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Owning guns in America? It's time to amend the amendment.

The US. news is always full of stories about shootings and murders.
This day, 2/7/2008, 2 police officers were shot in California, one died, the other fighting for his life. How many more of these incidents have to take place before we finally amend that archaic law that gives basically anyone the right to bear arms in this country?

Amendments are made to be amended. That is the essence of the word. To change. To correct.

Don't we understand? This no longer a frontier country that is trying to defend itself from the armies of England, France or Spain. The countryside is not crawling with native tribes, who are fighting to keep their land. There are no highway men or bandit gangs waiting to rob each passing wagon or stage coach.
In short, it is not the 18 th century! That is when the amendment came into being. Over 200 hundred years ago!
Yes, the people in those days needed a way to protect themselves, because there was no one else to protect their families, homes or property.
But we live in 21 century! We have a police force that protects our communities. A military to protect our country.
Why then, do we need our own firearms? Why does Joe Smo, who lives in Smallville, USA need an assault rifle? Who does he need protection from?

The United States is the most violent country in the world. That is, the most violent civilized county. I am not including countries like Kenya and many other places in the continent of South Africa, because those countries are not civilized, by our standards.
But compared to Europe, the States is still the 'Wild West' and that is a direct result of the 2nd amendment. What else could it be?

I was born, and raised in England. In this country no one has the right to bear firearms, not even the regular police force. It is possible to obtain a license to own a shotgun, but only after a thorough police department background check. And the results speak for themselves;
In the year 2000, there were 75,684 gun related deaths in the States. In the year 2000, there were 49 gun related deaths in England. Obviously, the USA is a much larger country, but that average is still horrendous compared to England. The States had 207 gun related deaths each day!
There are violent crimes in England, and there are gun related crimes, but it is very difficult for criminals to obtain firearms so the numbers are very low. And that is the point, isn't it?
In Europe, if a guy is angry with his neighbor for letting his dog soil the yard, he might get into a fist fight. If a student feels that no one likes or understands him he will quit school, or maybe slash someone's tires. In the States, that same guy may get his gun and shoot dead his neighbor and the dog. The student may shoot up his school or the local shopping mall! See the difference? And a student that has access to semi automatic weapons and assault rifles? How is that possible in a civilized country?

The National Rifle Association will argue and lobby till eternity that it is their Constitutional right to bear firearms. But it is time to change this amendment as we have changed so many others that have become outmoded and no longer acceptable to a civilized society.
We changed the law for slavery. We changed the law for public executions. They were considered unacceptable.
So why is it still acceptable for the general population to be able to purchase firearms?

Have we come no further than the first settlers of this country? Are we still not really civilized in the USA?

Learn more about this author, Richard Davies Davis.
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