Earlier this week we ran an update on a Leicestershire couple arrested for shooting burglars with their registered shotgun. The couple were released without charge. It’s one of those ‘win the battle lose the war’ deals. For all the crowing about the rights of the average British subject to defend themselves against criminals triggered by the arrest, for all the public satisfaction when Mr. and Mrs. Ferrie were freed from the fear of prosecution, the truth is the UK continues to deny their populace the ability to defend their lives and property through force of arms. In terms of self-defense, the country remains a gun-free zone. Remember that . . .
Since The Firearms Act 1968, Her Majesty’s Government has excluded personal protection as a valid reason for possessing a government-issued firearm license. Mr. Ferrie wasn’t “allowed” to keep his gun for self-defense; he owned the gun for varmint control and/or hunting. To say this case was the exception to the rule would be an exercise in British understatement.
American gun control advocates celebrate the UK’s stringent not to say draconian gun licensing legislation. Despite statistics showing that the UK’s per capita violent crime rate surpasses that of the U.S. (gang bangers and all), the Land of Hope and Glory is, supposedly, a template for our times.
Uh no. Check this announcement from Robert Bolton proprietor of NG Bolton jewelry shop [above].
It is with great regret that i have to announce, having suffered our 23rd raid/robbery/burglary,that we are having to close our business. This is due to a combination of circumstances. One being the cumulative trauma of these events, we have suffered a range of attacks from the use of sawn off shotguns, lump hammers, pick axes to our telephone wires being cut and burglar alarms filled with foam at home. In the recent theft a number of customers items were stolen and the pain of informing people that their mother’s or grandmother’s engagement ring or wedding ring has been stolen is something i never wish to go through again. In addition to the risks of operating a jewellery business to oneself there are additional risks to ones family to consider. Quite understandably our insurance costs have increased exponentially and the restrictions imposed by our insurers, whilst utterly reasonable when considering the claims experience, are making the running of the business very difficult, if not impossible.
As a result of all these factors we have had no choice but to close the business. A closing down sale will commence on Friday 7th september. All stock will be reduced by 50% with the exception of Pandora items which will not be reduced. We will be continuing to purchase old gold, platinum and silver until the shop actually closes which is anticipated to be in the early part of next year.
NG Bolton is/was a small store in Guiseley, a town of 21k souls within the City of Leeds. You could say that their closure represents the failure of British police to protect private property. Or you could wonder how many of those 23 burglaries would have been deterred by the simple presence of a sign outside the door saying “Armed security.” And a self-defense shotgun inside to back up the warning.
Shock horror! That’s not how people behave in a civilized society! What do you want, the Wild West? Better a mother’s or grandmother’s wedding ring lost to criminals than blood spatter on the walls! Why it could be the blood of innocents! Women! Children! We are not barbarians!
Like all criminals (save the ones falling afoul of drug possession or tax laws), the criminals in the UK are barbarians. There’s only one way to deter them: force. The problem with the U.K., the problem with gun grabbers everywhere: they delegate the use of force against vultures operating outside the rule of law. To the government
While less blood may be spilled (a debatable point), the results are less than satisfactory (at least for the law-abiding resident). Simple logistics—the number of police per head of population—and the culture of passivity works against the unarmed populace. Criminals are emboldened. Crime rates soar. Violent crime increases.
And yet residents can’t see that the loss of their firearms rights led them to victimization. They can’t see that their dependency creates a police state. Give us more resources (your money) and we’ll protect you, the government argues. And so the populace complies. Mustn’t grumble, as the Brits are wont to say.
Without the right to armed self-defense, what choice do the people have? Their life (i.e. safety) or their liberty.
That’s no choice at all. Not for a free people. But then the Brits are not a free people. They have sacrificed their individual rights for an illusion of personal and communal safety. Their self-righteousness about their surrendered gun rights, their denial of its results, is maddeningly sad.
