Politics and religion.

[Grace]

To answer blue's questions - my husband could care less what people think of him.

He's a firm supporter of, and believer in, the Second Amendment.

[blue]

He's a firm supporter of, and believer in, the Second Amendment.

As are the people described in this thread as being desperate, small, wingnuts, stupid and sick and reprehensible.

I care because the MSM locks on to these decriptions.

[Edwina's Secretary]

To answer blue's questions - my husband could care less what people think of him.

He's a firm supporter of, and believer in, the Second Amendment.

My issue is not with whether or not what these guys did was legal. It is whether or not it was stupid.

It is legal for the Philadelphia Eagles to hire Michael Vick.

But many think it is reprehensible ...thread

It is legal to tart up your daughter and parade her around...

But many think it is sick...thread

It is legal to own guns and assault rifles...

But to take those guns to a crowded public event when the president is speaking...

Is stupid...and sick and reprehensible.

[Miss Z]

Having followed the last few pages of this thread intently, may I take this chance to applaud Edwina's Secretary. I think you are spot on in what you have to say.

Having seen those pictures of the man with the rifle, or whatever it was, slung over his back, to me that is shocking and not normal. How civilisation can exist when people with giant weapons slung publically and casually over the shoulder are free to walk about in the streets, I don't know. They must pass little kids in the street, what do they think? That's it's alright to walk out of the house looking like you're going into battle?

It was mentioned somewhere that it's daft to fear an inanimate object. Honestly, I will fear a gun unless it's in the hands of a trained professional, i.e. the police. It is not inanimate when it's in the hands of someone you cannot trust.

It may be legal to own a gun in those states and walk around with it like an accessory. But just how far is a photograph like that from the current scenes in Afghanistan?

[RICHARD]

Having seen those pictures of the man with the rifle, or whatever it was, slung over his back, to me that is shocking and not normal.It may be legal to own a gun in those states and walk around with it like an accessory. But just how far is a photograph like that from the current scenes in Afghanistan?

Dude,
Like, what is the gun law in England?

I seem to remember that most of the Bobbies don't pack heat, so a picture of a citizen packing must really chill the soul?

The 'farness' of the pic and what goes on in Afghanistan is a stretch.

People in AFG are usually riding around in Toyota P/U, pointing THEIR guns at folks, threatening to cut off the thumbs of people who vote.

We look like a bunch of gun toting morons because all the people who are afraid of guns stretch the truth and panic when they see people packing heat.

The 'danger' of guns is the idiots who can't be trusted to handle-no, I take that back-it's the idiots who see a picture of a guy with a gun and begin to panic.

They don't trust themselves to handle a firearm, so the project their ineptness, mistrust and inability to even touch a gun, onto everyone they see who openly carries a firearm.

Most of the time it's an idiot with grudge, an idiot with no brains or stupid kids playing with guns that get killed.

A couple of weeks ago I saw a story where cops shot a guy to death - shot some 40 times - and officials were trying to figure out if the shooting was justified.

Plus you read about the SWAT cops that killed a baby carried in the arms os some idiot that was holed up in a business?

Most of the time we have to worry about the cops -trained professionals-who shoot a guy 40 times and if they happen to shoot and kill a bystander, oh well, too bad.

It's part of the job!

[Miss Z]

The gun laws, as far as I am aware, lists most cartridge weapons under Section 1 - illegal firearms. You can apply for a gun license if you want to shoot game on your own land, go target shooting, or are in a field that requires it, i.e an armed police officer or large animal veterinary surgeon.

You are not allowed to use such a fire-arm to attack or defend yourself, nor is it permitted outside of its designated area of use.

What I meant by the Afghanistan comment was more to do with principle than the technicalities of a terrorist regime.

The 'danger' of guns is the idiots who can't be trusted to handle-no, I take that back-it's the idiots who see a picture of a guy with a gun and begin to panic.

They don't trust themselves to handle a firearm, so the project their ineptness, mistrust and inability to even touch a gun, onto everyone they see who openly carries a firearm.

I don't consider myself an idiot for thinking that if I bumped into someone with a rifle on their back that I'd run a mile. No, I can't handle a firearm, but I also can't jump 10 feet in the air.

In my lifetime, I can recall many tragedies involving firearms from the US. I can't recall half as much that have occurred in the UK. People walking into public areas and opening fire at random would shake this nation to its core.

Most of the time we have to worry about the cops -trained professionals-who shoot a guy 40 times and if they happen to shoot and kill a bystander, oh well, too bad.

It's part of the job!

