'American Guns' Canceled in Wake of Newtown School Shooting
The popular U.S. reality TV show "American Guns" has been canceled in the wake of the tragic Newtown, Conn., school shooting on Friday that left 28 people dead, including the gunman and his mother.
The Discovery Channel show, which features a family of gun makers, has been flooded by angry messages on Facebook ever since Friday's shootings, where people have demanded that the show be taken off the air because of the gun culture it promotes.
Fox News confirmed that a Discovery representative said that the series will not be producing any new episodes, despite a 50 percent bump in ratings in its second season premiere. The unidentified source failed to confirm, however, that the decision was made specifically because of Friday's shooting.
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On Dec. 14, 22-year-old Adam shot dead his mother, Nancy Lanza, at their nearby home, before driving to Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown and killing 26 people, including the school's principal and 20 school children, before turning the gun on himself.
The incident has left the entire nation shocked. America has faced deadly mass-scale shootings in the past, including at a movie theater in Colorado and a Sikh temple in Wisconsin earlier this year, but the slaying of 20 children, all of them between 6 and 7 years of age, has crossed the line for many, who are now calling for much tighter gun control.
"I know you all have to make money but would Discovery Channel PLEASE consider ceasing to broadcast the show in the U.K.? Sadly your program makes buying/owning guns seem fun, glamorous, even normal," one post on the show's Facebook page read.
Another Facebook post read: "Dear Discovery Channel: it's not appropriate showing the program 'American Guns' now!" Another weighed in: "With Discovery shows like 'Sons of Guns', 'American Guns', 'Ted Nugent's Gun Country' etc it's not surprising how guns (are) seen as acceptable."
Some fans, however, have protested against the show's cancellation.
"It was precisely because the teachers did not have guns to fight back, that the children could not be protected," one fan wrote.
"Keep the show on the air you guttless [sic] Discovery channel...executives," protested another.
Guns rights group The Firearm Coalition told Fox New that it was not surprised at the Discovery Channel's decision.
"That's their prerogative. Nonetheless this tragedy has as much to do about lawful use of guns as the lawful use of cars has to do with a car bombing," a representative for the group said.
President Barack Obama has also said that it is time for America to change.
"We can't tolerate this anymore. These tragedies must end. And to end them, we must change," Obama said while visiting families in Newport.
"We bear responsibility for every child ... This is our first task, caring for our children. It's our first job. If we don't get that right, we don't get anything right," the president added.
