Armed……..To Be Or Not To Be….
Hello Peeps…….been a while since I put pen to paper to write a blog…….this afternoon on the local community page site where i live a question was asked……..should we be arming our police in the UK………well……..at one time I would have said a resounding noooooo……..but now in view of all the recent violence on our streets and to not feel safe out there anymore I have changed my view…..well just give me a hour to pull the knives out of my back…..lol some agreed….some disagreed as expected…….one reply…….guns never helped in Northern Ireland…i agree and neither did bombs……I am not Irish, have Yorkshire blood running through my veins but I do have a Irish friend who I chat with daily…..I will stick my neck out and say I have been well informed on The Troubles……King Billy….the resentment of the British for stealing their land…….a bit off track here but thats how the discussion went…….harping back to the past which is pretty much prevalent in todays violent rampages………we cannot be held responsible for the sins of our forefathers…….we cannot change History we can only learn from it and I think we have……we have to move on……no disrespect to our American members, but its often said we dont want to become like America with the gun crime…….buttt……..other countries have had armed police for years with lower crime rates…. I see it has a deterrent and something has to be done….the Police are losing control and they have lost all respect from the louts who taunt and ridicule them……who would be a cop today……they are out there putting their life on the line for us……they need more protection in my humble opinion……..not my usual style of Blog, and Rob please forgive me if I have broke the no Political …religious… etc blogs…dont think I have……. so people do you have a view on this topic…??
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Difficult one to evaluate, Starlette. I should have a good think about this before submitting an opinion.
Interesting question.
Its a hard one isn’t it Tibet…….. I would love to say no, at any cost we do not want the police armed …..but if needs must……now you live in a different country I assume, would be interesting to hear how your law and order forces operate…….but only if you want to share of course……
I think that maybe you watch a much different news network than I. Just yesterday I watched a report where the police where quelling an out of control crowd and the officers I observed where carrying handguns and automatic weapons. I have enough experience dealing with these types of firearms during my military tour.
” Should we be arming our police in the UK… ” ??? dearest Star. They have been armed for a very long time now.
” Guns never helped in Northern Ireland…” True enough, in my opinion it helped it along massively.
I have never met a gun personally who decided to kill a person, but I have met many PEOPLE who have.
Lovely blog, have a great evening.
Hi nightflyer…….probably some who are first responders carry guns……..but by and large I think its Tasers and Truncheons……..think we have some armed police in the city of Notts thats because it became necessary……..and its looking more and more likely it will become the norm….shame but sign of the times…..
I hate to be the pin that pops this bubble dear, but all English police officers are armed with weapons such as handguns, and other things. I know this because a very good personal friend of mine was a Scotland Yard Detective, now retired after 40 yrs.
Most British police officers are not routinely armed. Instead, they rely on specially trained Authorised Firearms Officers (AFO) to attend incidents where firearms are necessary. Specialist Firearms Officers are usually trained to a higher standard than AFOs, because they are likely to be required to enter besieged premises.
List of police firearms in the Unit
oh right. American SWAT. Lovely.
Thanks for clearing me up on this. Since I do not have anything to do with such things I only know what I am told.
While the issue of firearms to our police is obviously becoming more prevalent it is, of course, right that these should be restricted to officers who have been trained properly in their use and capabilities rather than your average “bobby on the beat” (to use a very outdated phrase).
The inability of the “authorities” to prevent the import of firearms and ammunition which is more and more finding its way into the hands of criminals also, to my mind, suggests that, reluctantly, more and more of our police must be trained and armed, if not constantly, at least on a fairly regular basis.
Hello Way……I wouldn’t have thought it would be too hard to intercept weapons being smuggled in…….or are they coming in legally, I dont know……..I know the police who are harmed have to be of the right temperament, no good having anyone who is trigger happy, its not something I would particularly look forward to seeing, but I dont see any other way to cope with the violence on our streets…
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I’m in complete agreement with you way and as the threat of terrorism and also violent crime increases I’m of the opinion that sooner or later every police officer will be armed.
Dear Starlette,
I have been perusing countless quotes on gun control/possession by olden and contemporary prominent personalities and I find, as expected, that this issue has polarized opinion not only in the US, but partly also in Europe, including Spain where I am currently residing.. Here are a few:
For:
The constitutions of most of our States assert that all power is inherent in the people; that… it is their right and duty to be at all times armed.
Laws that forbid the carrying of arms . . . disarm only those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes . . . Such laws make things worse for the assaulted and better for the assailants; they serve rather to encourage than to prevent homicides, for an unarmed man may be attacked with greater confidence than an armed man.
One loves to possess arms, though they hope never to have occasion for them.
None but an armed nation can dispense with a standing army. To keep ours armed and disciplined is therefore at all times important.
Thomas Jefferson
Make yourself sheep and the wolves will eat you.
It is the first responsibility of every citizen to question authority.
Benjamin Franklin
“If someone has a gun and is trying to kill you, it would be reasonable to shoot back with your own gun.”
The Dalai Lama
“Most gun control arguments miss the point. If all control boils fundamentally to force, how can one resist aggression without equal force? How can a truly “free” state exist if the individual citizen is enslaved to the forceful will of individual or organized aggressors? It cannot.”
Tiffany Madison
“violence is an evil thing, but when the guns are all in the hands of the men without respect for human rights, then men are really in trouble.”
Louis L’Amour, The Daybreakers
Against:
“I’ll carry on, carry over, carry forward, Cary Grant, cash and carry, carry me back to Old Virginia, I’ll even ‘hari-kari’ if you show me how, but I will not carry a gun!”
Alan Alda
“We lose eight children and teenagers to gun violence every day. If a mysterious virus suddenly started killing eight of our children every day, America would mobilize teams of doctors and public health officials. We would move heaven and earth until we found a way to protect our children. But not with gun violence.”
Elizabeth Warren, A Fighting Chance
Neutral:
“Our love affair with guns has nothing to do with tyranny, or militias, or self-preservation. Just ask any NRA member the following: If Jesus Christ himself were to come down off the cross and grant you one wish, would you opt for a world without guns — or the one we live in now? If every gun owner truly feared for their life and liberty, the answer would be obvious. But it’s not about life and liberty. It’s all about the sheer hard-on of owning a gun.”
Quentin R. Bufogle
I can´t really make up my own little mind on this issue. A priori and on principle I have been inclined towards ´against´, but the arguments for ´for´ are indeed compelling.
For further quotes see
https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/guns?page=2
Its a hard one Tibet…….I am wondering what the police would say if they were asked……..I am thinking if it were me, I would definitely feel as if iwas in with a chance if armed….
Luckily, we now have an ex cop, Robroy, in SC. He may shed some light on the subject. Kind regards
Hmmm…..must track him down……unless he would care to leave a comment on my blog……..come on Robroy….where are you…lol….ty Tibet….