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?