Could the Brits ever reclaim their gun rights heritage which we in the States inherited and enshrined in our Constitution? I doubt it. As someone who lived in the U.K. for 18 years, as someone who watched the U.K. become the most surveilled country on planet earth, I reckon they’re too far gone.
Today’s Brits are all too willing to sacrifice their personal fate to the false promise of political correctness. The idea that the collective is the defender of individual rights, rather than the individual, has created a Nanny State of once improbable proportions. Winston Churchill is, as suggested below, spinning in his grave
Until and unless men like Mr. Bolton are willing to defend their right to defend themselves they will be defenseless—against criminals and the government they mistakenly empower to protect them.
How the mighty have fallen.
That rumbling noise you’re hearing isn’t an earthquake, but Sir Winston Churchill’s body rotating in its crypt.
Time to exhume the guy and plant him in Arlington. I think he would have approved, given what Britain has become.
His mother was an American.
There are two problems that have beset the UK:
1. They left the flower of their manhood on the killing fields of WWI. Their upper classes and military officers utterly failed their culture in that war, and largely failed them again in WWII. The result, post-WWII, was a highly feminized culture, one in which emotion trumps logic and very silly ideas gain credence because people ‘feel’ rather than ‘think.’
2. As a result of their post-WWII guilt, they allowed untrammeled immigration from third world dung heaps, and this has finished collapsing their society as these immigrants have not only failed to assimilate, they refuse to even consider assimilating, and various government toffs and academics engage in oikophobia and justify all manner of freak behavior by savages.
The barbarians aren’t “at the gate,” they’re inside the city walls and getting free medical care and food off those who are still willing to work.
The UK is a lost cause. Not just gun rights in the UK, but their entire society and country. Little wonder that Scotland wants to leave the union…
Sad to say, but the Muslim immigrants that they’ve welcomed in might actually be the ones to solve the crime problems the WASPS are unwilling to confront. During the riots, it was the Muslim immigrants that fought back against the lawless and protected their own.
Of course, with that comes all the other undesirable aspects but there’s always a little silver lining in a dark cloud.
Are you sure that wasn’t the Sikhs? I recall a photo of Sikhs with swords guarding their temple.
Didn’t see the Sikh thing. But that’s good to know, too.
I saw footage of Turks protecting their stores, but I also saw plenty of Pakistani looking fellows doing the rioting. Lots of British crime is committed by Pakistanis/Muslims. Oh, and Caribbean blacks, of course.
Yup. Well stated, and sadly true.
Agreed. They literally lost the gutsiest part of their gene pool on the Somme and other such places.
WWI is a bit outside my comfort zone, but I’d suggest that it was the biggest mistake of the 20th century. France and Germany had been banging away at each other for the previous 80 years, and to lose so many of our best and brightest was horrifying. It was post-war fear of the working classes that began the gun control we have today.
Sitting here shaking my head that two of my friends (not known to each other) actually moved TO the UK in the last year. One (female) is actually a martial arts expert. I told her that “may” allow her to deal with about 1/3rd of assailants (on a good day).
“Despite statistics showing that the UK’s violent crime rate surpasses that of the U.S. ”
Could you direct me to the study that shows this? It would be helpful to have that information since many of my gun-free friends won’t believe this. Thanks.
Click here for the latest chart of violent crime per capita. The UK leads Europe and outpaces the U.S. by a wide margin. (Stat link added to original post as well.)
Thanks Robert.
Thanks Robert! Gun control advocates always like to use the UK as some sort of utopia of gun crime, but fail miserably in understanding it isn’t stopping any crime, just the preferred method.
That’s their point.
They don’t care about crime, only ‘gun’ crime. Crime by other means can be sky high, but as long as ‘gun’ crime is low, then all is jim dandy in the land of unicorns and tinker bells.
If we look at rural and low-density areas of the US, we’re even safer than the UK WRT to homicide.
Let’s take Wyoming as an example. You could look at Montana, North Dakota, etc for similar numbers. None of these states are known as hotbeds of crime, if we purposely exclude Harvard graduates who mail bombs to people.
