illegal to carry a gun in public it is not in America , we have to sit a test to get licence to get a gun licence ,these are all things that help prevent violence by firearms .The USA is a society built on being scared everybody carries a gun of fear of each other , easy access of guns and licences make it easier for gun violence in the USA. Canada has more guns per person than the USA yet it doesnt have the same problem. It all comes down to society and the values. It's a fact USA is made up of a society of fear Its a push from every angle. To those who say there is to many America haters, well USA is it own worse enemy . Why is it that people need to carry a gun it's in defence from the other person that has a gun , take the gun from the question and you have your answer.

I am a dual US/NZ citizen and I currently live in Seattle Washington. I attend the University of Washington, and I am also a daily carrier of a pistol. In most states in the US you can legally obtain a concealed pistol permit as an extension of the civil liberties that we hold. I abhor gun violence, but I am very well prepared to resist any attempt that is made on my life or the lives of those around me. I believe that self defence is an inalienable right of any person on this Earth and that it is not exclusive to a military of police force. Murders in the US are a problem that I have no solution for, but I offer a thought concerning gun control or gun bans. In the past 100 years the number of people murdered by other citizens pales in comparison to the number killed by governments, and almost exclusively these were unarmed populaces. The cost of banning guns is too high when you consider the possibility of tyranny and oppression in the future. Governments should fear their people, and people should never be forced to entrust their lives and freedom to a government. We live in a civilized society, but how short is our collective memory that we can't conceive having to fight for freedom in the future? Trade not your essential freedoms for temporary safety.

It was a shock to me to know those many people were killed by the lack of gun control in USA. The political system is created to relieving the fears of citizens. Your editorial rightly pointed out that fear is the reason for use of guns. There will always be x number of depressed people and accusers of civilized Society, wanting to express their disgust and anger in public. If the usage of gun is not strictly controlled, it becomes top weapon for them in their expression rather than words and other democratic means. US Government acted immediately thinking weapons of mass destruction were in Iraq. What will it do if they found guns in the hands of Citizens is a weapon of mass destruction at their backyard? Previously debates, and political campaigns followed without much action. Your editorial points out that the National Rifle Association will argue as always that people, not guns, are the problem, and that a disarmed population cannot be "free". So far successive Governments bought those ideas. At least with this scale of murders in one incident,now, Hey America, wake up to peaceful living, shed your fears and create an atmosphere to make your citizens gun-free, and follow it to your international relations too.

This tragedy has turned into an excuse for people from around the world to express their anti-American sentiments. How many of you have actually been to the United States? How many of you have seen a gun in the hand of an American? Your ignorance is nothing but a perfect display of the hypocrisy. I am an American. The only guns I have ever seen in my life are either carried by law enforcement or the hunting rifles my father in law uses to hunt pheasant. Perhaps you need to be reevaluating your own assumptions. The reason why incidents such as this make the news is because of the rarity at which they happen.

Such idiocy. This is not the result of lax gun control, this was enabled by gun control. It is illegal to carry a gun on the Virginia Tech campus. If some of the students had been carrying, they could have put and end to it quickly. Even the knowledge that there would likely be some people carrying would have been a powerful deterrent. When you disarm law-abiding citizens, then the only people left with the guns are the cops and the criminals.

I'm amazed at how the gunman was able to purchase his weapon over the counter paying some 500 bucks through a credit card! It didn't occur to me just how easy it is to obtain a gun in Virginia like that! In that kind of system, guns are bound to fall into the wrong hands! Of course it's fair to put the blame on the gunman as obviously he had some severe mental issues which is out of anyone's control, but it shouldn't have been that easy for him to get a gun! It's ridiculous.

You gotta laugh at the Virginian who dropped by to tell us he she didn't support the imperial wars her country had been engaged in. Therefore we can't blame the slaughter at school on Americans or American culture. That this event wasn't payback in it's most basic form of violence begetting violence. Because she doesn't like it the fact her country has murdered over 600,000 Iraqis in four years, 80,000 Afghanis and the new one Somalia where the US Air Force supported Ethiopian mercenaries by bombing anything which moved and the body count hasn't been totted up yet, it's not her fault. This from a culture that spent 50 years saying "Why didn't ordinary Germans do something anything to stop the murder of Jews, gypsies and mad people?". The fact is that America has gotten into this hole of violence at home and abroad precisely because the ruling elite has convinced them that all they have to do is tick a box once every couple of years. Oh or pull a lever and not only will it all be jake, they'll be committing a good deed, an act of democracy. Participatory democracy requires a good deal more than that I'm afraid but no one wants to make the sacrifice that standing up to the sleek and shiny corporate killers requires. Consequently the gun companies use a front called the NRA to bribe and intimidate their elected officials and the people stand around complaining but do nothing to stop it. Oil companies and a few crooks portraying themselves as zionists do the same to keep America killing people in the Mid East and the same happens. The one is directly related to the other and until Americans stand up and take their country back these 'unfortunate incidents' storms in a teacup really when you consider the tragedy that is Iraq, will continue to recur.

