The difference between the U.S. and the U.K. on the issue of guns, it seems to me, is that our U.S. constitution says the right to bear arms is "God-given." It was a right of Americans before I was here and shall be after I'm gone, according to our constitution. We couldn't give up the right if we wanted to, because how do you give up a "God-given right?"

I believe in the U.K. you are "granted" the "privilege" by the "crown" to own guns on occasion. The founding fathers in the U.S. saw first-hand what kind of tyranny that way of thinking could lead to, so they guranteed certain things as "rights," not "privileges."

And yes, we are safer because of guns. Guns are obtainable by criminals in any country in the world, but in the U.S. they're obtainable by law-abiding people too. The high crime rates in the U.S. are generally in areas that have stringent disarmament laws (Chicago, New York City, Washington D.C.). Fortunately some places, like D.C., are starting to come around. People there will now be able to legally protect themselves with firearms, and the crime rate will go down.