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Dear America The World shares your sorrow and grief about the horrific massacre of innocent children and teachers at Sandy Hook Elementary School.

My sister and I were talking about it yesterday and tears were running down her face. As a teacher of 30 years she could only imagine the terror faced by the teachers and the children in those frenzied moments.
However, at the end of it all, no matter who you speak with, the same question keeps getting asked.
Isn't there anything that you can do about gun control?
I am not trying to be critical of what many consider as the greatest Nation on Earth but I just do not understand your gun culture at all.
Perhaps you can shed some light on it for me.
Why do one in three Americans need to carry a gun? Why is it 15 times more likely that I will be shot dead in America than here in Australia? Why would your average suburban American householders have the need to have automatic Glock and Sig Sauer pistols, which can hold up to 30 rounds in their clips?
Surely, no private citizen needs that kind of firepower. Or do they?

I can understand that these weapons may be a logical choice for soldiers whose goal it is to kill a lot of people in a short time but what purpose are they for your ordinary citizens.

In coming days, America’s powerful National Rifle Association will no doubt cough up its old line that it is “guns don’t kill people, people kill people”.

However, surely it is a no brainer that if you want to reduce gun related deaths you have to reduce the number of guns and the type of guns considered legal....See More

Guns are everywhere it's true. And all countries have had their share of gun massacres. Us included.
However, Australia now has the most restrictive firearms legislation in the world simply because its citizens demanded it following the horrific Port Phillip massacre which occurred here in 1996 where 35 innocent people were killed.

Our laws banned semiautomatic and automatic rifles and shotguns. Australia also instituted a mandatory buy-back program for newly banned weapons (the government bought the guns back and destroyed them).

In light of the Aurora, Colo., massacre in August this year, the Washington Post wrote about the impact of Australian laws to instigate greater discussion about greater gun controls in the USA. The impact of our laws has been debated left, right and centre. All I know is that we have not had any futher 'spree killings' like the Port Phillip massacre since this time.

However, I do not believe it will be as easy for you to introduce tougher gun legislation.

Particularly given the public comments made by some of your politicians over the past few days.
For example, I just heard on the radio that a prominent Republican congressman believes that arming teachers would be a better solution to the violence than gun control.

“I wish to God she (school principal)  had had an m-4 in her office, locked up so when she heard gunfire, she pulls it out….and takes him out and takes his head off before he can kill those precious kids.” The Texan congressman Louis Gohmert said on Fox News. (An m-4 is a similar military style semi automatic weapon to that used by the killer).

That is truly insane. Just insane. Where will it all end?

The reality is many parts of the world are going to be watching you closely over the coming days and months and wondering why there is absolutely no substantial political debate in your country about why it is ok for anyone to bear arms of any description with no substantial checks and balances in place.
To me, a civil war in Syria where 40,000 people needlessly die is not that much different from a 'war' in a civilised country like yours where more than 30,000 citizens are killed by guns each year.

Any controls that are put in place that make it more difficult for evil or mentally ill people to wreak havoc and violence on innocent people has to be a good thing. Surely.

I understand that criminals will do whatever it takes to obtain guns and kill people. No law will stop them. However, if laws stop or decrease the 'spree killings' of innocent people, particularly school children, then that has to be a worthwhile outcome. Doesn't it?

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Maybe I am missing something or just plain naive. I would be very interested to hear the views of my American readers who may be able to shed some light on why they think there are more registered guns in the USA than there are citizens.  Why do so many people think that is normal and ok to have guns in their home like it was just another household appliance?

RIP the beautiful innocent children and teachers of Newtown Connecticut.