they too asked why wasn't something done. months after that massacre, senators showed overwhelming support for backward checks failed to pass appeal. apparently it is possible, at least in australia. in 1996 after a gunman killed 35 people and wounded 18 others, australians collectively decided shot to follow what then prime minister john howard called the american way on guns. they banned automatic and semiautomatic weapons and had a gun buy back for high powered and rapid fire rifles. last year, john howard wrote a new york times opinion piece saying "i went after guns, obama can too." he said in the 18 years before the 1996 reforms, australia