I remain to be convinced that the Hungerford and Dunblane tragedies were 'inside jobs', but I have always been in favour of private ownership of firearms, and did have my own shotgun licence many years ago, at a time when you could order a shotgun through the post! I do agree however that the circumstances around Thomas Hamilton were very odd, and the sealing of the files for a hundred years just stinks.
The whole trajectory of firearms licensing in the UK has been one of incremental restrictions which have all served to further disarm the population. The message is clear, our government doesn't trust us. The fact is that it's us that shouldn't trust them.
A peristent feature in the UK is of our useless plods failing to take guns away from nutters, even when (as was the case in Plymouth) their relatives tell the Police to do so. In the aftermath, of course, plod sets about harrassing innocent gun owners, seizing their guns (including breaking open their gun-safes when they were not present) on the flimsiest of pretexts.
The Czech Republic is an interesting counter-case. It's a post-communist society and there are 317,000 licensed gun owners, of whom 260,000 have concealed carry permits for handguns, for a population of only 10.8 milllion. The UK has 550,000 licensed gun owners, with handguns banned, for a population of 68 million. The Czech Republic, where self-defence is granted as a 'good reason' for a concealed carry permit, doesn't seem to have descended into the bloody pit of hell the anti-gun lobby would have us believe. Background checks (no licences for convicted criminals) and decent training seem to do the job. By some strange quirk of fate, Czech citizens would seem to be more free in this regard than us benighted Brits.
Thanks for your comment. I appreciate the insight. I agree that the steady erosion of gun rights in the UK has been about control, not safety. As the saying goes, an armed society is a polite society. If law abiding citizens could carry, criminals would have to think twice before pulling a gun themselves.
I didn’t know that about the Czech Republic, but it proves an important point: responsible gun ownership doesn’t lead to chaos, despite what the anti gun lobby claims. Instead, it offers people a means of self defence and deters crime. Meanwhile, here in Britain, the state tightened its grip (especially after and since Dunblane) while failing to act against genuine threats. It’s not about safety. It’s about control.
A Czech friend of mine, resident in the UK for twenty years, recently travelled to his native country to sort out his newly deceased father's affairs. He told me the biggest headache he had was how to dispose of the gun collection. Great article.
Interesting and well reasoned argument. Quite possibly something in what you put forward, certainly the latest strokes being pulled such as the non crime hate thing and the way an MP who seriously assaults someone gets a very light sentence yet post the wrong comment on social media and you get a very harsh sentence would seem to indicate there is something in what you're putting forward.
Not much I can add to your piece and the previous comments.
But I would just mention Switzerland. I don't hear about much gun crime there. A country where apparently the state firstly trusts its citizens to act responsibility with the weapons they are allowed to keep, and secondly allows referenda. Less about controlling the population, and more about treating them as adults who are able to be responsible.
Thank you very much for the compliment, and the insight on Switzerland. I hadn’t thought to research other European nations that permit gun ownership, but it’s a really interesting angle. Comments are invaluable, and even led to additions and a small rewrite on the Keir Starmer article.
There might be a follow up piece on this. The benefits of gun ownership should be as much a part of the conversation as the state’s motives for disarming us. Perhaps I should have emphasised that more. Appreciate the input.
Excellent. I came to this conclusion about Hungerford and Dunblane some time ago but I never got around to doing a ‘deep dive’. This is a convincing narrative of a malevolent state disarming us in preparation for our enslavement and eventual destruction. The destroying army are stepping off small boats as I type.
Thank you very much. It means a lot. You’re absolutely right. Disarmament was always about leaving us powerless. And now, as the social fabric frays and chaos is imported by design, the endgame becomes even more clear.
I remain to be convinced that the Hungerford and Dunblane tragedies were 'inside jobs', but I have always been in favour of private ownership of firearms, and did have my own shotgun licence many years ago, at a time when you could order a shotgun through the post! I do agree however that the circumstances around Thomas Hamilton were very odd, and the sealing of the files for a hundred years just stinks.
The whole trajectory of firearms licensing in the UK has been one of incremental restrictions which have all served to further disarm the population. The message is clear, our government doesn't trust us. The fact is that it's us that shouldn't trust them.
A peristent feature in the UK is of our useless plods failing to take guns away from nutters, even when (as was the case in Plymouth) their relatives tell the Police to do so. In the aftermath, of course, plod sets about harrassing innocent gun owners, seizing their guns (including breaking open their gun-safes when they were not present) on the flimsiest of pretexts.
The Czech Republic is an interesting counter-case. It's a post-communist society and there are 317,000 licensed gun owners, of whom 260,000 have concealed carry permits for handguns, for a population of only 10.8 milllion. The UK has 550,000 licensed gun owners, with handguns banned, for a population of 68 million. The Czech Republic, where self-defence is granted as a 'good reason' for a concealed carry permit, doesn't seem to have descended into the bloody pit of hell the anti-gun lobby would have us believe. Background checks (no licences for convicted criminals) and decent training seem to do the job. By some strange quirk of fate, Czech citizens would seem to be more free in this regard than us benighted Brits.
Thanks for your comment. I appreciate the insight. I agree that the steady erosion of gun rights in the UK has been about control, not safety. As the saying goes, an armed society is a polite society. If law abiding citizens could carry, criminals would have to think twice before pulling a gun themselves.
I didn’t know that about the Czech Republic, but it proves an important point: responsible gun ownership doesn’t lead to chaos, despite what the anti gun lobby claims. Instead, it offers people a means of self defence and deters crime. Meanwhile, here in Britain, the state tightened its grip (especially after and since Dunblane) while failing to act against genuine threats. It’s not about safety. It’s about control.
A Czech friend of mine, resident in the UK for twenty years, recently travelled to his native country to sort out his newly deceased father's affairs. He told me the biggest headache he had was how to dispose of the gun collection. Great article.
Thank you, Da.
Interesting and well reasoned argument. Quite possibly something in what you put forward, certainly the latest strokes being pulled such as the non crime hate thing and the way an MP who seriously assaults someone gets a very light sentence yet post the wrong comment on social media and you get a very harsh sentence would seem to indicate there is something in what you're putting forward.
Thanks for comment. I appreciate it.
The double standards are glaring. One more clue that the real threat to the state isn’t crime, it’s dissent.
Excellent analysis, John.
Not much I can add to your piece and the previous comments.
But I would just mention Switzerland. I don't hear about much gun crime there. A country where apparently the state firstly trusts its citizens to act responsibility with the weapons they are allowed to keep, and secondly allows referenda. Less about controlling the population, and more about treating them as adults who are able to be responsible.
Thank you very much for the compliment, and the insight on Switzerland. I hadn’t thought to research other European nations that permit gun ownership, but it’s a really interesting angle. Comments are invaluable, and even led to additions and a small rewrite on the Keir Starmer article.
There might be a follow up piece on this. The benefits of gun ownership should be as much a part of the conversation as the state’s motives for disarming us. Perhaps I should have emphasised that more. Appreciate the input.
Excellent. I came to this conclusion about Hungerford and Dunblane some time ago but I never got around to doing a ‘deep dive’. This is a convincing narrative of a malevolent state disarming us in preparation for our enslavement and eventual destruction. The destroying army are stepping off small boats as I type.
Thank you very much. It means a lot. You’re absolutely right. Disarmament was always about leaving us powerless. And now, as the social fabric frays and chaos is imported by design, the endgame becomes even more clear.
The Rothschilds own Europe (including Britain) and Europe does whatever their owners want done!
A stunning read. Just stunning.
Thank you. I really am so pleased you enjoyed it. 🙏👍