Another massacre. God help America

THE Second Amendment to the United States Constitution reads: "A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed," writes Peter Rhodes.

The militias were wound up long ago but the right to bear arms is hard-wired into the psyche of every American red-neck.

The result is that while it is hard for loonies to get their hands on guns in Britain, it is dead easy in the States. Even after the weekend massacre in Arizona, a sensible law on gun control is years away.

The irony is that over the past few decades American politicians have fallen over themselves in the rush to pass silly damn politically-correct laws.

Consider this. After the shooting, a US Army spokesman confirmed the killer had tried to enlist but was unsuccessful. He went on: "In accordance with the Privacy Act, we will not discuss why he was rejected."

So they have a law to protect the privacy of mass murderers. But not a law to deter mass murder. God bless America.