It is reactionaries like Spalding that assure that America will NEVER return to sanity vis a vis gun murders. Simple question, spald... If thieves are using guns in Britain, why is their murder rate FORTY times less than ours?

The reason that the death penalty does not work in America is that it is so painfully obvious that it is simply used as a race penalty. Look at the rates of application of it for identical crimes based on skin color, and you will see why it has no effect over here. Until ALL gun offenders are penalized identically regardless of race or economic status, it remains a bad joke, and no-one is laughing. Except rich white murderers, I suppose!

And OK, I admit that the death penalty is barbaric. But so are the US's murder figures, FAR in excess of any other 'civilized' country (you DO call America a civilized country, don't you? ). To be honest, if use of a handgun was penalized simply by life without parole, and it was applied without any mercy or regard for race or economic status, watch how fast those thieves would start carrying Tazers...!

Make the penalty draconian enough, and 'Never take a gun to a knife fight' might start to be the NEW joke...