Pro-gun supporters, and those that want to carry guns, are quite strong in their demands of me (see my Britain Needs Guns post and a growing number of comments).
But someone has just written in with a pretty good piece that steps back from this drive for possessing weapons - and full of common sense - which again pushes back on those that advocate some kind of hark back to Wild West times. Read it for yourself:
They said: "It is worth pointing out that ownership of guns in the States leads to nothing more than an increased death rate. Most of those that end up dead are innocent victims and not demented rapists who break into homes intent on wreaking havoc. That is the fact of the matter.
"It is also worth pointing out, and please check these stats out, but do your own research, that 40 police officers have been shot dead in the US so far this year. This where gun laws are extremely lenient. It is very rare here that an officer is shot, and that is due to our gun control.
"Another fact is, that about 43% (figure fluctuates slightly) of officers killed by firearms in the US, are in fact killed with their own weapons. If highly skilled highly trained law enforcement officers cannot retain their weapons during an incident, are you all seriously arrogant enough to think you will be able to?
"I like living in a country that has strict gun control, but like Lucy Cope, I would welcome a full and complete ban. Until then we need to seriously look at the laws we have, which are not quite as "strict" as most believe.
"Laws vary in different areas. I would like to see laws implemented nationwide. I agree with the statement that those armed with knives will be the most likely to die from a knife wound. I have the statistics for that somewhere, they are available, and I will attempt to dig them out.
"You cannot argue with the fact that if nobody carried a knife, nor any kind of firearm, for use as a weapon, legally or otherwise, then nobody would lose their life to either.
"I would like to end by saying Lucy Cope is not a "harriden". She is a mother, who unlike any of her critics above, knows what it is like to stand at a grave, mourning her child, who was taken by the use of a firearm."
And this is just one group of the reasons this blog remains anti-gun, anti-knife, anti-crime - and ultimately, pro-peace. Now, has anyone got any great ideas to develop more peace in this country?
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If you want a debate over this, visit http://www.armbritain.com/forum . That is where most of the pro gun who comment on your blog are from.
ReplyDelete"If highly skilled highly trained law enforcement officers cannot retain their weapons during an incident, are you all seriously arrogant enough to think you will be able to?"
ReplyDeletePolice officers encounter very different situations than a civilian in his home or on the street would.
Restraining suspects while a gun hangs from a holster in grabbing reach of said suspects is going to launch the odds of someone grabbing that gun.
Also, You may be suprised how the level of gun training of an officer compares with the skill of an average gun owner/shooter. Police officers typically practice a fraction of the amount, to a lesser degree of complexity.
"You cannot argue with the fact that if nobody carried a knife, nor any kind of firearm, for use as a weapon, legally or otherwise, then nobody would lose their life to either."
There's only one simple thing getting in the way of that utopic vision - The fact that criminals do not follow the law, nor pleas of well meaning people such as yourself.
This country is full of love, I think it will be one way of promoting peace. Another thing, martial arts should be more visible than knife and gun :)
ReplyDeleteWhilst Lucy Cope has a reason to be anti-gun,her arguments are incoherrant,as are many from the Gun Control Network & from foreign anti-gun groups too.Hunfgerford &Dunblane were caused by the police,not checking properly & in the case of Dunblane,the Cheif Constable,allowed the killer to have a firearms renewal,despite warnings from his officers in CID & in the Firearms Licensing department.Micheal Atherton shot those women,this year,because he was unstable,but he had his guns taken away by the police & they & the courts should have ensured that he never got them back.So its their fault partly,as they had the power to act,in removing his firearms.Same with Dunblane incident,the police never acted,as the Police Cheif was the killers mate.How corrupt is this?Thats what happens when a police officer is a free mason,as Thomas Hamilton was.
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