A pirate attempted to stop my bus in an old caddy

[Jeremy]

I guess in a "civilized" country only the criminals have guns

No. In a civilised country the criminals DON'T have guns, BECAUSE THERE ARE NO GUNS! Not even our police carry guns, and it's their job to deal with criminals.

Oddly enough, we don't have high school massacres and the like either, but I'm sure that must be a coincidence.

Jeremy

[Sojourner]

Criminals don't have any concern for others and will do any things or ways to harm other person rights.

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4159/is_20041017/ai_n12762405/pg_1?tag=artBody;col1

FWIW

Sojourn for Christ, Jerry

[Dallas]

I guess in a "civilized" country only the criminals have guns

No. In a civilised country the criminals DON'T have guns, BECAUSE THERE ARE NO GUNS! Not even our police carry guns, and it's their job to deal with criminals.

Oddly enough, we don't have high school massacres and the like either, but I'm sure that must be a coincidence.

Jeremy

Hmm, Then England must not be civilized.

Maybe we should discuss the gangs in Birmingham, the nut cases in Dublane, any other gang related activity in any place in the U.S. or G.B. that you care to mention.

Murder statistics in Britain don't include manslaughter, unlike the U. S. where everything is fair game.

Here are a couple of interesting statistics...

In 1981 the U. S. murder rate was nine times higher than that of England.

In 1995 the murder rate difference was six times higher.

In 2002 it was less than 3.5 times higher.

I didn't bother looking to see if it converged even more in the last few years.

Taken from Britain's "Telegraph", 05-01-03:

According to a UN survey from last month, England and Wales now have the highest crime rate of the world's 20 leading nations. One can query the methodology of the survey while still recognising the peculiar genius by which British crime policy has wound up with every indicator going haywire - draconian gun control plus vastly increased gun violence plus stratospheric property crime.

You must live in a very protected, safe setting. I feel sorry for you, when the worst happens, and it will, how will you defend yourself? Call the police? by the time they arrive, the crime will have been committed and the only ones left in the area will be the victims... Some of whom may not be able to speak because they could be critically dead.

Historically, a populace that allows itself to be disarmed has also lost it's will to survive. There was a time, not too long ago, when many, many, many thousands of surplus French Military rifles were being exported by France to dealers around the world, Many of the advertisements by the dealers stated something on the order of, " For Sale Cheap! French Army Rifles... only Dropped ONCE!"

OK, As much as I respect England, I just cannot abide someone who is so willing to give up their ability to defend themselves.

Off my soap box now,

Dallas

[jjrbus]

Jeremy, our country was not founded by the cream of society. People in other countrys that had soft cushy lives did not give them up and head for the new world. This is our heritage, good and bad.
It is rumored that during  WWII  the Japanese, would not invade the west coast of the US becuse Americans were so heavily armed. If this were different, we might not be communicating like this becuse I would be speaking Japanese and you would be speaking GERMAN. Any issues past that time become irrelevant.

[H3Jim]

We owe our independance to the French, who we love to bash.  During the revolutionary war they not only saved us with large amounts of cash, but they sent soldiers to fight and die on our soil.  They get a bad rap form us.

I grew up around guns, my dad was a safety instructor, and I'm a great shot. But I agree with Jeremy. I just don't think it makes sense in today's world for everyone to have guns.  Kind of like I don't think it makes sense for radical islamic militants to have nukes.

I am amazed at the intensity of folks that feel they need to have deadly force in their homes. It may be now that since everyone who wants one has a gun, but it might be nice if noe had them.   

Bring on the flames 

[jjrbus]

I whole heartedly agree, I do not think everyone should have guns. In particular people with bad intentions, criminal records, violent tempers, drinking, drugging problems, no reguard for other peoples rights, just plain old bullies.
Until that day I'll keep one handy!!!

[HighTechRedneck]

I don't know whether or not the story is true, but for me the idea that every citizen should have "a loaded firearm.....within reach of your fingertips" is ten thousand times more frightening than the idea of coming across a rogue criminal who wishes me harm. Then claiming that killing said criminal is somehow doing the "work of the Lord" just takes it beyond bizarre.

I guess I'm just lucky that I live in a civilised country.

Jeremy

LONDON (Reuters) - Two men were convicted on Tuesday of murdering an innocent schoolboy after they sprayed him with bullets from a submachine gun as he lay in his own bed, in a case of mistaken identity during a gang war.

Glasgow has been named Britain’s safest city in an international quality-of-life league table, despite being the murder capital of Europe.

Ms Dando, 37, was shot in the head on her doorstep in April 1999 in what the prosecution calls an "irrational" act.

