From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
I don't agree that this article's author was writing drivel - for a
general-interest article written by a non-specialist it made quite good
reading. What interested me especially was that the author, Mark Steyn,
pulled far fewer punches than he would have done in anything he wrote for The
(UK) Spectator, for which respected periodical he writes regularly: although
I've never classed Steyn as anti-gun, I certainly considered him to be a
pretty standard slightly-right-of-centre mainstream member of what Sean Gabb
calls the "Quisling Right". But it's extremely rare to see anything like a
robust assertion of the rights to gun ownership and self defence in print in
this country - you can't get that sort of thing past editors here, as I know
to my cost. The Speccie did have a piece by Richard Munday in 96 or 97, but
that sort of thing is rare, and Steyn knows it and doesn't try.
This American Spectator piece said all the right things, though, and (not for
the first time) embarrassed me to reflect upon the decline of robust
individualism in our country. When my grandfather was a young man he owned
guns without restriction, such as the shotgun (BP) he gave me many years ago,
given to him by a farmer before WW1, and the revolver he told me about; when
he returned from the trenches, of course, the wartime special regs were in
force, soon to be replaced by the infamous 1920 Act. Although that Act was
opposed vigorously by many, clearly their efforts weren't enough, and it's
been the same ever since.
Steve's remark on politicians' "BS about vigilantism" brings me to a lengthy
letter I've just had from my MP, Anthony Steen (Con), Totnes. Extracts:
"My position on the use of handguns remains unchanged since our discussions
in 1996. As I said then, I believed the ban on handguns was a matter of
short-term political expediency. However, I am certainly not in a position to
write the Party's next manifesto and say that we would sweep away existing
handgun legislation. You are right to say that many thousands of handgun
owners were punished as a result of the Dunblane tragedy, but we also had to
reassure many more thousands of parents that their children would be safe at
school. Natural justice must also balance with the demands placed on the
government of the day, such as children's welfare and safety....
"We do not tolerate vigilantism, but believe the law should not punish those
who act to defend their homes against burglars and robbers..."
Note that "reassure": legislation, a profoundly important affair not to be
undertaken lightly, is employed not to bring positive benefits, but to
reassure... A bit like some cynical quack dishing out placebos instead of the
real thing.
If you want to contact Mark Steyn it might be possible via The Spectator, 56
Doughty St, London WC1N 2LL.
Regards - Tony H
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