I am a little perplexed by this argumanet as I have now seen it several times in various threads on this subject.

"I need a gun because if I don't have one the forces of the state will come and torture me and seize all I have."

It would seem to me that you live in a 200 year old democracy that remains the most powerful indutrialised nation in the world, in the unlikely event that the forces of the state decide to repress you, I feel resonably sure that a couple of handguns or rifles are not going to make much difference.

I seem to remember your national guard and army have tanks and stuff like that.

We in the UK remain eternally grateful for the help provided by US citizens and the US goverment in fighting WWII - a war that was about the survival of democracy in Europe.

High handed and sarcastic reminders are a daily blessing that always endear our transatlantic cousins to us.

Kind regards...

Hyp.