Please pardon my ignorance, I'm a dumb limey, and don't have the benefit of having my 'rights' enshrined in a written constitution.

The way things (used to?) work over this side of the pond are that the rights of the individual are always subject to the rights of the community. At least, that's the way I see it. The possible outcry against the criminalisation of handgun ownership after Dunblane never happened - because we thought it more important to do something.

I'm having a little difficulty relating to the fear evident in the postings of all the guys who need firearms to defned themselves against the government. OK, I can understand that much of the US is remote and unpoliced, and that responsible residents of those areas need to preserve some deterrent against crime. But how many of you are scared of what Washington might do? What's the historical background??

Incidentally, I possess a firearms certificate, and a license to handle explosives. In the UK, individual weapons have to be licensed and listed on the document - mine says "Calibre: 4 3/4 in - Type: Cannon". However, I've never been tempted to take it to McDonalds with me.