there has been a mad gunman loose in cumbria...

[stokemaveric]

there are reports of several fatalalities...lets hope this lunatic is apprahended soon..what is happening to people nowadays?

[LoftyLottie]

So just ban guns (held by licenced gun holders) because on very, very rare occasions one of these people might become deranged and use them to kill. Senseless. We can't go through life worrying about every eventuality. Most people who use guns to kill or commit crime hold their weapons illegally. All that will happen if guns are taken away from licensed holders, (as as Eddie says) there will be no difference in the amount of gun crime.

Tony Martin's guns were held illegally and he shot someone and killed them, yet everybody thinks he did right to do so, and many people said everybody has the right to defend their homes!

[jackthehat]

<So just ban guns (held by licenced gun holders) because on very, very rare occasions one of these people might become deranged and use them to kill.>

That's pretty much it. Why does anyone need to keep a gun at home ?

<Tony Martin's guns were held illegally and he shot someone and killed them, yet everybody thinks he did right to do so, >
I'd be surprised if 'everybody' sai that, actually...........

No-one with an illegally-held firearm was responsible for Hungerford, Dunblane or this recent shocker............

[daffy654]

There is a world of difference between the Tony Martin case and this one! Tony Martin didn't go out onto the streets and shoot passersby for no reason whatsoever.

[DrFilth]

think back a few years

if we ban all people from having handguns it will solve gun crime

did it ?




do you think the local drug dealer or nutter would bother about a licence ?

[sandyRoe]

The weapons that were used in the worst shooting outrages, Hungerford, Dunblain, and now Cumbria, were legally held.
The chances of falling victim of a mad gunman are probably very small. But why should innocent peoples lives be put at any risk so that a few gun fans can pursue their hobby?

[moonraker558]

If it wasn't a gun it could have been a hammer from his toolshed are we to ban them as well just in case.

[jackthehat]

Dr Filth - I'm not sure that bringing the issue of illegally-held guns brings anything to the discussion.

[vulcan]

Apart from transporting people from A to B, what other function does a car have ?

[ummmm]

Some people make babies in them.

[moonraker558]

Those were the days

[DrFilth]

jack think back , the police said if we have a complete ban on handguns it would starve the criminals at source.

since the ban, gun crime has gone up. if this person wanted to get hold of some guns i am sure he could find some way

[jackthehat]

Vulcan - Mowing down innocent pedestrians, apparently..................!

Moonraker - Your argument is getting a little silly, now; will you also be raising the issues of knives, rolling pins, heavy-based statues and lamps, electrical flex, garden twin, carrier-bags, screwdrivers, etc. to bolster (oooh, bolsters, too !) your very thin argument? Why *does* anyone need to keep a weapon, capable of killing many people, from distance, in their house ?

[LoftyLottie]

Daffy. I know. What I am trying to say is that people supported Tony Martin for having a gun for defending his property, even though it was illegal. Those same people are probably now saying it should be illegal to have a gun in the home (even on licence)

If you see what I mean. I wasn't comparing the cases.

JTH. I disagree. Bringing the subject of illegal guns into the thread is very relevant.

[jackthehat]

*twine

[jackthehat]

Why ?
These were legally-held guns.
Let's see where the discussion takes us without bringing illegally-held firearms into it, shall we ?

[society]

As long as there's a gun or any weapon around for that matter, there'll always be a reason to use it.

[moonraker558]

Jack, perhaps not in towns or cities so much, but in the country there is a need and demand for certain types of pest control to be carried out or we would be overun and the financial cost of the damage caused would run into millions.

[jackthehat]

What type of pests do you need to keep a gun at home to dispose of (as an ordinary chap/chap-ess), Moonraker ?

[DrFilth]

jack are you saying the guns should only be kept on the farm, please remember you can't just build a new property on the farm so some workers live in the neary town.
they hold the gun licence and take the gun to the farm