There seem to be a few Britons...
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Darth Ruger
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- Jul 30, 2005
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There's a common misconception that because the situation is the way it is there, that all English citizens are anti-gun. That's not the case. It's very similar to America: we have pro-gun people and anti-gun people. So do they.
But there are some differences that make all the difference: We have a Constitution affirming our right to keep and bear arms; they don't. We also have a history of, since our country's birth, average citizens owning guns and using them to hunt and defend themselves against evildoers. England, on the other hand, has a much longer history of being a country full of people ruled by an elite few, with weapons being granted pretty much only with the elite's permission. It's still that way today. But that doesn't mean England doesn't have it's share of pro-gun people who think with their heads rather than their emotions, just like we do.
One thing we both have in common is politicians that will cater to the emotional outbursts of the masses everytime there's another 'tragedy' and pass laws that make no sense. But, boy, it sure makes them look good, don't it?
real_name
member
I'm English. I live in Tennessee now and am about one month away from taking the pledge/oath after passing all naturalization requirements.
England is getting more and more guns on the streets every year, unfortunately they are either only illegal weapons in the hands of criminals or the growing numbers of official firearms used by the Police and CO19 (previously SO19) and other SO units.
I think the original topic reflects the general belief in England that the social situation has got so bad that they need to do something positive. As liberal as Britain is by American standards I believe if they had a referendum about firearms it would indicate that a slim majority of the population would demand that all Police be armed, and a growing number (but not a majority yet) of people would call for legalised carry weapons.
Crime there has got that bad.
My personal belief is that the whole of Western Europe needs to follow Switzerland's lead. Switzerland is a truely wonderful place and after living there the rest of Europe seems very backwards in a lot of ways.
England is getting more and more guns on the streets every year, unfortunately they are either only illegal weapons in the hands of criminals or the growing numbers of official firearms used by the Police and CO19 (previously SO19) and other SO units.
I think the original topic reflects the general belief in England that the social situation has got so bad that they need to do something positive. As liberal as Britain is by American standards I believe if they had a referendum about firearms it would indicate that a slim majority of the population would demand that all Police be armed, and a growing number (but not a majority yet) of people would call for legalised carry weapons.
Crime there has got that bad.
My personal belief is that the whole of Western Europe needs to follow Switzerland's lead. Switzerland is a truely wonderful place and after living there the rest of Europe seems very backwards in a lot of ways.
Darth Ruger
Member
- Joined
- Jul 30, 2005
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Congratulations!
real_name
member
Thanks Ruger.
It's a very good feeling to be able to vote after 4 years of paying taxes here.
Also, my Father-in Law gave me a Taurus 24/7 as a congratulatory gift when I passed the naturalization exam 2 weeks ago.
It's a very good feeling to be able to vote after 4 years of paying taxes here.
Also, my Father-in Law gave me a Taurus 24/7 as a congratulatory gift when I passed the naturalization exam 2 weeks ago.
one45auto
Member
No better way to welcome you as a citizen of the United States than to buy you a gun. Welcome!
I'm sure there are people on both sides of the fence, but it's hard for me to believe that the pro-gun side has anywhere near the numbers of the antis. They just wouldn't allow it if it were 50:50, or 40:60.
Stereotypes arn't always right, but they almost always have some basis in reality.
G36-UK
Member
There's not may people who like guns here. After Hungerford and Dunblane, the Gun Control Network was formed. These people don't care about facts, instead they attack people who call them on their lies.
There's a protest in Edinburgh(IIRC), where they lie down with signs saying "killed by a gun", or something like that. It's to support the IANSA.
Because I intend to take the High Road (and because I value my body parts being attached to me), I decided not to go with my idea of putting posters made from Oleg's pics around the area.
BTW. I was just wondering, what are the naturalization requirements?
There's a protest in Edinburgh(IIRC), where they lie down with signs saying "killed by a gun", or something like that. It's to support the IANSA.
Because I intend to take the High Road (and because I value my body parts being attached to me), I decided not to go with my idea of putting posters made from Oleg's pics around the area.
BTW. I was just wondering, what are the naturalization requirements?
I recall one time in the bvi (Tortola), a speeding car knocked down someone.
Within a week there were 20 or 30 speedbumps installed on the main road... in a town that literally has one main road... :banghead:
I dont think its a matter of the public "allowing" it so much as the politicians just doing whatever they please first, and asking for permission for their actions afterwards.
So for guns it adds up to a "oops, guess gun control dosnt lower crime... but arnt you glad we got rid of all those filthy weapons? ^_^;;"
real_name
member
Not sure of all the variables but I can tell you how I did it.
I married a US citizen.
That got me eligible for a green card and 'resident alien status'. That means you can legally work.
After 3 years of RAS you are eligible to apply for naturalization.
You pay about $4K for NAS, and you get investigated to an unknown degree.
Once you apply for naturalization it moves pretty fast and gets cheaper. Well, faster as long as they don't send all of your paperwork to New Orleans for some reason and then lose it all in Katrina. I had to resubmit my very existance.
