Thread: I have some America questions for you!

I live and work in the "Metroplex" which is (if you do not already know) a concrete jungle of city suburbs which extends from Dallas to Fort Worth and the surrounding towns and cities - we have several million folks in this sprawling area.

I do not call myself a gun nut, because I don't buy and sell regularly, or subscribe to any weapon magazines, or vote with my gun. However, I do carry when I can, and I own several, both sporting and handguns. I have taken now over 80 hours of defensive handgun classes (Thunderranch), because I have never equated gun onership with gun *competance*. I think that the numbers of folks that own and carry guns in Texas is pretty substantial. With the passing of a new law allowing folks without concealed handgun licenses to carry weapons in their cars (even if they are not crossing county lines), I think more folks have more guns available at their disposal. Texas, I am told, has one of the most stringent concealed carry licensure processes in the States, requiring background checks, fingerprinting, and a 10 hour course on the law (with a final open book test) and a shooting test to prove ability to handle a gun.

I do not ever intend to kill a human, I am not overly fond of killing any living creature (and have not hunted in twenty years), but as Clint Smith said "While everybody is going to die, I am not going to let that guy [criminal with gun] decide when it is time for me to die, and I am not going to get killed for lack of shooting back."

OK, that might get me yelled at, so lets talk UK! I went to school at Emmanuel in Cambridge for a spell, spent some excellent time on the ditch that is the Cam, never had a chance to get to Oxford, though we roughed up some boys from Merton, I was the pasty US rugby ringer...fun times. I think I was rotting my brain with my new found joy, "Black and Tans" while listening to George's Best at unreal volumes on some crappy old Wharfdales...those were the days.

K