This is such a sad thing to have happened whether it was in the USA or anywhere. My heart goes out to everyone that has a connection there. I'm unsure that it is true that he is been branded being Korean and thats the reason. That he is not an American I do think it is rude that he was branded a Korean alien as said in the Herald video clips that is just rude! There is no 1 country that consists of a certain race anymore and it's best realised that that is what makes of our world now different races. The laws of guns should be harder no matter what. Only able to buy 1 gun a month what a load of crock! Thats only a start tho and it better late than never hah!! There are too many things in life now that could be the reason or could of been the fix but the main thing was his state of mind that place in his head that made him snap!! Their is to much violence in this world that has been made into games we buy to play and that we live around in every day life it's ourselves that make the choice to change or to live those lives. It is just sad that there are hundreds of people that have now been affected of this with no choice! Gun rules need to be harder but people are right then all that does is make a blackmarket for them so when and will it ever be harder to get one! To all the family and friends, be strong, Kia Kaha.All the ones that have lost their lives R.I.P What a sad sad thing to have happened.

I am a Kiwi who has lived in America for the last 25 years. I do not own a gun here - but in NZ I had several. To coin a phrase I hear here often "It's not guns that kill people, it's people who kill people". NZ has a certain amount of gun control (no hand guns etc) but that does not stop people from being murdered by guns there. Japan has some of the most stringent gun controls in the world, but yesterday the mayor of Nagasaki was shot dead. I do agree thats it's pretty absurd that you can own AK47's here but this guy in Virginia used only hand guns so that doesn't count. There are a lot of shootings here that you don't hear about in NZ, but these are usually done by gang-bangers who would be able to get guns even if they were illegal here. The fact that here are over 300,000,000 people here means that there are more crazy people here who will always find a way to kill if they want to - gun control or not. Luckily my kids have always played sports video games rather than the violent ones, but with the number of kids here who do play violent games it is surprising this kind of massacre doesn't happen here more often - if you are to believe those that blame all violent crime on video games.

I think the best response to such a tragedy is to be introspective instead of taking the easy road and criticising Americans. NZ has also had its own multiple murderers (anyone remember Aramoana?). Just banning guns doesn't solve the problem of alienation and hostility towards society that some people build up. What really amazes me is that the outrageous number of guns easily available in the United States doesn't make such events happen much more often. The reason the Virginia Tech mass murders (or the Amish school shooting last year, or Columbine) make the news world-wide is because they are novel. People blowing themselves up in an Iraq market becomes less newsworthy because it happens all the time. The news has to be about something that grabs people's attention and makes them want to read about it. The media present this kind of news because they want ratings.

Just a few interesting facts. The gunman had the word Ismail AX written on his arm. If you read the plays that the gunman had written one was called 'Mr Brownstone' which is a name of a Gun'n'Roses song. Also the fact that Axle Rose (lead singer of Guns'n'roses was molested by his father and stepfather and the stark similarities between the gunmans wikipedia review and Axle Rose shows that this was his idol. Also axle rose was a voice over on the game grand theft auto (the game that you go on shoot em up rampages) is a little weird. Anyway just a view.

I was sadden to read: "America leads the world in stupidity, and gets the society it deserves!" You are talking about 33 people killed for a no better reason than they went to class and tried to better themselves.

I too love free speech and this dope has the right to say what ever he wants but so do I. This is the same type of Hate the USA crap we get all the time, stupid people think they now better than others when the US but the issue is about 33 young people killed by a loser who as its final act of a coward it took its own life rather than facing the punishment and responsibility for its actions. It is pathetic that all the we hate America countries complain and blame my country for everything that can think of but who do everyone call for help the US and who gets yelled at and complained about if that free aid is a little slow in coming the US.Again very sadden to think in such a "perfect country" you still have stupid people.

