As a Brit who's married to an American and living in the US, I've been trying to come to grips with the American preoccupation wtih guns and all forms of weaponry.

I live in the South and I there's a stereotype about the people driving around in pickups (true) with a gun rack attached (not really noticed much of this to be honest).

Coworkers husbands and sons go hunting as a pastime and Wally World (aka Walmart) sells hunting rifles (I think that's what they are). Now, that was a slightly startling sight for a Brit.

I'm quoting the relevant section of the Constitution verbatim. This comes from the Bill of Rights of 1791-

"Amendment 2

A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed."

So, what are your opinions on firearms ownership and legislation dictating the purchase and ownership of firearms?

Is it out of control or is the freedom to buy and own firearms justified?

Hubby goes hunting, so he has several guns. However we don't keep them in the house, and I have never even seen them, let alone handled them. I watched a British tv documentary about this subject recently - Ross Kemp presented a Sky One presentation called Lethal Attraction: Why Americans Love Guns.

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/tm...name_page.html

It is a documentary in which Ross Kemp travels to the US to discover why so
many people own guns and feel safer with them. He interviews police
officers and gang members to shed some light on the problem of high
crime levels that continue to rise despite the fact that so many
citizens own firearms.

There were such comments as "An armed society is a peaceful society." The final word in the programme came from a member of the NRA (National Rifle Association - a pro-gun organization), a gun-shop owner, who said, "You can have my guns - when you pry 'em from my cold, dead fingers."

I have met people here who believe that it is their right to carry a gun and fully intend to do so. They need a special license to do that but are proud of it. I was also shocked when I first walked around Walmart and saw guns and ammunition for sale!

Check out the NRA website for pro-gun opinions.

http://www.nra.org/

I personally think its nonsense

check out www.aimsurplus.com

you can but romanian AK-47s and m-4/16 carbines (semi-auto)

these aren't needed by anyone

Now you know another one.

Well not quite true, you would need a Federal Firearms License
to buy from this site.

whats one of them?

doesn't matter i googled.

A Federally licenced gun dealer.

Yes, it is totally out of hand. They're just too "available". If you have to pass a driving test and apply for a license, etc., to own a car, then owning and using a gun should require similar level of control and oversight.

I understand people's desire to use guns for sport and even for protection. I just think the process is too easy and there's insufficient control.

As for the "cold, dead hands" comment, that originated from a speech by Charlton Heston. What a pratt.

I have a semi-auto Romanian AK-47. I like to go out to the range with my brother in law and practice my firing skills.

I have to agree with you, Dunroving.

I remember the first time I went to buy a soccer ball for my son in "The Sports Authority" and how horrified I was when I spotted all the guns on sale.

I don't know if anyone has seen "Bowling For Columbine" where Michael Moore compares the USA with Canada (Many Canadians also own guns but there are far fewer shootings in the general population). He showed where a little boy in his hometown of Flint, Michigan had accidentally killed a girl at school as he had found his uncle's gun at home (and presumably thought it was just a toy). He also showed where he tried to interview Charlton Heston at home.....who refused to co-operate when he was being asked pointed questions about his patronage of the NRA and threw Moore off his property....

Oh God! you should not have said that..now we will get "paper targets have rights too" lobby going.

There are quite a few States where its very difficult for the public to get guns easily or be allowed to carry them...
Only problems is, those are the state with very high crime rates.

And Englishmum if I came to your house with a film crew demanding to
know detail of the associations you are involved in, I bet you would kick my ass out as well.

I have shot guns in this country, and I'm not a pyscho.

I was strongly against guns/hunting when I first came here, but now c'est la vie.
Once you've twatted a few deer in the car you'll soon understand why hunting/population control is nessecary. Also the deer is processed and eaten.

[QUOTE\] and I'm not a pyscho.
[/QUOTE]

is this your opinion do you have medical evidence to back up this statement

is this your opinion do you have medical evidence to back up this statement [/QUOTE]
actually I saw a copy of my INS medical papers and they confirmed it.


wibble

I'm all for hunting, I understand it's necessary in some states for culling deer populations.

However there does need to be tighter controls on gun ownership, licensing would be a good thing, perhaps you should have to prove you would be a responsible owner before you got your license.

Of course the pro gun lobby would say criminals can get hold of guns without licenses anyway so why should anyone require a license to defend themselves and their property?

-tom