[QUOTE]Originally posted by Diki:
[B]It is reactionaries like Spalding that assure that America will NEVER return to sanity vis a vis gun murders. Simple question, spald... If thieves are using guns in Britain, why is their murder rate FORTY times less than ours?'

This is a foolish question dikki , almost child like. You really ought to think more about the factors that influence gun crime and murder rates generally more seriously.

You are actually asking a complex question to do with the mentality , culture , life styles, life expectancies, and disparities of wealth and opportunity from country to country. You cant be seriously suggesting the ONLY reason America has a higher murder rate higher than the UK is because some US home owners might actually own and potentially use a gun in self defense ?????

Why then does switzerland or israel have lower murder rates than the UK and yet more liberal gun laws ?

I am honest enough not to pretend to know. Do you know dikki ?

What you might want to consider is the following :

1. Are all murders carried out by theives in the US ?
2. are all murders carried out through gun use ?
3. Who are the most common victims of murder by a gun ? (you will find it is people who already have a crimminal record)
4. What proportion of murders were carried out by legally owned licensed guns ?

There is tons of research on this subject.
I could go on but i will not. But let me give an honest answer to your question , i dont know why america's murder rate is higher than the UK and i am in good company with a host of academics trying to understand this very same problem. Are you suggesting that you do ???