Gun Sales Up In The USA.

[Major Starbold]

This whole link is worth a read guyz and galz.

Should we be allowed to have hand guns in our homes?

It may get that bad and burglary becomes a pastime for some here in the UK who are driven to crime.

The Great Debate » Debate Archive » In American crisis, anger and guns | The Great Debate |

In the first two months of this year, around 2.5 million Americans bought guns, a 26 percent increase over the same period in 2008. It was great news for gun makers and a sign of a dark mood in the country.

Gun sales shot up almost immediately after Barack Obama won the U.S. presidential elections on November 4 and firearm enthusiasts rushed to stores, fearing he would tighten gun controls despite campaign pledges to the contrary.

After the November spike, gun dealers say, a second motive has helped drive sales: fear of social unrest as the ailing economy pushes the newly destitute deeper into misery. Many of the newly poor come from the relentlessly rising ranks of the unemployed. In February alone, an average of 23,000 people a day lost their jobs.

Tent cities for the homeless have expanded outside a string of American cities, from Sacramento and Phoenix to Atlanta and Seattle, for people who are living the American dream in reverse. First they lose their jobs, then their health insurance, then their homes, then their hopes. The encampments are reminiscent of Third World refugee camps.

[Vicarious]

There are a similar thoughts about Britain. It was minus guns thankfully but the story went that in Britain there is likely to be a Summer of rage producing riots similar to the 1980s because of the economic trouble. Here is the link:

Police warn that Britain faces summer of rage due to recession | UK news | The Guardian

Sorry if this has already been covered in the forums. The arctile said that the middle-classes would take to the streets and perhaps to spite the institutions who "brought this mess upon us", join in with the likes of combat 18. What a picnic that will be!

So in fear of social unrest, some American's have reacted by purchasing guns. What would a British person fearing similar, purchase?

And would it be so bad for America to have a full-blown war? a good diversion tactic if you ask me. Afterall; better out, than in. Either that or offer them Buddhism as a way out. I am only half kidding.

[sweeny todd]

i think that this society has enough guns in the wrong hands already ! to let them loose on the streets cart"e blanche would soon leave us in the same category of mayhem as the USA and none of us want that do we ?? to say that we would only keep them for protection is a idea that would soon go awry ! and ipso facto anarchy would ensue !

[Alpha]

Why should this bother us? It's none of our business whether gun sales in the US are up or down!

[Vicarious]

Why should this bother us? It's none of our business whether gun sales in the US are up or down!

well it is always nice to keep tabs on the kid's spending..... :P

besides, there would be a BIG hole if the US auto-destructs. Afterall it's the Global age! (said with a peppy, upbeat, you know what i mean tone and expressions) This is a variation on the theme "It just goes too show you cant be too carefull!"

[timey]

Yeah, we would be affected if the US self-destructs, but it would be temporary and like other empires in the past, the world would get on without them - not that I think it will get to that stage. The idea that the world couldn't exist witout a string America is a fallacy.

As to the specific question on guns, no I do not think we need hand guns in home s in the UK. Most of the violence in the UK is gang related and they tend to use knives more than guns anyway. Allowing hand guns in the UK would make this an extremely dangerous place to live and I am glad we have never got as far as seeing the need for them.

[Major Starbold]

We may be glad of arms in the future if the situation worsens and people become more deprived.

[timey]

I think that is a pessimistic viewpoint.

[mimseycal]

I'd say it is an disputatious viewpoint rather then merely pessimistic.

[Vicarious]

I'd say it is an disputatious viewpoint rather then merely pessimistic.

contraversial speculation is greater than pessimistic speculation?