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{{B}}Gun Rights in the US{{/B}} Immediately after the shooting at Virginia Tech University, Americans gathered to mourn the dead. The president and the state governor both hurried there to share the{{U}} (51) {{/U}}. But the majority of Americans still cling to their right to{{U}} (52) {{/U}}weapons. Strictly speaking, the US is not the only country{{U}} (53) {{/U}}gun violence has destroyed lives, families and communities in everyday circumstance. But the US is one of the{{U}} (54) {{/U}}countries that seems unwilling and politically incapable of doing anything serious to stop it. In countries like Britain and Canada, the government adopted stricter{{U}} (55) {{/U}}control soon after serious gun violence incidents. US leaders, however, are held{{U}} (56) {{/U}}by the gun lobby and the electoral system. The powerful National Rifle Association, the major supporter of gun{{U}} (57) {{/U}}in the US, is too strong for any party to take on. Most Republicans oppose gun controls anyway. {{U}}(58) {{/U}}the years, the Democrats have found that they can either campaign for gun control or win power, not{{U}} (59) {{/U}}; they prefer power. According to the US Bureau of Justice Statistics, firearm incidents accounted{{U}} (60) {{/U}}nine percent of the 4.7 million violent crimes in 2005. So, although opinion polls show most Americans want stricter gun laws, many don't want to give up their arms they{{U}} (61) {{/U}}to protect themselves. Dave Hancock, a Virginia gun lover, is one example. In an interview he said. "If one professor in Virginia incident had been carrying a legal weapon they might have been able to{{U}} (62) {{/U}}all this." In his opinion, the massacre is an argument for more people to carry weapons, not fewer. But at the root of Americans' clinging to the right to bear arms is not just a fear of crime, but a mistrust of{{U}} (63) {{/U}}, commented UK's Guardian newspaper. One Virginia resident, who had a permit to carry a concealed firearm, told the Guardian that it was{{U}} (64) {{/U}}American's responsibility to have a gun. "Each person," he said, "should not rely solely{{U}} (65) {{/U}}the government for protection." |