School shooting in Connecticut ignites gun control debate across the U.S.

The quiet community of Newtown, Connecticut is now home to one of the worst school shootings in American history, igniting the ongoing debate on gun control.

Sandy Hook Elementary School erupted in gunshots when a gunman entered the school Friday afternoon killing 26 people, 20 of them children.

“As a country, we have been through this too many times. Whether it is an elementary school in Newtown, or a shopping mall in Oregon, or a temple in Wisconsin, or a movie theatre in Aurora, or a street corner in Chicago, these neighbourhoods are our neighbourhoods and these children are our children,” U.S. President Barack Obama said.

“And we’re going to have to come together and take meaningful action to prevent more tragedies like this, regardless of the politics.”

Democrat Congressman in New York, Jerrold Nadler issued a statement saying, “if now is not the time to have a serious discussion about gun control and the epidemic of gun violence plaguing our society, I don’t know when is”

A permit is required for the possession of rifles, shotguns or handguns in the state of Connecticut, according to the National Rifle Association: “a person must be 21-years-old to possess a handgun.”

The 20-year-old gunman that entered Sandy Hook elementary school allegedly killed his mother, Nancy Lanza, at home then opened fire inside the school, where his mother taught.

Frustration, grief and anger dominated social media sites where raging debates almost immediately erupted over gun control and the politicization of gun violence, even as the first reports were still filtering out of Connecticut.

David Frum, the apostate Republican, displaced Canadian, and former speech writer to George W. Bush, drew the ire of the pro-gun lobby by caustically tweeting that perhaps those Newtown school kids should have been carrying concealed weapons for protection.

Frum responded to the blowback with a fiery essay posted on thedailybeast.com under the clarion-call headline: “Every Day is the Day to Talk About Gun Control.”

“I’ll accept no lectures about ‘sensitivity’ on days of tragedy like today from people who work the other 364 days of the year against any attempt to prevent such tragedies,” Frum said.

Ezra Klein, writing in the Washington Post online, took dead aim at those who criticize “politicizing” such events.

The gun control debate rages on as Americans gather across the country for vigils remembering those that were lost Friday in the shooting.

A press conference scheduled Saturday will release the names of the victims at Sandy Hook elementary school.

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