Here are some statistics regarding firearms-related deaths around the world (per 100,000 population): United States 10.27 Australia 2.94 Ireland 1.21 England/Wales .46 Japan .07

Surely it can't be that we are just more accurate shooters.

And in the interest of full disclosure, South Africa tops the list followed by several drug- plagued countries in South America.

We are a country awash in firearms and President Obama will not stand up to the NRA. The 2009 James Brady Gun Violent Report Card graded the president as receiving an "F" in all of the following categories: Brady Background Check, Gun Show Loophole, Gun Trafficking, Guns in Public, Federal Assault Weapons Ban, Standing Up to the Gun Lobby, and Leadership.

To hear the NRA leadership and rank and file talk, you'd think that the president was doing his utmost to outlaw weapons. He has done nothing of the sort. I suspect he believes that the genie is out the bottle and that many citizens will always remain armed to the teeth. And perhaps he's right.

I understand that hunters require guns, as do those who legitimately feel the need to protect themselves. I don't understand why we've allowed such lethal firepower to be so readily available.

Peter T.