The rate of homicide in Wyoming is 1.419/100K population, if we use 2010 stats. Let’s assume, for the sake of argument, that all of those were committed with guns.
As anyone who lives in Wyoming can tell you, we’re positively awash with guns. There’s enough arms in private ownership in Wyoming to take over most of South America without having to use any of our collectible guns that are all over the state. Heck, the Buffalo Bill Museum in Cody alone could arm a couple of divisions of men.
What’s the crime result? We have a lower rate of homicide than even the la-la land of the UK at 1.49/100K.
Obviously, removing guns from Wyoming won’t make Wyoming much safer if we’re already lower in homicides per 100K than the wonderful gun-free paradise of the UK.
So much for the “guns cause crime” theory – but y’all already knew that was a farce.
Remember when men were men? The UK doesn’t.
And women were real women and small furry creatures from Alpha Centauri were real small furry creatures from Alpha Centauri.
I can forgive England a lot, since it gave us Douglas Adams. And since the English are only doing it to themselves.
We also gave you Piers Morgan.
You really didn’t have to remind us of that, I would really like to keep my breakfast down.
You mean “relieved yourselves” of Piers Morgan. Must have been satisfying.
Yes the UK is a lost cause, so is Australia and New Zealand is not far behind.
You know it’s not the fact that self defense with a firearm over there is a no-no that irritates me as much. It’s the fact that self defense with anything is borderline illegal too. If someone breaks into your home and is threatening the lives of you and your family, YOU very well may go to jail for smacking him across the face and knocking him out, not even killing him, with (insert blunt object here) because it’s…uncivilized? My brain feels like it’s about to explode from being exposed to such stupidity.
It does give one a migraine. I guess Brits are supposed to “turn the other cheek” and kiss your ass good-bye.
Somewhere in there is a Monty Python skit waiting to be written about apologizing for defending yourself. Would be funny if it weren’t so sad.
“right. attack me with the banana.”
Milsurp said…“It’s the fact that self defense with anything is borderline illegal too.”
Indeed, sir, you are correct. HERE’S a story about a fella that was getting beat to death (along with his girlfriend) with a baseball bat, defended himself with a kitchen knife, and is on trial for murder.
We have a different legal system here & there is no Grand Jury to decide whether or not a case goes to trial. As such, the determination of innocence is made at a full trial based on the evidence put before a jury. Scottish Law is also different to English Law.
Only in the most clear cut case will a decision not to prosecute be taken.
It’s not as if it doesn’t happen in the US – George Zimmerman anyone?
There are plenty of cases make court in the US despite pleas of self defence, so please don’t try to make out it’s a peculiarly British trait.
I wish I still had the link to an article on this subject. The gist was this – In the UK there is a rising incidence of police turning a blind eye to property defense. In one particular event cited in the article and anonymous police office relayed a story. a burglar was beat up by a man and his son for breaking into their home. That burglar went and got a police officer and brought him back to the residence to arrest the home-owners for the assault. He said that upon confronting the home-owner he could tell that they had done just that- beat up the burglar, buy the shocked look on his face to see the burglar again. The police officer asked the home-owner if he recognized the man (burglar) to which the home-owner replied “No”. The police officer immediately escorted the burglar away from the premises, say that there was nothing to be done. The office had told the news reporter, that he was dreading that the home-owner would admit knowledge of the event, because it would have necessitated his arrest, and the police officer didn’t not want to have to do that.
Northern Ireland isn’t that bad in comparison.
From what I’ve read, it’s illegal to carry anything in England with the intent to use it for self- defense, then it become an offensive weapon and illegal.
So if you carry a roll of coins or a belt with a large buckle and they were used in a self- defense situation; even if you didn’t intend to use them for that purpose; the courts would be the ones to decide if they were intended for defense or not; Wow, talk about total power and control over a people;
Yep, England is lost and probably never coming back.
