do you think we should be able to bear arms for our own security and safety i would feel safer in my home?

Question

as i have no confidence in the british police force. i have to say that if that was possible, i would have to meet certain criteria ie no criminal record and i would be obliged to register any fire arms i own with the police and have a secure armoury for them surely i have a basic right to protect my family

Answer 1

ABSOLUTELY!!!

As an American police officer, I can tell you that the British police are probably doing all they can, just as we are, but can't be everywhere when you need them.

Do not believe the hype about armed citizenry causing a boost in the crime rate. In fact, the opposite is true. You should have every right to protect your home and family.

Answer 2

In the USA more people are shot with their own firearms than by other people's.
If you confront an intruder in your home with a gun, are you really going to have the tactical skill and presence of mind, not to mention the physical strength required to stop him from taking your gun off you and using it on you?

Not to mention hundreds of people in the USA have family members who are killed because young Bobby finds the loaded pistol that you'd hidden under your bed.

Right, now some facts about British crime rates. 90% of ALL burglarys happen when the person who lives there is not at home. Of those, roughly 75% are because the homeowner has left a door unlocked.
The average burglary rate in the UK is 50/1000. That means in a year, out of every 1000 houses, 50 can expect to be broken into. That is in the most crime ridden sink estate you can find. The area I work in is operating at about 12/1000. So, the chances of your house being burgled, if you invest in decent security is low. The chance of you being in the house when you are burgled is minute. The chance of you being assaulted during that burglary is impossibly remote.

You say you have no confidence in the police force, why? What are the chances of a police officer coming across a burglary during a patrol? If an officer patrols 8 hours a day, 5 days a week he will encounter a crime in progress on average, once every 8 years. The crooks can see us coming, all we do is make them wait until we have walked past. We catch most of our burglars through vigilant members of public who alert us. How is a patrolling officer meant to know if someone is meant to be in the house or not? He isn't.

Unfortunately, the UK press loves scaremongering. The chances of you being a victim of serious crime (burglary/assault) are lower now than they ever have been. You don't need a gun to protect yourself, because all that will happen is the criminals will start carrying guns to protect themselves.
As for all criminals being armed at the moment, i've encountered hundreds of criminals, not once have they ever had previous for posession of a weapon, let alone had one on them. Out of all the criminals, the only ones who carry guns are the "gangsta" wannabes who walk around like snoop dogg selling crack in the inner city and the organised criminals who you will never meet anyway.

Answer 3

Yes. the current UK laws are so restrictive that they effectively are saying, only criminals can carry guns. That is clearly a stupid and counter productive law.

Who can possibly condone the idea of only arming criminals? It is crazy.

I'll bet that if the UK population was armed in the way you describe, then the Government would not dare consider sending inspectors to nosey around our homes with the hope of finding more ways to put up our taxes.

As the NRA in the USA says, mass murderers agree, from Hitler to Chairman Mao, disarmament works.

EDIT, the States in the USA with the highest occurance of private gun ownership, also have the lowest proportion of gun crime. Where gun ownership is restricted, the gun crime increases, as criminals know that they are far less likely to be shot.

We in the UK have tried outlawing guns, and the crime and shootings have increased. It clearly does not work. How many more people have to be killed by young thugs with guns before we start arming the intended victims?

Why do people have this idealistic, fantasy that banning guns reduces crime and murder. Criminals LOVE the idea of the general population NOT being armed. It gives the criminals a MASSIVE advantage.

Everybody being armed would create an equalibrium in which gun crime would go down.

Answer 4

You DID have a right to protect your family. Your government took it away from you. Criminals don't seem to have a problem procuring weapons and even bombs in England. But the honest citizen is left with nothing but a "stiff upper lip".

Sad.

With guns in the community their use or misuse is certainly a concern. The homicide rate in the U.S. is about 5.5. It has actually declined for several years. The homicide rate in England is about 1.7, pretty good, but the rate has increased, along with other violent crimes, over the past few years. The increase has been slow but it is there.

You gave up your gun to be safe and secure; you are neither.

Bad enough the violent criminals are still in your midst, but now you have terrorists as well. All you have to defend yourself is a cricket bat. Good luck with that. . .

Answer 5

I think everyone should have such Freedoms as the United States of America have including bearing arms,
It seems in the UK,and in fact the USA the only people that want to take or in your case keep guns away from citizens or the so called law enforcement, the goverment,and crooks.

Answer 6

Most homeowners that have guns have little or no training in use, nomenclature, target acquisition, or fire control, They either wind up shooting a family member while half asleep, or a kid gets hold of it or the bad guy takes it from them and shoot them. In twenty years as a decorated street cop, I have never had to use my gun on or off duty to protect my family.nor have I ever needed it in my house.

Answer 7

Yes you should have the right.If they passed a law that you could not have a gun, then the criminals have won, because they don't care about laws and will carry guns or whatever to kill you with. I think you should be able to carry a gun in public, because if they know you may have one then they will go where its easier pickings.

Answer 8

Yes -- without Doubt --- The Criminal Fraternity have easy Access to as many weapons as they want --- and the rest of us Live in Fear and Danger as a Result .......

Answer 9

I have three rifles, two sets of golf clubs and a Kalashnikov bayonet at home (UK),
I should get away with repelling boarders with the golf clubs but if I use the blade or the rifles I think I might get into trouble

Answer 10

I agree with you. We only don't carry guns because the government states that society is safer if it takes the responsibility to protect us from crime. It has obviously and manifestly refused to do so. Therefore we should be able to protect ourselves if the government refuses to protect us.