My thoughts are with Connecticut

[maxx]

Rhonald you are correct in your assessment.I do read stories weekly on the enternet.Where somebody has tried to hold up a gas station.Or broke into somebodies house.And they get shot.For there efforts.The shooters are treated to a hero's welcome as they should be.In my opinion.They do sometimes even stop a turf war getting started.But not very often.It is my understanding that the reason they carry weapons is for self preservation.Not to save the world from itself.

I'm a American like Vince is.The difference between me and Vince is that.I know plenty of people that carry weapons on a daily bases.They do not carry them in a holster on there hip.Looking for the next gun fight.It is for self protection from a nasty world.Where your next step.Could be your last step.And like Vince.Nobody walks around with a gun strapped to there hip.

The thing I have noticed about living in New Mexico, Nebraska, And Colorado.People are extremely polite to each other.If you bump into them in a store.Or they will hold the door for you if you are trying to get into someplace.The reason total strangers are polite to each other.In my own opinion.Is you never know when one of these physco's is going to slip a cog.and pull a gun.So people have manners as a self preservation mechanism.The only place where you run into bad manners in the west and the southwest.Is with government employees.And help lines for products you have bought.The government lackey's are idiots.That think they have some super powers.That won't get them shot for talking down to people.And the guy on the help line can be as rude as he wants.Because they know that you aren't going to fly to India or the Phillipines.And beat the stuffing's out of them.I have run into the same kind of manners in Arkansas and Texas.Arkansas and Texas is in the Bible belt.So they are all trying to get into heaven.And they stand a better chance at heaven if they are polite to each other.Or so they think.

[Arnold]

Not only speaking of Americans, but it's where I live and observe what is going on.
Our society has been on a decline for decades now and we as Citizen's/Parent's just kept watching as our Youth was bombarded with violence at the Movies/Video Games/Paintball/Music and even in the Fasion industry. All of course for none other then the mighty $. Throw in Drugs and Alcohol and one Parent up-bringing and giving Kids at younger and younger ages Pills (drugs) for just about every little complaint coming from their mouth. So now it doesn't take a Rocket Scientist to see where that is going down the road.
Every time there is a Killing single or multiple with a Gun, People everywhere come out and blame it on Guns. Of course that is the easy way out for everybody and that will fix it.
The violence everywhere our Kids are subjected to... not a word, guess that's okay with most. We really made our Soup and now it's giving us heartburn and you guessed it... take a Pill and call me later.
The outlook to come? Is anybody's guess... reminds me though, doesn't or didn't every Empire fall from within? Our lousy Court system could start and put both feet down and "really" make it harder on those Sickies/Criminals and be a force to be "Feared" not made a joke off. Anyway, till things get better ( I'm not holding my Breath) I'll keep my Gun in the same place it's always been and someone like to test my Expierence/Patience with it... their welcome.

[maxx]

I don't think it has anything with what the kids see on the TV.Or the video games.The video games actually help with a aggressive behavior.Because when you play the games the aggression is spent.What I think it all comes down to.Is personell responsibility.and how it is not taught anymore in are society.When I was a kid.And I did something wrong.My old man would blister my hide with his belt.If I did it again the whipping with the belt would be twice as bad.

As a father of five kids.1 girl and 4 boys.I have never used a belt or a tree limb on any of my kids.When they did something wrong.I told them they did something wrong.And explained to them what they did wrong.And why it is wrong.And that they were going to have to suffer the consequences for there actions.I would also remind them.That every day of there life is a choice.And what choices will you make today.Is it the right choice.Is there going to be consequences and repercussion.To themselves or somebody else.Is the choice a good choice or a bad choice.

So far it is working good.The 2 older kids had straight A's all threw school.They both got full ride scholarships To universities.(For those that don't know that means the college they go to pays all the bills for them to go to there college.My daughter works 2 partime  jobs.Has her own car and apartment.And goes to college.My son has his own car.And lives on campus.And has a part time job.

If people would teach there children to take responsibility for there own actions.And show them what can happen when they make a bad choice.The world would be allot better place.

