Sir Knight posted:
1 murder rate per 1000 is smaller when compared to other cities such as …
Baltimore: 42.0
Detroit: 39.3
St. Louis: 37.9
Washington, DC 35.4
… which have restrictive gun laws.
Then thank God I do not live in USA. In UK things are very much different. In our area murder rates are 1 per 60,000.
In UK we have very restrictive gun laws. That said, criminals carry them with impunity
We are not allowed to possess or purchase pistols unless they are black powder muzzle-loaders.
Rifles are only allowed to be purchased according to licence.
One must be able to justify why one needs a rifle before a licence to purchase is permitted eg target shooting. One must also be a member of a Home Office approved club.
It is very difficult to obtain a licence. Before issuing a licence, police check an applicants medical records, state of mental health and mental health record. Convictions are a bar to obtaining a licence apart from minor motoring violations. An applicant must also have to very good referees who must be people of good standing [judges, clergy civil servants] if you cannot supply those, you do not get a licence period.
Once issued, licence holders have to justify the use of the weapons, if they are not used in strict accord with the licence conditions or one holds them without using them, then they are automatically siezed and destroyed.
Marital or domestic difficulties, separation and divorce have to be reported to the police and weapons surrendered until the police are satisfied the crisis is resolved.
Club safety officers are required to report any ‘concerns’ they may have about a persons suitability to hold a licence. This information is not shared with the licence holder. Their licence may be revoked on the strength of it.
One criminal conviction revokes a licence. Violent conviction and the revocation is for life. There is no appeal.
There has not been a single murder for licence holders anywhere in UK for past 10-years.
Generally licence holders in UK are treated as second class citizens. Owning a weapon is regarded by many as a sign of mental ill health.If you possess a licence you certainly do not boast about it.
In UK the Catholic Church does not look favourably on any member who possesses a fireams licence. Catholics generally treat licence holders with suspicion and contempt.
You are unlikely to be invited to serve on any committee at your local Catholic Church if it comes to light that you possess a fireams licence.