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After the Hungerford Massacre, where a guy walked around a small village killing everyone in sight, the gun laws were tightned up. Guns have always been illegal in the UK except for certain exceptions, Farmers, gun clubs, etc. After the massacre there was a amnesty for people to hand in illegal firearms. Illegal guns have and always will be available but now legal guns come under very tight restrictions. This leaves guns in the hands of Criminals and the law abiding safe gun owners have been penalised.
In the 19th century and up until after WWI firearms were quite readily available in the U.K. and anyone could easily carry a handgun legally, and it was quite common to do so. There are English newspaper stories from the early 20th century about crimes in which the police (unarmed) asked people nearby for a gun to assist in stopping the criminal, fully expecting one of them to have a handgun. The U.K. did have a "gun culture," not quite like the U.S. but one nonetheless, but since the 1940's the government there has been intent on eliminating all traces of it.
Guns have never been a big issue in the UK. We accept that guns will not legalised. The British public do not want them legalised. Our "Bobbies" still inforce the law with just a nightstick. Pepper spray is also used now. London is an extremely violent place, always has been. Immigration problems have been a big factor in the increase of violence. To kill in London is up close and personal with knives etc. Shooting someone is not as up close as to push a knife through somebody or machette them. America accepts guns as an everyday thing and have the right to keep arms. It's just different attitudes. I know a lot of people in America who have never owned a gun and never want to. The media paints America as out of control and gun obsessed. I feel safer walking around in America than i do in the UK. Even new york isn't as foreboding as parts of London.
In the 19th century and up until after WWI firearms were quite readily available in the U.K. and anyone could easily carry a handgun legally, and it was quite common to do so. There are English newspaper stories from the early 20th century about crimes in which the police (unarmed) asked people nearby for a gun to assist in stopping the criminal, fully expecting one of them to have a handgun. The U.K. did have a "gun culture," not quite like the U.S. but one nonetheless, but since the 1940's the government there has been intent on eliminating all traces of it.
I am convinced that modern gun prohibition in the UK has it's roots in issues centering on the large island to the west.
If what is now the Republic of Ireland had , somehow , achieved Dominion status around 1900 , I believe that gun laws in the UK would have developed in an entirely different direction. Both nations would have been able to deal with the issues in the 6 counties (that were and are part of the UK) in a much more constructive way.
It seems to me that both the UK and the US have not one but two "gun
cultures". One gun culture is based on responsible , legal , safe ownership and use. It has very strong ethics and quite a bit of value to society.
The other 'gun culture" is nothing more than a part of a subculture of violence , irresponsibility , and crime. It's not even a gun culture , it's a guns, knifes , razors , clubs , and broken beer bottle culture.
Both "gun cultures" cut across all the usual demographics lines of wealth , education , race , national origin , gender , whatever.
Gun control in the UK sounds like the way defensive spell casting is being treated by the Ministry of Magic in the Harry Potter stories. If you remove the individual's means of self defense they will always remains subservient because they need the government to defend them from the criminals. The minor fact that the government assumes no responsibility for that defense (for common people anyway, it does protect its own) is not really relevant.
I live in an area where I do not fear walking at night so I am generally unarmed. If I felt I needed to be armed, I would be whatever the legal restrictions. I prefer to face a jury, with all the attendant costs, than a coroner. Doubly so for my family whom I am responsible for protecting.
Please remember criminals never turn in their weapons. One, they are criminals and two, not that trusting or stupid.
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