As tragic as this is and the huge loss to so many families we have to consider what could really have been done to prevent this. Guns are guns it is people who shoot them that cause the problems. The US society fights for it rights to arm oneself against all foes, so until that changes then you cannot blame gun laws. They are the laws because of the democratic rights of the people who live there. After living in the USA I know what there solution will be to this problem - armed guards at all Universities. They fight violence with violence - or the threat of it. There would be thousands of people who one could term at risk, mentally unstable etc but how many would crack and do this? Sadly this is just what happens when someone does crack and they have easy access to firearms.

Hurt people, hurt people. Ultimately it was the shooters decision to go on this awful rampage - but can you imagine the lack of hope, the helplessness the despair this person had to have felt to follow through on that decision? No one reached out to this young man, no one showed him any love.. so in a sense it is ALL of our responsibility. We truly need to change how we live our lives so that no one is in that state to cause so much tragedy.

I was unsurprised to see the plethora of messages on here regarding the issue of gun laws in America and once again its the same old line 'take the gun out of the equation and you wont get any killings'. When are people going to wake up to the fact that this will not make any difference? After the 9/11 attacks on the WTC buildings did anyone seek to ban aeroplanes due to the fact that terrorists could learn to use them to fly them into more buildings, no I think not. Should we start banning knives, cars, and petrol that can be used in Molotov cocktails as well just in case, no because there will always be something. After travelling the world and seeing that in a large number of countries it is far easier to buy weapons than in the US, take Asia or parts of the Middle East, etc, how many mass killings do you hear about in these countries? Thats right you don't because it is not happening there with even laxer gun laws.Its time people woke up and smelt the coffee over these issues and dealt with the social problems which have lead to such a tragic event and stop blaming inanimate objects who dont have minds of their own.

The person to blame for the killings is the shooter. His mind snapped for whatever reason. What the US really needs to be asking is why his mind snapped and what they can do to prevent it from happening again. Having guns far less available would certainly help. To those who think that having all of the people armed would have prevented this. What do you really think would have happened when several hundred untrained people decided to pull their gun to defend themselves? I personally think the death toll from such chaos would have been much higher. Having gun control laws do help but it needs to be universal control and not just gun free zones surrounded by everybody and their dog carrying guns.

Guns should be outlawed in the USA, except for where they are truly needed. Yes, a lot of people will kick and squeal and say they have a right to have a gun; but the USA, as a nation, also has the right to prohibit guns for anyone who wishes to remain within its boarders. To think that they are so comfortable aggressively prohibiting drugs (a problem that mostly only affects the drug user) whereas they can't prohibit guns, even though they lead to the death of so many innocent people. USA should have a referendum and be done with them.

I think that the gun laws are to blame. America does not have the strict policy that New Zealand has. Here firearms treated with true utmost respect like they should be. I am glad that I live in New Zealand.

Funny how everyone believes what they see in the media, and then blames the US President for it. If George W. Bush was around in 1939, World War 2 would have never happened. Hitler would have been hung, and millions of people and their descendants would still be alive. Newspapers and media agencies are an extremely poor place to gather facts.

Regarding violence in media... If what we view does not affect our actions, why then do companies spend billions of dollars on advertising each year if visual media does not influence our decisions?

Greater gun control, better support services for distressed people, and maybe, just maybe, an environment that calls a boy who grew up in America an American instead of othering him everywhere he goes. Even dead, he's "Korean". To the Americans complaining that Kiwis are making negative judgments about the US - we have freedom of speech too.

It is one of the worst tragedies of our time, particularly when it happens in a polytechnic, where only intelligent people supposed to dwell! I deeply mourn with the families of victims as well as with the American nation. Very sadly it is a reflection of the complexities of our times, especially of stressful fast moving societies. Added to that are the formula of easy accesses to guns, video games where kids thrive in 'artificial' killings plus ever growing greed of people. Let us admit that as somebody after this shooting said "there are two million guns in US and obviously some of them are in wrong hands….." However, it is racism to label the killer as Korean, because he has lived in USA for 15 years from the age of 10 years; the most influential years of a person's character. The irony is that people spread smear electronic 'news' on Koreans for this incident (which is very unfair) but never bothered to know that the very message transmits via superior Korean chip technology, which is world number one!

