From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
I hope, IG, that you consider criminal evidence with more care than you do
some of the postings to this list!
1. Our US friend didn't try to "impose his values" on this country, he merely
drew a useful comparison between the rights of Americans and those of
Englishmen. In any case, our two nations' values in terms of free citizens'
right to possess arms, as enshrined in the US Constitution and our own Bill
of Rights, are peas from the same pod.
2. He doesn't tell us that firearms are only good for self-defence: he makes
the valid point that that is their most important purpose, ultimately, and
that guns' capacity to protect one's life & liberty is a stronger debating
point than their recreational role.
3. We do not slavishly applaud or emulate everything that comes from America
- this is pure fantasy on your part. But since America is a more violent
society, in both absolute and relative terms, than our own (with the usual
caveats about it depending very much where in America you live), and guns and
gun-control play a significant part in this, we naturally look to America for
instructive examples of citizens using guns for self-defence, and of the
folly of most attempts at gun-control.
4. In referring to people's desire for personal security in some of our
rougher areas I wasn't suggesting only firearms, but thinking of the pepper
sprays and other forms of defence which had been mentioned. Our US friend did
well to remind us, for example, of our supremely daft laws concerning knives:
in an article I wrote on knives for countryside use, I felt obliged to
include a brief summary of the restrictions which apply, such as the
typically arbitrary blade-length thing and the nasty little catch concerning
lock-blades. I very much dislike the idea of getting into a knife-fight with
anyone, and would much prefer a baton or some such, but my point is that our
rulers have this mad compulsion to regulate, control, oppress and punish
innocent people - possibly an urge which you share - when all they want to do
is carry a bloody pocket knife, for God's sake.
Anthony Harrison
Cybershooters website: http://www.cybershooters.org
List admin: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
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