The Right To Bear Arms

[maxwell silver]

Do you think anyone in Britain should have the right to have a gun & ammunition in their home,even with a liscence?After the tragic event in Birmingham inwhich a young toddler was shot by his young sister,i think maybe it's time for zero tolerance as far as i'm concerned.

[cashman]

well i think the police should be armed, seems to work in europe n the locals there seem to take more notice of em.

[blazey]

I wouldn't mind a gun, though the incident you are talking about was an air rifle and they are classed differently aren't they(?). Depends what you are going to use it for. I think if you are a member of a shooting club or whatever then why not.

Only irresponsible people cause accidents, and only evil people intentionally cause incidents. Both aren't really preventable. If you want something like that and you know the right people, you'll get one regardless of any law.

[Eric]

Many people I know have guns in their homes. To get a gun in Canada one needs and FAC (firearms aquisition certificate) from the local police ... they run a check on your background for any criminal offences ... you also have to take a gun safety course .... and there are strict rules for safe storage of firearms and ammunition. You have to show your FAC when purchasing a gun or ammunition. Hand guns are difficult to get (legally). Licences for hand guns are usually only issued to members of pistol shooting clubs; and the punishments handed out for illegal possession of handguns are very stiff indeed. Many people in Canada are hunters and own rifles and shotguns for the purpose of hunting, which is strictly controlled by Federal and Provincial Governments. As a rule, you find more homes with guns in them in the rural areas of our country.

Sorry about the ramble; but I support the legal possession of firearms if there is a good reason for having them .... and I argue that hunting is a good reason ... I do believe that there should be strict controls on ownership and storage of weapons. My guns are stored in locked cabinets; one, with a bolt action, has the bolt removed and stored seperately. Ammunition is stored in another locked cabinet. The keys to both cabinets are locked in my safe. It is tragic that such an accident happened; but the question begging for an answer is: "how the hell did a loaded weapon get into the hands of a child?"

[cashman]

agree wi blaze on this, if people want a gun they can easily obtain one, also to get a license ya have to do it through the police (or ya had)? its the thin end of the wedge fer those that shoot fer n hobby. ok they should be under lock n key in the home, or imprisonment should result.

[maxwell silver]

. It is tragic that such an accident happened; but the question begging for an answer is: "how the hell did a loaded weapon get into the hands of a child?"[/quote]
The childs father turned his head for a moment....thats all it takes.

[Eric]

Originally Posted by maxwell silver

. It is tragic that such an accident happened; but the question begging for an answer is: "how the hell did a loaded weapon get into the hands of a child?"

The childs father turned his head for a moment....thats all it takes.[/quote]

Couldn't have been much happnin in the father's head if he leaves loaded weapons lying around ... sheesh There are several things that don't mix well with guns: drugs, booze, and kids come quickly to mind. I have guns in my home. I never have loaded guns in my home.

[BERNADETTE]

From what I read the father was taking practice shots in the garden of his home when his mobile phone rang. He put the loaded gun/rifle down to answer the phone and the child got hold of it with these tragic consequences.

[cashman]

Originally Posted by BERNADETTE

From what I read the father was taking practice shots in the garden of his home when his mobile phone rang. He put the loaded gun/rifle down to answer the phone and the child got hold of it with these tragic consequences.

so that makes him shooting in front of his children.

[MargaretR]

This brings to mind Danny27 and his BBgun shooting/scaring cats in his back yard

[Mancie]

The right of people not to be shot far outways the right to own a gun.. I mean a real gun not an air rifle... the scum that shot those kids in Dublane had a licence to own guns..as did the nutcase that shot all those people in Hungerford, why should anyone apart from the Police, have the right to own something that has only one use..to kill

[Busman747]

Originally Posted by Eric

Many people in Canada are hunters and own rifles and shotguns for the purpose of hunting, which is strictly controlled by Federal and Provincial Governments. As a rule, you find more homes with guns in them in the rural areas of our country.

- - - but I support the legal possession of firearms if there is a good reason for having them .... and I argue that hunting is a good reason ...

You have an understandable viewpoint Eric, but Britain is vastly different to the USA or Canada. There are very few areas that are safe to "hunt" and even fewer species that can be "hunted."

If Britain allowed possession of firearms, they would almost certainly be used on burglars or the louts that intimidate normally law-abiding citizens from outside (or inside) of their own homes

We live in a culture that prohibits the use of force, even a walking stick to protect our home and families. The police are unconcerned that you hear burglars downstairs, they make an appearance 36 hours later to record any missing items - - -

Most Brits would welcome the right to arm themselves but the courts would be clogged with criminals suing them.

"Honestly your 'onour, I were persuing my vocation in robbery an' this fella 'ad the audacity to pull out a gun and fire at me just when I got to raising me knife against 'is throat like"

[BERNADETTE]

Originally Posted by cashman

so that makes him shooting in front of his children.

Think it was in last nights Telegraph and from what I read yes he was using the rifle in front of his kids Not just that but to leave it unattended is way out of order

[Bonnyboy]

The only people who should be carrying firearms are the police. I don’t mean every copper tho, some of them aren’t a full brick. Not sure if every town has it's own dedicated Firearms unit, rekon it's about time they did.

Anyone know if we have a Firearms response unit in Accy or if they have to be called in from Preston or Manchester ????

[Eric]

If I heard someone breaking into my home, I am well within my legal rights to confront him with a loaded firearm .... If he attacks me, I can legally shoot him. If, however, he doesn't relish the idea of looking down the barrel of a loaded shotgun, and he legs it, I cannot shoot at him. However, my four legged buddy Jake is quite capable of taking care of our home.

Canada is indeed vastly different; and hunting and fishing are popular pastimes and we have lots of wide open spaces to hunt in. But there is a difference between us and our neighbours to the south. We don't tend to shoot other people with our guns. The annual number of murders in Canada is around 500 ... much less than the city of Detroit for example. With strict laws governing the sale and safe storage of firearms. and rules for safe hunting, gun ownership doesn't cause many problems for us.