When Jean Charles de Menezes was shot on the London Underground in 2005, shortly after the London bombings, it certainly wasn't met with a reaction of 'oh well, it's part of the job!'. There have been endless enquiries and lawsuits and police apologies over the issue. But perhaps the difference is because the effect of guns is so much more abhorred over here, and, as you like to put it, we don't take kindly to 'packing heat'.

[RICHARD]

The gun laws, as far as I am aware, lists most cartridge weapons under Section 1 - illegal firearms. You can apply for a gun license if you want to shoot game on your own land, go target shooting, or are in a field that requires it, i.e an armed police officer or large animal veterinary surgeon.


What I meant by the Afghanistan comment was more to do with principle than the technicalities of a terrorist regime.

In my lifetime, I can recall many tragedies involving firearms from the US. I can't recall half as much that have occurred in the UK. People walking into public areas and opening fire at random would shake this nation to its core.

We are a nation of gun owners. THat will not change anytime soon.

We also have laws that say you can't attack or (sometimes) defend ourselves with our firearms.

We also have laws that prohibit carrying heat in certain places.

My complaint is about the people who think that the U.S. is nothing but a nation of goofy, lawless, gunpacking paranoid idiots-most of those people live here!

Principle vs. technicality?

The only technicality is the people in the back of the Toyota will think nothing of shooting you, and they will do it as a matter of principle.

I am sorry if you thought I was ragging on you. I was merely defending my country from the folks that live here and find it such a ghastly place to live in.

[Edwina's Secretary]

We are a nation of gun owners.

Wrong RICHARD. We are NOT a nation of gun owners. Where on earth do you come up with the stuff???

We are a nation DIVIDED on the issue of guns. Some people very strongly believe in gun ownership...some very strongly do not.

We are also a nation divided on the meaning of the words in the Constitution. Yes, yes...I know what you and your fellow travelers think it means.

But you do not speak for the entire nation...anymore than I do.

[Edwina's Secretary]

I was merely defending my country from the folks that live here and find it such a ghastly place to live in.

Are you picking on those people who complain about the government all the time???

[Edwina's Secretary]

I was merely defending my country from the folks that live here and find it such a ghastly place to live in.

I was rereading some of this thread to find out who are these people you are talking about???

Probably something like this??

Thus the reason why I HATE our current government.

[Miss Z]

My complaint is about the people who think that the U.S. is nothing but a nation of goofy, lawless, gunpacking paranoid idiots-most of those people live here!

I am sorry if you thought I was ragging on you. I was merely defending my country from the folks that live here and find it such a ghastly place to live in.

Oh gosh, no, that was never my intention! I'm a firm believer in not tarring everything with the same brush. Personally, I love the way things are run in America, in general. Every branch of politics is far from perfect, British politics being very, very far indeed. I suppose we are just a more tightly-run country and we let too much compassion override our politics (the release of the Libyan Lockerbie criminal a prime example), so the idea of people walking around with guns just does not seem right to me.

I stick by that idea; that guns should be kept out of the hands of everyday people; but it's not my country and I accept that. I merely like to be involved in threads like these for my education on such issues.

I would think it wont take to much to ban the carrying of knives or the licensing of martial arts training for self defense in the UK.

I found this comment interesting as the answer is you're right, at least as far as knives go; it is an offense to carry such blades around with you, other than pocket knives. You cannot buy a knife, razor, axe, etc, until you are 18. However, this law doesn't seem to be being enforced enough, as young, stupid people are still getting hold of them and are roaming around, unchecked, in public.

We're having a tough time with knife-crime in the London area. I support 100% the stricter legislations on knife carrying that are being brought up in Parliamentary debate. Too many lives are wasted by idiots getting hammered out of their heads and stabbing to death the next person they meet in the street.

[Puckstop31]

You are not allowed to use such a fire-arm to attack or defend yourself, nor is it permitted outside of its designated area of use.

This is key....

The American founding fathers believed (Federalist #87, amongst others) that a human being has an inherit right to defend him/herself and his/her family from those who would deny their right to life from others. I agree with them. I pray to God I never need to (again) exercise that right.

The US 2nd Amendment CONFIRMS a God given right. It does not grant one.

There are idiots in every group. Idiots should not define the entire group.

I pray to God that my firearms are only ever used to harvest game animals.

Your nation is different. Thats cool.

[RICHARD]

People are worried about a black guy with a gun strapped on his back?

What about Grandma?

She's got her finger on the trigger of an RPG and doesn't look like she has anyone with her.....

"Come on grandma!, Let's go grab a Coke!"

"NO Imperialist Western Devils drink COKE!, Let me go!!!"