What can you expect from a breed of people who genuflect before a hereditary monarchy? What can you expect from a country with an anthem called “God Save the Queen” and never mentions the nation at all? The US fought two wars against England for a whole host of good reasons. The English willingness to prostrate themselves was only one of them.
Well those genuflectors ruled 1/4 of the Earth’s surface and 1/5 of its people. All from a tiny island mind you. Neurosis brought brought down the empire as Jean Paul mentioned. So a globe-trotting empire that indirectly created the Unites States isn’t something to be shat upon. Pity it went all Woody Allen with liberalism.
Did you ever read Gary Brecher’s “War Nerd” column, Ralph? It’ll instill some healthy martial respect in you. He’s also funny as hell.
http://www.exile.ru/articles/list.php?IBLOCK_ID=35&SECTION_ID=156
“A system of licensing and registration, is the perfect device to deny gun ownership to the bourgeoisie.” –Vladamir Ilyich Lenin
Is there a political party in Britain focused on regaining their freedom? They should round up every remaining Spitfire pilot who galently defended their nation in the Battle of Britain and charge the with a self defense crime. I’m sure these MEN would gladly stand as martyrs againts the slow rape of freedoms that their country has endured.
Is there a political party in Britain focused on regaining their freedom? They should round up every surviving Spitfire pilot who galently defended their nation in the Battle of Britain and demand they be charged with a self defense crime. I’m sure these MEN would gladly stand as martyrs againts the slow erosion freedoms that their country has endured.
Spent 3 years on exchange duty in HM Forces back in the 80’s. Our first son born there, he now a Lt. USN. How sad to witness a once Great Britain deteriorate into social chaos. I will pray for both Great Britain’s return to greatness as well as the preservation of our own United States for yes indeed, it can happen here.
Excellent story, very well presented. Good job!
Oh great! Now it’s not just the government and the gun grabbers that are really p**sing me off, but now it’s you guys as well.
Can’t blame us for using your blinkered compatriots as an object lesson in what happens when a free people feeds morsels of liberty to the State over time..
“the truth is the UK continues to deny their populace the ability to defend their lives and property through force of arms. In terms of self-defense, the country remains a gun-free zone. Remember that . . .”
You’ve really gone off the deep end now, Robert. This couple DID defend themselves and their property with a firearm.
You must have a fever after that terrible embarrassment of their release. You’ve finally cracked and lost all tough with reality.
And for their trouble were detained. Bad enough they suffered the fright and outrage of having their home broken into. Worse that they had to defend themselves with a firearm. But then to be treated like common criminals and locked in a cage? Fvck the UK.
and because the man of the house used a shotgun to defend himself and his wife from 4 home invaders he and his wife were arrested. think about that for a minute. your wife gets arrested because of your actions. what if this couple had had kids. would the kids have been drug off to child protective services while dad and mom spent their time justifying defending themselves?
the elitist, racist gungrabbers are civil rights violaters on a par with the klan.
Never forget, this is the control freak’s version of gun rights: You have the right to seek permission from a tribunal to own a gun, but don’t mention self-defense as a reason. You have the right to own one small caliber firearm, so long as it’s locked up separate from the ammunition. You have the right to go through the court system if you ever commit the outrage of using that firearm against an attacker.
Fortunately, more and more Americans are waking up to our understanding of rights.
“You have the right to own one small caliber firearm,”
Please get your facts straight: Unlike certain parts of the US (California) there is no restriction on small arms calibers in the UK, nor are we limited to one firearm.
Some of you need to learn a little civility, rather than blather on about conditions here that you know nothing about.
For a start it was under Churchill’s Conservative government that “self defence” was removed in 1954 as “good reason” to possess a firearm.
Almost ALL restrictions on firearms here were made or instigated by CONSERVATIVE governments, which is why I advise you not to trust Romney as far as you could throw him.
Our Monarchy attracts hundreds of thousands of American visitors every year & the $12bn in foreign currency comes in handy. I really DO hope none of you are dumb enough to think they’re still in charge here though.
As for the other derogatory commentators about the UK: you can all go piss up a rope.:-)