Americans don't have a clue about the Constitution, the legislative process, gun laws... we don't actually know much sadly.
I'm hoping for smart, meaningful legislation to promote gun safety and control.
I'll settle for something to start the process.
Yes that's true. I feel like my comment about how little Australians know about their constitution has been misinterpreted.
Yes, Americans are shockingly ignorant of their constitution too as we all well know. That wasn't my point. My point was about the cultural value placed on the respective constitutions by the respective cultures and their influence on them.
My point was that Australians on the whole probably couldn't quote you, even completely mistakingly, any part of their constitution. Because it's not really relevant for anything.
Most Americans have heard of the bill of rights. They know that one of the amendments is for free speech and most of them know its the 1st.
We have expressions like "pleading the 5th".
My point was never that Americans are more educated on how their government works or their constitution, God no. And my point was never that Americans know the constitution or how the government works particularly well on the whole (though just to be clear, most Australians don't know how their government system works either, people are just dumb like that).
My point was that the US constitution is a big part of American culture and with good reason. And the Australian constitution isn't, again with good reason, because it isn't much relevant.
What I said was addressed to Americans with the intention of providing some insight into how the Australian culture differs and how rights in Australia have a different meaning, and why.
And yes. I know that not everyone's going to have an informed opinion about guns, and that's fine. Nobody can know everything about everything. But I try to make a point of not holding opinions about subjects I know I don't know much about. Because I know that if I do, I could wind up looking back one day and thinking about how stupid what I said was and how by doing so I spread ignorance and was one among a million voices lobbying for something that was a mistake.
You don't HAVE to have an opinion about everything. But if you decide something interests you and you care about it, I think the responsible thing is try and learn about the subject matter before coming to and trying to enforce an opinion.
This kinda stuff is important. It affects people's lives. Countless people have died because of well meaning but poorly thought out ideas. I don't want to be part of that problem. And it's frustrating when I think about how much time I've spent learning about all sorts of subjects. So that I felt I could argue from knowledge. Only to see nearly everyone else having such little regard or care to find out anything about what they're discussing.
People here are advocating for stuff that will affect millions of people. Take away a hobby they have safely and legally enjoyed for years. They are advocating for things that could put lives in danger if their assumptions turn out to be wrong.
None of us are actually making law, but we reflect the people of our cultures. When we show so little concern about finding out anything to do with the things we advocate for. We send a message to everyone around us that that's OK and that's normal.
And as a collective we really do yield power. And that's where it really does cause damage and harm.
Not to mention this is being argued on the internet. Every person here has access to the most powerful learning tool ever created. In a time where finding our accurate information has never been easier or more accessible.
So to hear people just say they don't have the time when they have plenty for bluelight or Facebook or whatever. You can see why that might be frustrating to say the least.
You're right though, much of what I know about guns comes from growing up in a gun subculture. Which no doubt has an influence on my opinions. Because I see the gun nuts as real people. Not as a faceless corporation.
People keep acting like everyone in America has liberal gun views and it's only the faceless gun lobby powered by the corporations in opposition. But that's crap. Most of the NRAs money comes from ordinary Americans. A lot of ordinary Americans really don't agree.
And then you have the huge number who like me have views that are somewhere in the middle. Point is its not nearly as cut and dry as some people act.
. But I honestly don't feel as comfortable making such generalizations about other nationalities I haven't had as much exposure too. And they are just generalizations born from my personal experience. Even if they're correct generalizations. I'm not saying that every Australian is like whatever I've suggested they're like. And the same is true of all the generalizations I've made about Americans. I've never said there aren't exceptions to all of it. 
