President Obama just about summed it up,"One day America will have to reckon with the fact that this doesn't happen in other advanced countries".
There is no point in going over this any more, as we've been there before, but it got me thinking about why that is true and what happened in British history to make it true.
The British introduced the first Police force in 1829 and set national standards in 1856, I think that all personal weapons became illegal around then. This is interesting because the US had marshalls and deputies at around the same time. I think that because the UK is practically urban and that there was much more wilderness in the US where you might need a gun (Indians, outlaws,bears etc), the tradition of gun carrying took root.
The other point I find interesting is the acceptance of curtailing freedom in some areas whilst rejecting it in others. It is generally accepted that speed limits save lives in urban areas and they are mostly adhered to. Also the curtailment of freedom is accepted in areas like the freedom to practice as a doctor or a pilot, you must be qualified to practice. America also has stricter alcohol laws than Europe which is a denial of freedom. As an outside observer, I find it hard to understand why there is not a similar curtailment of freedom (for safety s sake) in the ease of obtaining firearms. There must be a cause and effect in place in the US that does not exist elsewhere. Enlightenment required.
best
DaveP
There is no point in going over this any more, as we've been there before, but it got me thinking about why that is true and what happened in British history to make it true.
The British introduced the first Police force in 1829 and set national standards in 1856, I think that all personal weapons became illegal around then. This is interesting because the US had marshalls and deputies at around the same time. I think that because the UK is practically urban and that there was much more wilderness in the US where you might need a gun (Indians, outlaws,bears etc), the tradition of gun carrying took root.
The other point I find interesting is the acceptance of curtailing freedom in some areas whilst rejecting it in others. It is generally accepted that speed limits save lives in urban areas and they are mostly adhered to. Also the curtailment of freedom is accepted in areas like the freedom to practice as a doctor or a pilot, you must be qualified to practice. America also has stricter alcohol laws than Europe which is a denial of freedom. As an outside observer, I find it hard to understand why there is not a similar curtailment of freedom (for safety s sake) in the ease of obtaining firearms. There must be a cause and effect in place in the US that does not exist elsewhere. Enlightenment required.
best
DaveP