Whilst I wish it were not so, I believe that it's too late for the U.S. to introduce gun controls.
There are already too many guns in circulation, and the 'honest, law-abiding' citizen would be the only one surrendering a weapon (s)he legally holds, because it would, I expect, be registered and easy to trace back ownership/surrenders.
Thugs, on the other hand, have never declared weapons, so only they would remain armed, creating ever more opportunity for violence with impunity. Shit, I'd own a 9mm Paulo B here if i could. Why? Because living in what every winter becomes a deserted estate, makes me a wonderful opportunity for prowling thieves. Nobody expects to find much in an empty holiday home, but in an occupied one... the thieving imagination might run riot, regardless of the unknown reality.
Right to shoot intruders? Damned right! Anyone doing that invasion of another's life should expect to get blown away. Why in hell not? Kiss 'em instead? A little slap on the wrist? If you are caught in the act, there are no mitigatory circumstances, no opportunities for perversions of the legal process, nor even false convictions: you are guilty and you are finished and wiped off the public face. For ever.
It's too late for the States and that protection afforded by a gun at home will never come here because of the example set by the nutters doing their thing in U.S. schools and elsewhere. The only folks still protected here are the ones with legally-held hunting weapons.
Rob C
