Does this happen in the UK?

[humbersloop]

It seems some Americans react to domestic shooting atrocities by buying more guns, just in case some bleeding heart liberal's going to try to curtail their right to bear arms.

http://www.guardian.c...gun-sales-surge-in-us

I know the issue has some wider significance in the US, but does the same trend happen here?

[daffy654]

I'd prefer the right to arm bears :)

[hc4361]

How on earth would we know? Gun laws are very stringent in the UK so any upsurge in sales would be black market, with no records.

[humbersloop]

I just find the idea that someone goes
on a murdererous rampag e and lots of others head for the kit to do the same a bit odd

[lcg]

only in america......

[Duncer]

Not really. If I thought loonies were armed then I would want a gun to defend myself.

[Gromit]

Yes, when the Pasty Tax wa announced I filled my bedroom with Cornish.

[Duncer]

Were you about to be attacked by hot pastry based dishes?

[sp1814]

humbersloop - do you really divide the world up ike that?

What's the opposite of a 'bleeding heart liberal'?

[FredPuli43]

"A cold- hearted conservative", sp1814

[youngmafbog]

Better than a red in the bed, if we are going to get into name calling.

I can quite understand why people do that but that is why we have always had stringent gun laws in this country. Just that His Tonyness overreacted in the total ban.

[Hopkirk]

It makes me laugh that they think they are the most civilised country in the world.

[Hopkirk]

Duncer says "If I thought loonies were armed then I would want a gun to defend myself"

I say "If I thought loonies were armed then I would want the powers that be to disarm them"

[Duncer]

Me too Hopkirk, but in America that is not going to happen, is it?

[Gromit]

// Just that His Tonyness overreacted in the total ban. //

The total ban came in 1986 long before Blair.

[andy-hughes]

America still enjoys a 'wild west' attitude towards guns - the notion that everyone needs to defend the 'homestead' is deeply rooted in the American psyche.

I always thought Ben Elton had the right idea about gun law - you simply ask an individual if they would like to won a gun. if they say 'yes', the are automatically banned from ever having access to firearms.

The financiial and political power of the Gun Lobby means that no president, past or future, will ever risk alienating them by tightening gun laws, which is a sad state of affairs.

[jno]

it's more than just a wild west attitude, it's specifically in the constitution, which Americans deeply respect whether they like it or not. It's not easily removed.

[ludwig]

// Yes, when the Pasty Tax wa announced I filled my bedroom with Cornish. //

Is that why you were so angry about the u-turn?

[Davethedog]

The thing in the US is people get scared, the right then come out with the "right to bear arms" and "Its not guns that kill people etc" So they go out and buy them.

Jno you are right about the constitution, however Clinton banned automatic weapons, this ran out in 2004 and they never renewed it? So there is some lee way.

Youngnafbog Reds used to be under the bed - if their in your bed I hope its Sharapova

[andy-hughes]

jno - I believe one leads to the other.

All countries have laws that are appropriate at the time of their inception, but which are revoked and ammended as society moves on - the famous 'rule of thumb' where a man was allowed to beat his wife with a stick whose thickness was no wider than his thumb, is not something that would stand up in court now.

The right to bear arms is enshrined in the Constitution, but you would have thought that the U.S. mentality had moved on from those 'frontier' days when a man genuinly would be called on to defend his home and family.

I can't believe the the forefathers would agree to its continuance if they saw the way it has been stretched and bent to include any lunatic bening able to buy lethal weapons and ammunition by mail order, or over the internet.

Sadly, those who think they are bright enough to be responsible with guns exert enough power to ensure that those who are not bright enough get equal access to instant death - a situation that shows no signs of changing any time soon.

[brionon]

As I've mentioned before-in the year 2010 there were 32,788 deaths on the roads of America. Time to ban the Car ??