Then you get the BIG interview/exam... you spend a lot of energy worrying and learning the answers to the 100 INS/CIS questions and find the whole thing only takes six minutes.
TRANSCRIPT:
Hello Mr. XXXXXX.
Hi.
Are you still married to the same woman?
Yes.
Have you ever been seperated?
No.
Are you a Terrorist?
No (laughs).
Have you registered to vote?
No.
Ever pretended to be an American?
No.
What are the requirements to become President?
Over 35, lived here for the past 14 years and born here.
How many Senators are there?
100.
Congratulations Mr. XXXXX, we will send you a letter with when to attend your oath ceremony.
Is that it? Im in?
You're in.
Oh, thanks (smiles).
That is truely all that was said. It is VERY easy once they have vetted and investigated you.
Good luck if you are considering it.
LINK
robert garner
Member
Limey's got a gun!
Seems the right sort to me!
Proud you made it!
Welcome,
American!
Seems the right sort to me!
Proud you made it!
Welcome,
American!
Darth Ruger
Member
- Joined
- Jul 30, 2005
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- 525
Agreed. I wasn't trying to say they have as large a percentage of pro-gun people as we do, just that everyone there isn't anti.
tiberius
Member
I'm sure pro-gun types do exist here .....but the only one I've met in the ~9 months I've lived here is my (formerly) South African next door neighbor. Of course I live in the south which has a large London influence....and like around any big city that leads to more sheepish outlook.
My friends and co-workers see no reason for gun gun ownership. Brits generally expect the governement to take care of things for them....at least more so than most Americans I know.
My friends and co-workers see no reason for gun gun ownership. Brits generally expect the governement to take care of things for them....at least more so than most Americans I know.
sterling180
Member
Dissappointing British Civillians
If we all are truthful most Britons don't tolerate guns of anykind and if people are killed by guns-whether by illegal or legally held-the civilians will villify firearms completely.Commenter Rabbi mentioned on another forum that the Scottish and Welsh are more easy going than the British-Rabbi was wrong-VERY WRONG, because there are a lot of Scottish people who hate guns,because of the Dunblane massacre-as there are alot of English and Welsh people who don't favour guns at all, because of fears of misuse,by a nutcase or an emotionally-unstable person.
I saw at first hand how people who you know well start to think that you might be a bit crazy,all because you are reading your favourite copies of GunMart,Shooting Sports and Target Sports magazine.This happend to me recently when I walked in to the W.H.Smith's stationery store in Bexleyheath, Kent and I bumped into an old acquaintence-from my days at high-school.We were talking about old times, when he noticed my hand going to the top-shelf rack pulling down my favourite gun magazines and gave me an incredulous look.I told him:"James this is one of my hobbies-shooting-it has been and will always be, its positive to be a shooter."James replied:"No,Dave it's negative and why would you want a gun for?"After that I just laughed at him and said no more, noticing his sheer ingnorance and lack of common-sense.
This is how difficult it is to get the positive image of all types of target-shooting in the UK to the majority of it's PROLE-LIKE inhabitants.Totally and utterly un-bloody-believable.
I have been to America and boy the people there talk about guns alot and treat the ownership and perception of firearms as a legitimate NORMAL hobby-not as a dark,underground;secret hooby.
If you want more detailed answers to the Scottish response-ask G36-UK he'll tell you, what the atmostphere is like in post-Dunblane Scotland.From what I hear, it is worse than in England and Wales-however that is only in my opinion.
If we all are truthful most Britons don't tolerate guns of anykind and if people are killed by guns-whether by illegal or legally held-the civilians will villify firearms completely.Commenter Rabbi mentioned on another forum that the Scottish and Welsh are more easy going than the British-Rabbi was wrong-VERY WRONG, because there are a lot of Scottish people who hate guns,because of the Dunblane massacre-as there are alot of English and Welsh people who don't favour guns at all, because of fears of misuse,by a nutcase or an emotionally-unstable person.
I saw at first hand how people who you know well start to think that you might be a bit crazy,all because you are reading your favourite copies of GunMart,Shooting Sports and Target Sports magazine.This happend to me recently when I walked in to the W.H.Smith's stationery store in Bexleyheath, Kent and I bumped into an old acquaintence-from my days at high-school.We were talking about old times, when he noticed my hand going to the top-shelf rack pulling down my favourite gun magazines and gave me an incredulous look.I told him:"James this is one of my hobbies-shooting-it has been and will always be, its positive to be a shooter."James replied:"No,Dave it's negative and why would you want a gun for?"After that I just laughed at him and said no more, noticing his sheer ingnorance and lack of common-sense.
This is how difficult it is to get the positive image of all types of target-shooting in the UK to the majority of it's PROLE-LIKE inhabitants.Totally and utterly un-bloody-believable.
I have been to America and boy the people there talk about guns alot and treat the ownership and perception of firearms as a legitimate NORMAL hobby-not as a dark,underground;secret hooby.
If you want more detailed answers to the Scottish response-ask G36-UK he'll tell you, what the atmostphere is like in post-Dunblane Scotland.From what I hear, it is worse than in England and Wales-however that is only in my opinion.
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