After spending some weeks in a semi-rural location on the edge of a small resort town in Italy, I learned of the Italian policy on gun possession and usage.

I awoke one Sunday morning at 4 a.m. to hear the sound of a single gunshot nearby. Expecting sirens, helicopters and search lights at any minute down my street, I was surprised when there was no reaction. Later I asked my landlord what it could have been, expecting to hear about local mafia activities in this peaceful little place.

The Italian gun policy is that you are allowed to discharge a shotgun between the hours of midnight and dawn on Thursday and Sunday mornings, if, and only if, your tomatoes or other valuable landscape are being threatened by wild animals, such as a boar or rabbit, both of which are then commonly found on the Italian dinner table.

The Italian constitution does not recognize the right to own or bear arms, and Italy strictly regulates the usage of firearms to those over 18 who have passed tests and been certified to know how to use a gun, have a clean criminal record, are not mentally ill and are not an abuser of alcohol or illegal drugs, nor live with anyone who is so known. Licenses can only be obtained from local police authorities.

How sensible.

When will the United States learn from other civilized countries how to regulate and safeguard our citizens and our tomatoes?

Yes, Rome wasn’t built in a day. But surely we will learn soon from the ongoing and constant gun carnage in our nation that the gun culture should fade and give way to common-sense legislation about how and when to safely use guns.