American gun laws

In response to a couple of emails I’ve recently received you may have noticed that I’ve said nothing on this crime prevention website about American gun laws. 

So, why have I not joined in the barrage of criticism that always follows the terrible and tragic events that seem to happen so frequently in the US? 

It’s not because I don’t have opinions about this matter, because I very much do. No; it’s because I’m not American and count myself lucky to live in a country where there are already strict gun control laws, where relatively few people get murdered by people with guns, or accidentally shot dead, and where the police are essentially unarmed.  And, just in case any of my American friends are reading this and are planning to travel to the UK......You can’t carry knives for protection, or pepper spray/mace, baseball bats or anything made, intended or adapted as a weapon.  But, you can defend your home and your life, or someone else’s life against a criminal if the need arises using anything that comes to hand, such as a large rolling pin.

No, what the American people do about their gun control laws is their business and so I will keep my opinions to myself.  I do travel there from time to time though, and so maybe next time I’ll see if can hire a handgun for protection while I’m visiting, but I suspect there’s a law against that.