It is a sad thing that has happened, and though there are many factors that have contributed to this, easy access to guns being one of these, I find it interesting that the shooters ethnicity is considered a factor. At the end of the day he had lived in the US for 15years, meaning he had moved there at age 9-trying to shirk responsibility by saying he wasn't American, hardly serves the greater good, or getting new insights. At some point the society has to take responsibility for the actions of its citizens.

" A-students who were bullied by the College sportstars and school leaders including - homework /assignments torn up and burnt, lunch thrown in the bin and public humiliation" When the kids defended themselves against the attacks they were isolated and sent to psychologists to address 'anger management' and 'to improve their interpersonal skills'. The students doing the bullying were from the families of the local sheriff and mayor....almost as tho' the students were unable to obtain justice within the system.. So, yes, it sounds like nothing has been learnt from Columbine. The first speech Bush gave after the WTC destruction confirmed that revenge was the honourable way to deal with anger, and that all moral and ethical considerations may be suspended to carry out the 'activities of the righteous'.....so I'm sure it is not a surprise that disaffected youth can reach the same conclusion.....the only surprise is that there are not more. No doubt the various self-interest groups will trot out the usual guff - blame the guns, blame the movies, blame the computer games - anything except the root cause - make more rules, enforce more control, create more jails to hold the rule-breakers etc etc Provide a just system, a just society and the need for violent resolution vanishes, unfortunately for most of humanity, justice is demonstrably the exclusive province of power and wealth.

Obviously we should being to be more careful in screening Asian students and immigrants. If American did not let in Asian immigrants this tragedy never would have happened.

Tragic. My condolences to the families of those affected. For those who are quoting America's "lax gun laws", you have no idea what you are talking about. I suggest you do some research. For those that have been saying "It's all because of guns", it is an attitude problem not a gun problem. When someone is convinced the best option is to kill as many people as possible. If there were not guns he probably would have used a bomb. I wonder if he had completed his compulsory military training in South Korea? This is a sad event, and a reminder to not allow the pressure cooker of our daily lives to get too much.

America and its head in the sand approach to gun control is partly to blame. Next to blame is the culture of exclusiveness, if you are not in the in crowd you are no-one! Immigrants need to make an effort to assimilate and become apart of the American way of life, assimilating only the best bits of American life. All cultures, races, creeds need to take the wider view of caring for one another. Get with the programme people.

Silly question. I lived in the US for a year in the late 60s. The eminent Chicago journalist Mike Royko had all this stuff covered then - 40 years later, not a single shred of his earthy commonsense has rubbed off on a succession of useless administrations, the Bush one being the worst. No doubt that senile cretin Charlton Heston and his infamous NRA lobby won't be troubled. Show a bit of nipple on TV - now, there's something to worry about! I recall a cynical remark a NZ divinity (!) student made to me as a newbie in the US at the time - " these people are scared of sex". Mindless violence is OK though!

It is a fine line between genius and insanity. There was probably no warning signs he just flipped. I agree there needs to be a tightening of the Gun Laws, but if he was going to flip the and could not get guns then he would have used another weapon.

There will be more. Mike Moore's film "Bowling for Columbine" summed it up. The American economy is driven by fear hence the need to buy guns. The rich arms dealers over there would rather be making money than sparing lives.After the columbine tragedy, you'd think they would have contingency/ emergency plans... well they should develop them because if guns continue to be so readily available this won't be the last tragedy. There will be more.

I do not think that it is right to judge all Americans in the manner that the majority of you are. I am an American I always have been and always will be. I donot and many Americans dont like most of the decisions that George w. is making for our country. I do not think blaming it on lax gun control, violent games is any way to solve this or is the reason why it happened. I think it is a emotional behavioral disorder. I have friends and family members that play violent video games daily and never would they go and randomly do that. I also have hunter friends and the whole gun control thing has not been a prob I think. If guns move to the black market( are not allowed to be sold) people will still get them just like drugs. Our leader needs to go around and talk about the importance of family and friends and safety. I am not materialistic and that is very generalized. That is like if I was to say that all Chinese were....or Germans were....I would never do that that is rude. Unless you have lived in the heart and soul of USA and not just toured it you will never know. What we all need to do is stop fighting and come together for the children of tomorrow or there will be no tomorrow for them.

It is a sad state of affairs and one hopes that finally the US will look at gun control. That is the fundamental problem. If people have the option to express themselves through the use of a gun, the stats show they will use it.That a society would choose to increase security at schools or universities, rather than address this issue negates any form of rational thinking, and certainly boggles my mind.

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