[Robertt S]

The detail that many people that are not licensed to carry, or live in other countries do not realize is that many states do not license the concealed gun, they license the person to carry a concealed weapon e.g. gun, knife, and or any other weapon not specifically banned for self-defense purposes. Another problem with implementing gun control here in the USA is the fact that many guns are not registered, so the government has no idea of actually how many guns are held by the private citizens, so the feds may get a few but will never get them all. Americans have resisted all attempts by government to require registration of guns because registration records is what allowed the British government to know exactly who had what and how much ammo and where it was kept. That made it real easy for them to take all guns from the British citizens then. Another reason I think gun control will be intensely resisted is because many Americans consider owning guns a right like that right about free speech the democrats and Westboro Trash bunch like using so much. I am curious though how many good ole Brits would keep a gun if they were not banned by their rulers? I was reading an article earlier concerning what types of methods can be used for self-defense in England and the article said that Mace, stun guns, and knives are banned for self-defense also. Could one of the U.K. members enlighten me about whether Mace and stun guns are illegal for self defense in the U.K. and if so, what are acceptable weapons and or methods for self-defense in the U.K.?

[Willy The Londoner]

My observations are not an attack on Americans in general.  I was pointing out that in my opinion Americans have allowed the situation to develop to what it is now by complacency. It has been a case of 'I'm alright jack'.

In the UK they live in a different society.  They have less fear of being shot by an intruder as most burglaries are committed by persons feeding a drug habit.  And drug addicts in the UK will rarely waste money on a gun when it can be more easily spent on drugs.  But that is not the only reason that firearms are not so widely used. 

The punishment for committing an offence just in possession of a firearm, whether taken out or not, is much much higher that one committed without so they do not risk it.  They may well have other weapons with them but not guns.

The vast majority of offences in the UK are caused by persons feeding a drug habit and my views on that will be for another day.

I was pleased to see that some people actually did take to the streets and protest outside the NRA Offices.  The NRA is going to be  making a statement on Friday.    Maybe something positive will come from the horror.

The parents are burying their children and they can only think what horrors their children were subjected to that day.  The first responders will have seen the horror first hand and what they saw will last with them for ever.  Hopefully the authorities will provide them with counseling that they will need.  Unfortunately when I was first on the scene of a multiple child murder then the only counselling was to be told 'Go and get a cup of tea!'  I relive that day regularly.

I will say this is the average American was shown the scenes that the first responders saw then the lawmakers could not, WOULD not dare not to support major changes.

Willy

[Willy The Londoner]

I was reading an article earlier concerning what types of methods can be used for self-defense in England and the article said that Mace, stun guns, and knives are banned for self-defense also. Could one of the U.K. members enlighten me about whether Mace and stun guns are illegal for self defense in the U.K. and if so, what are acceptable weapons and or methods for self-defense in the U.K.?

As a person with a police pension I can tell you that there are no weapons at all that are acceptable as a weapon of self defence.  If you use any weapon to defend yourself then you really have to prove that you were carrying for some other reason and not to defend your self in the case of an attack. 
The police have pepper spray and tazers and on specially duties some may have firearms,  But the carrying of any items of self defence is against the law.  Just the carrying of a self defence spray or article can get you sent to jail.   And it could be in a car not on your person.  The sales of Baseball bats are quite high in the UK but how many people actually play it here.  But they often turn up on searches of vehicle boots (trunks).

In the UK they have always taken ownership of any firearm seriously.  Even to own a shotgun there are forms to be completed and checks to be made before a shotgun certificate can be issued.  For a Class one Firearm then stringent checks are made on the applicant and also where he intends to use it etc. And many applicants are turned down. If they do receive a firearms certificate it will restrict the ammount of ammunition that can be held and it will also insist that the gun be stored in a special steel locker with top quality security padlock.  It cannot be left by the bed at night in case of a burglary.  Police are entitled to call round at any time to inspect the gun and locker and if the find it not locked away or the person has just one more bullet than he is entitled to hold then he can lose his licence and the guns seized.  A person cannot legally hold a prohibited weapon which is any weapon that continually fires whilst the finger is held on the trigger.  No one is permitted to hold any pistols of any sort.  All have been banned, Even our Olympic shooters have to do all training and store their weapons outside of the UK.

Of course the criminal element have illegally held firearms but they are more often than not used just to intimidate other criminals and not members of the general public.

Willy

[Vince G]

If's, And's, and Buts. The problem isn't the guns, the problem is how the wrong people get them. I really think those video games don't help aggressive behavior but more importantly dehumanizes real people (targets).

We had a copy cat of the Sandy Hook shooting down here already. He didn't get to do anything except tweet that he was planning for this Friday. The idiot teen is now jailed. Most saying it was a joke? yeah funny. He will be charged as an adult.

