I don't know if there have actually been any school shootings in the UK? (Shootings by one of the kids, not some random madman.)
There must have been one, surely?
I read the news today oh boy! Page 393
Quote: DaButt @ June 20 2011, 6:05 PM BSTAnd why do your cops carry firearms?
Not all of our police carry firearms at all. In fact I think those that do are in the minority. And the truth is I don't feel the same sense of fear and dread in this country as you do in yours.
Quote: DaButt @ June 20 2011, 6:05 PM BSTAnd so do you.
No I don't.
Police are certainly armed at airports, but other than that, you would only normally see armed police when they are specially called out. You can recognise their vehicles if you know the markings they carry. I know a copper who used to guard an embassy in London, and he was armed; but his weapon was at all times unloaded!
Quote: chipolata @ June 20 2011, 6:31 PM BSTNot all of our police carry firearms at all.
I know they don't. But some of them do and there's a reason for it: there are violent, murderous people on the streets of every nation on the planet. Your government hasn't disarmed the criminals but it has succeeded in disarming the law-abiding populace. Our politicians would like to do the same but one-by-one they are failing miserably and more and more states are realizing that firearms in the hands of trained, law-abiding citizens actually reduce violent crime.
No I don't.
Deny it if it makes you feel better but at this very moment a teenager not too far away from you is carrying a gun or a knife. It's a fact of life. And just as you don't spend your day worrying about those people neither do I. I'm not fearful nor in a state of dread -- I merely accept that there are bad people out there who might do me physical harm and I've decided upon a measure of personal protection that is completely legal and within my comfort zone.
Quote: Nogget @ June 20 2011, 6:42 PM BSTPolice are certainly armed at airports, but other than that, you would only normally see armed police when they are specially called out. You can recognise their vehicles if you know the markings they carry. I know a copper who used to guard an embassy in London, and he was armed; but his weapon was at all times unloaded!
I saw quite a few automatic weapons in front of Parliament and Downing Street the last few times I was in London. They looked loaded to me.
Quote: DaButt @ June 20 2011, 6:53 PM BSTDeny it if it makes you feel better but at this very moment a teenager not too far away from you is carrying a gun or a knife. It's a fact of life.
In a few inner cities yes. And knives are faaaar more likely than guns. But England genuinely isn't as weapon obsessed as America, I'm afraid.
Quote: zooo @ June 20 2011, 7:00 PM BSTIn a few inner cities yes. And knives are faaaar more likely than guns. But England genuinely isn't as weapon obsessed as America, I'm afraid.
Yeah, the most you get from British teeners is surly staring and a bit of gob. There are some very scary ones out there, as zooo said largely in inner cities, which is nowhere near me!
Quote: zooo @ June 20 2011, 7:00 PM BSTIn a few inner cities yes. And knives are faaaar more likely than guns. But England genuinely isn't as weapon obsessed as America, I'm afraid.
Knives are deadly weapons and kill hundreds of people every year in your country and in mine. It seems as if your only defence against a knife attack is your bare hands. Never bring your fists to a knife fight, etc.
Pint glasses are weapons. Hands, feet and shoes are weapons. You probably know people who keep a bat or pool cue next to their beds: weapons all.
You've got me Dabutt. I cannot deny it! Most people here do indeed possess hands, feet and shoes.
Quote: DaButt @ June 20 2011, 8:25 PM BSTKnives are deadly weapons and kill hundreds of people every year in your country and in mine. It seems as if your only defence against a knife attack is your bare hands. Never bring your fists to a knife fight, etc. Pint glasses are weapons. Hands, feet and shoes are weapons. You probably know people who keep a bat or pool cue next to their beds: weapons all.
I'd prefer my chances against a mad man with a pint glass than against a mad man with an AK47.
Quote: DaButt @ June 20 2011, 6:53 PM BSTthere are violent, murderous people on the streets of every nation on the planet. more and more states are realizing that firearms in the hands of trained, law-abiding citizens actually reduce violent crime.
Have you considered moving to a more pleasant place to live?
Quote: chipolata @ June 20 2011, 11:58 PM BSTI'd prefer my chances against a mad man with a pint glass than against a mad man with an AK47.
Your chances in both cases would be greatly improved if you were carrying a gun.
Quote: zooo @ June 20 2011, 8:32 PM BSTYou've got me Dabutt. I cannot deny it! Most people here do indeed possess hands, feet and shoes.
By coincidence, only this morning I was walking to the supermarket to buy some milk and apples when I noticed several people with feet and hands. Everyone would have felt much safer if I was carrying a gun to protect myself.
Quote: Marc P @ June 21 2011, 12:07 AM BSTHave you considered moving to a more pleasant place to live?
There's no crime to speak of in my neighborhood. I feel perfectly safe but why take chances? Even in tranquil nations like Japan there are the occasional random acts of violence.
In case you guys haven't figured it out yet, the main reason Americans can and do own firearms is because it keeps our own government in check. Even the citizens without guns (and there are plenty) wouldn't stand for the government confiscating all the firearms. So instead it's an inch by inch attempt by some politicians to erode our Second Amendment rights and inch by inch most states are making it easier for law-abiding citizens to protect themselves.
I think we could all learn a lot from Japan.
It's astounding how little violent crime there is there. They're certainly doing something right in their culture.
(They've got some bloody weird stuff instead though.)
Quote: DaButt @ June 21 2011, 12:15 AM BSTIn case you guys haven't figured it out yet, the main reason Americans can and do own firearms is because it keeps our own government in check.
Yeah,sorry we are f**king stupid in that way, we tried to keep our government in check once by killing them but that was before your government was born.