Self defense and right to bear arms in UK

Have you been on here before? You've made just 5 posts and all related to the "right to bear arms" without first introducing yourself.

Yea....this. This sort of thing really belongs in Pettifog, which of course the OP doesn't have access to, since he doesn't have enough posts.

As far as the necessity of a gun in a "big urban area," well, New York City is the safest big city in the country and it has incredibly restrictive gun ownership laws. I think that the two are related.

What do you mean by non lethal alternatives?

Also, I'd just like to add that there have been umpteen threads on this topic over the years and they never end happily.

OK I ain't looking for an argument man, and I mean stuff like mace and tasers

Have you been on here before? You've made just 5 posts and all related to the "right to bear arms" without first introducing yourself.
Firstly we have more stringent gun laws in the UK and a simple look at the stats from both countries will show that makes the UK safer. Any town will have it's bad areas where it's probably not wise to venture, but at least your chances of getting shot are less!
There is no appetite in the UK for people to be allowed to carry guns.

Don't worry I'll post in other topics, I've just been replying to other posts on here

Yea....this. This sort of thing really belongs in Pettifog, which of course the OP doesn't have access to, since he doesn't have enough posts.

As far as the necessity of a gun in a "big urban area," well, New York City is the safest big city in the country and it has incredibly restrictive gun ownership laws. I think that the two are related.

OK but aren't the gun laws in detroit quite restrictive too? why pettifog? I'm just looking for relaxed discussion

why pettifog? I'm just looking for relaxed discussion

Because that is where discussions that tend of a controversial nature belong.

Because that is where discussions that tend of a controversial nature belong.

Ah ok, I didn't realise

why pettifog? I'm just looking for relaxed discussion

Because that is where discussions that tend of a controversial nature belong.

And it's pretty unlikely that this is going to be a relaxed discussion. The only chance of that happening is if everyone more or less agrees with regard to a topic like this. And THAT is unlikely, given this forum. While there is certainly a healthy population of conservatives and libertarians when it comes to politics, it has been discussed before that liberals are in the majority. I really hope that a mod closes or moves this topic before things get too unpleasant.

Interesting, if you don't mind me asking where did you used to live?

I lived about the same distance from Los Angeles as I now do from London.  About 20 miles south in both places.  Like one of the posters  above, I don't fear walking alone at night like I used too in California.

why pettifog? I'm just looking for relaxed discussion

There's not really any such thing as a "relaxed discussion" about such a sensitive and emotive topic.  Plus, as Chary says, there have been many threads on guns and violence over the years, and they normally end up as angry mudslinging messes with nothing resolved.  

Personally, I have lived in a small town and a larger city in the UK and I felt perfectly safe in both.  No need for mace or knives and certainly not for a gun.  I also lived in Prague and Osaka and felt safe there too.  In the US the most dangerous place I lived was Syracuse, NY where there were stabbings and break-ins in my neighbourhood all the time, and there I did not feel safe.  The bars on the windows of my ground-floor flat didn't help, either.  However, I grew up in a small city in Wisconsin and never felt unsafe there.  I don't like the idea of concealed carry and am against people owning handguns.  Hunting rifles are fine so long as they are kept locked up and owned only by people trained and licensed to use them properly.  

And the old "guns don't kill people, people do" schtick?  Well, it's a lot easier to kill someone with a gun than with any other kind of weapon.  It's true that if someone is determined to kill another then they will find a way.  But I'd prefer to make it as difficult for them as possible.  

x with weby and aimlesstraveler

OK take it easy, I'm only asking peoples personal experiences and opinions I ain't forcing my views on to anyone and its not like they're extremist in any way, all I said was I would like to carry mace if I was allowed to

I've lived in Cleveland Ohio and on Long Island NY (just outside of NYC), as well as Zurich and Basel Switzerland and now Manchester UK.

On Long Island, I was in a pharmacy at a strip mall less than a five minute drive form my home when a man was shot in the parking lot after using a bank machine.

I commute through the infamous Moss Side in Manchester daily (known for gang-related gun crime and violence), and feel safer there than I did on Long Island or in the US in general.

A large number of guns in the population causes crime and violence, no matter how you slice it.

it has been discussed before that liberals are in the majority.

Oh damn really? wheres all the Republicans? not that I'm a fan of republicans if I was in the USA I'd probably vote for Ron Paul as he would make the best president the USA has ever had

A large number of guns in the population causes crime and violence, no matter how you slice it.

Maybe, but I think it depends more on social economic matters as opposed to number of guns, hence the difference between crime rate in gun friendly Vermont and Gun banning Los Angeles, Not saying that gangs can't import guns from more relaxed states, just saying its not just a case of blaming the objects themeslves

Maybe, but I think it depends more on social economic matters as opposed to number of guns, hence the difference between crime rate in gun friendly Vermont and Gun banning Los Angeles, Not saying that gangs can't import guns from more relaxed states, just saying its not just a case of blaming the objects themeslves

I'm just wondering if you have anything to say or ask about immigration.  I mean this IS an immigration forum.  

I have to agree that this is not going to end well at all.