A 15-year-old who shot a man for "humiliating" him will be detained for at least six years, a court has ruled.

A 16-YEAR-OLD boy was last night arrested on suspicion of murdering a convicted teenage drug dealer who was shot in the head.

And of course murder was happening long before guns were invented and still goes on today when a gun is not available.  Knife crime is running rampant in the U.K.

KNIFE thugs plaguing Scotland's streets are fuelling one of the highest murder rates in Europe.

Police minister Tony McNulty told Sky News: "There's nothing the Government can do to stop knife crime," adding, "it's in the hands of the public".

Knife crime is a fact of life for teenagers

P.S.  Jeremy, I do share your confusion over refering to it as "work of the Lord" though.  I have killed many times in the service of my country and would kill again to protect my family or other helpless victim.  I certainly don't consider it the "work of the Lord" but rather something to be repented of and something that I will never have to do again.

[JimC]

Jeremy,
Looks like your country is about 2 decades behind us. The main difference is that our country has not taken the weapons away from our law abiding citizens YET, (other than some large liberal metro areas) and I don't think it will ever happen, at least I pray not.

I feel sorry for your country in the future if things continue to go the way they seem to be going in that article that Sojourner posted. Looks like your law abiding citizens are going to be at the mercy of the criminals and they normally do not have much mercy.

As a retired law enforcement officer I firmly believe that the general (law abiding) population should be allowed to be armed. I can attest that growing up on the south side of Chicago I was the victim of more weapons offenses and the victim of more felony crimes as a civilian in 20 years than I was involved with in my 26 years of law enforcement in Wisconsin. The criminals will prey on the weak, the ones that are less likely to protect themselves, its their nature!

The facts prove that the concealed carry laws have lowered the person to person crime rate, (although the non personal property crimes do go up) That is a trade off I can accept,  I would rather they steal my property than the life of one of my loved ones.

Jim

[roadrunnertex]

After reading the various post on the above subject I think that the ideas have gone in 2 different directions.
One for having a weapon and the other for not having a weapon.
Myself I  always carried a loaded weapon when I am on a trip either in my GMC Buffalo or by my trusty Buick.
In this great state that I live in (Texas) we can carry a weapon in our vehicle's.
I hope that I never have a chance to use my weapon but if the need to use it happens I will be ready willing and able to  do so.
Calling 911 isn't going to work when the person is trying to do you or your family harm.
Remember when seconds count the cop's are minutes away.
jlv

[Ednj]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZW0-Cl100rc

[superpickle]

... What do you expect in a world that gave Yasser Arafat the Nobel Prize for PEACE.. ...

Its the Wild and Wooly West ALL OVER again, All OVER !

It will get Worse ya know...!

theres no ryme or reason,

[DrivingMissLazy]

Criminals don't have any concern for others and will do any things or ways to harm other person rights.

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4159/is_20041017/ai_n12762405/pg_1?tag=artBody;col1

FWIW

Sojourn for Christ, Jerry

I think this article debunks every statement that Jeremy makes, including school shootings and the only ones that do not have guns are the police. It is for certain that if the criminals want them they are redialy available.

Richard

[Don4107]

Just a couple weeks ago I had an run in with a street thug.  My wife and I were walking to our car from our Chiropractors' office on the sidewalk of an otherwise decent area.  Two young men were walking the other way.  As they got beside us one screamed something unintelligible right in my ear.   I reacted and said just what I thought of them trying to scare me and my wife.

The other one, not the one that yelled, turned and started back toward us challenging me to do something about it.  He had his arms locked at his side, fists clenched and face instantly flushed red, very bad body language.  I was positioning myself between him and my wife and he kept coming as we were backing up.  Funny thing though, when I unzipped my jacket and reached inside toward my shoulder he stopped in his tracks.  End of confrontation.

You and your loved ones well being, your choice.  Nice that we still have it, choice that is.

[junkman42]

Jeremy, I would like  to say first of all that a large portion of My family still lives in the UK.  I listen all the time to the rhetoric about the gun culture in the USA.  Funny enough a popular saying during WW2 was over sexed and over here.  I would suggest that the per capita murder rate in the UK is far greater than the US.  I intend to be armed to the death, as I have no intention of being set upon by some illiterate animal or have My family harmed period.  As a retired member of the US armed forces I can assure that I have listened to the bleating of the anti gunners all of My life.  I trust Myself but do not certainly plan waiting for a cop when I am in distress.  Just My 2 cents worth, John

[cody]

To make it simple, my thoughts are I'd rather have protection and not need it than to need it and not have it.