I'm going to write about guns and America, because it's been rattling around my head since the latest massacre and I'm sick of it. I'd really like to hear any counter-arguments from people who disagree with the specific points I'm making. Or if you agree.

I've seen a couple of things by Australians that I thought were pertinent. One was taking issue with Obama's statement that Australia was a country 'like America' but where gun control had succeeded. The author was most indignant - apart from the language, Australia shares nothing with the US. Australians care about their citizens, look after them. There's free health care, free education, social security payments to the sick, disabled, unemployed. Paid holidays, maternity leave - the list went on. America, they said, didn't give a damn about human life, or its quality. Sink or swim. On a day when fatalities from American bombs dropped on a hospital were described as 'collateral damage' this felt like truth. My dear friend Barb was allowed to die by the American system, as was Em.

The other thing I saw was a clip from an Australian comedian talking about gun control which makes so many good points I hadn't heard before that I urge you to watch it.

But none of the good points matter in the slightest - they've all been made before, even if they haven't all travelled to the south coast of England, but they mean jack shit, because the biggest lie of all is the one about democracy. The NRA have bought their way into the heart of government and nothing's going to beat that beyond a total overhaul of the whole system. Which seems unlikely. So there will be more massacres and the same arguments will be trotted forth again and again and again. Next big one in about three months.

Meanwhile we are being fucked over by our government at an astonishing rate. I fear for the future. I don't know how to keep my head straight in such a sickening world.

But I am grateful today for: a meeting with my case worker with another one booked; a walk on the prom in the wind and rain; a warm bed; a roof over my head; food to eat

xxx