Some 25 years or so ago, In Australia, a young man, Martin Bryant , shot dead some 32 people in a senseless shoot out in Port Arthur in Tasmania.

I remember the day well, the horror as we watched this man perpetrate his crimes.

Some years later, and not deliberately, we visited PA again, and the atmosphere was palpable. People had not forgotten.

John Howard was our PM at the time, He decided to pass major gun reform legislation just 12 days after the shooting.

Yes people complained, but he was resolute, and certainly not popular.

I'm not saying it solved every problem in Australia, but we have not had a mass shooting since.

But in classrooms we had ongoing practice lockdowns. That scared the living daylights out of many of the children, and as far as I am concerned was a knee-jerk reaction that put teachers, parents and students on edge.

Had we had to lock our doors in order to 'be safe', I would have tendered my resignation on the spot. That is not solving the problem.

Besides, it changes the tone of a school.

It also is problematic in a different kind of emergency.

America must change.

Who can go on as you people are, always looking over your shoulders, always fearful, and always at the mercy of those who believe they have the right to bear arms, always at the mercy of the entitled whose money buys power.

That is simply not right.

I don't envy you. So much must change.

Here is the link to John Howard's response to Port Arthur.

Something to think about:

The Howard government bought back almost 700,000 guns at a cost of more than $300 million.

Australia is now a much safer country than it might have been.

Mr Howard decided to pass major gun reform legislation just 12 days after the shooting.