Unable to shoot down helicopters here

It doesn't take long after arriving in Australia for an American to be asked, “What on earth is the matter with your country, when it comes to guns?”

These folks are great admirers of the US and close observers of our debate on the issue.  They even know about the Second Amendment to our Constitution and are quick to observe that the Founding Fathers probably had muskets in mind and not projectile weaponry capable of shooting down helicopters.

Speaking of the latter, take a look at this humorous column on this serious subject, “Australia enjoys another peaceful day under oppressive gun control regime.” The lede:

Due to the nation’s controversial and oppressive gun restrictions, no one has died as a result of a mass-shooting on Australian soil today, for the 7158th day in a row.  
 
Local cinema attendant, Christina Upton can’t believe it has been a whole 19 years and 7 months since a heavily armed white Australian male decided to shoot at a crowd of unsuspecting Australian civilians for no reason.

An excerpt:

Per 100,000 residents in Australia, less than 1 are expected to be killed by a firearm this year. This is heavily contrasted to the 10.5 in 100,000 who will be killed in America.

But what they really can't understand here is why politicians would be so afraid of losing the next election that they would forego enacting a law that would help eliminate mass shootings by banning assault weapons and that would help reduce unintentional deaths and suicides by putting in place thorough protections around the acquisition and storage of single shot weapons.

John Oliver covered these topics in a series for the Daily Show a few years ago, where he interviewed the politicians responsible.  There are three episodes.  If you only have time to watch one, watch the second one, but the first and third ones are “on target,” too.