[Robertt S]

The police have pepper spray and tazers and on specially duties some may have firearms,  But the carrying of any items of self defence is against the law.  Just the carrying of a self defence spray or article can get you sent to jail.   And it could be in a car not on your person.  The sales of Baseball bats are quite high in the UK but how many people actually play it here.  But they often turn up on searches of vehicle boots (trunks).

Would I be safe assuming the average police officer in Britain undergoes intensive and rigorous hand-hand combat/self-defense training? Are all officers required to receive small arms training or just selected officers. Here in Georgia the police/sheriffs deputies are required to complete POST training before being certified by the state for duty, they must attend training yearly and also pass small arms certification. I live in a small town in Georgia ( pop. 8500 in the entire county) but we have had an armed police officer at all 3 schools in the county for about 4 years now, most of the incidents they have to respond to are fights or arresting a student for drug possession/use on school property. When the Feds were handing out all the money for updating and preparing city departments for terrorism/natural disasters, my county took a portion of that money and set aside for school security and then hired 2 officers full time for the schools. The middle and high school are side by side on the same property so only one officer covers both schools, the other officer stays at the elementary school. So far it has worked good and we have had no problems other than fights or someone loitering in front of the school. As far as gun violence in this county it is low, it has been about 2 years since someone was shot here, she was 16 and shot by her 37 year old crack dealing boyfriend/pimp who she met through her crack smoking mother. Before that it had been about 5-6 years since a man tried to drive away without paying for his dope and the dealer shot through his back window striking him in the neck, he run off the road about 4 blocks away and died. Drugs play a large role in gun violence here, the dealers do not attempt to intimidate each other, here they actually want to kill each other to gain the drug territory and sales. The cops can only do so much because the criminals have more rights than their victims and the liberal bleeding heart judges slap them on the wrists until finally after 3 convictions they will finally lock them up for awhile. Right now  I am waiting to see if the president uses his executive power to place some type of bans in place, it will get real interesting then.  Regards

[Robertt S]

Vince,
 You are absolutely right about the idiot control. I think they should have it where the shrinks are required by federal law to notify the authorities in the town where a patient lives if he is judged to be a danger or potential danger to his self or the general public. The hospitals and doctors are required by law to report suspected child abuse or sexual abuse when they observe it, so I think after the recent rash of shootings by mentally ill people would allow some type of legislation being introduced to address this issue also.

[Vince G]

I'm still stuck on the mother played a roll in this. These are guns a woman does not buy for herself. A shotgun maybe, a 223 assault rifle? questionable. THis was a kid that she knew and others knew was a problem and was told to never take your eyes off of but yet you put guns in this persons hands? Somethings not right.

[shaun]

I was listening to Herman Cain on the radio and he played the following you tube audio.  Paul Harvey did this commentary back in 1965.  It sends chills up and down my spine.

If I Were the Devil: Paul Harvey (Clean Audio Version)

Vince I also read your most recent comment.  I have had the same question about the mother.  After your comment my first thought was about Jason Bourne in Bourne Identity.  Makes me wonder if.....

[Willy The Londoner]

Would I be safe assuming the average police officer in Britain undergoes intensive and rigorous hand-hand combat/self-defense training? Are all officers required to receive small arms training or just selected officers. Here in Georgia the police/sheriffs deputies are required to complete POST training before being certified by the state for duty, they must attend training yearly and also pass small arms certification.

In the initial 2 years of training as a probational Constable they receive training solely in self defence and handling prisoners who are 'unco-operative'. This is with the baton, pepper Spray and Tazer etc.  No firearms training is given in those first two year.   After 2 years Police Officer, who are selected after in depth interview and phychologist reports, they then receive specialise training to qualify to carry firearms.  The initial training is solid for four weeks.  They then have regular training sessions.  This includes one day a month indepth where they have to pass the test otherwise their permit is removed.

Only a small proportion of officers in any station are permitted to use firearms.  Also only those on specialised front line duties carry firearms at all times.  When special events take place permitted officers have to draw weapons from a safe store within a police station before attending incidents.

Willy

PS I am pleased to see that the rise against some firearms are rising but sad it had to come about through such a tragedy.  My own feelings as an observer is that it will go through because the Republicans are on the political back foot now and to oppose it will make then second place in future elections.  They oppose it and one more such tragedy would put them into the political wilderness.