If you own a gun...

[Closet Desire]

Good question...

Actually...it looks like hunting will be banned here in the next few months. It's been under attack since before I arrived. The well-to-do hunt foxes with hounds and horses. Usually the dogs rip the fox to shreds and play with the pieces. No guns involved. Pretty gruesome, but what do you expect from a country that used to draw and quarter enemies of the state, hang theives, and exile prostitutes?

No real gun ownership here. Handguns were all taken away a couple of years ago. I think there are a few shotguns around, but you just don't see guns except in the hands of criminals (handgun crimes are on the rise).

Glad to hear the psycho is getting some attention...watch this place?

 

[BlondGirl]

oh shit

The time has come...

The hearing is in the morning concerning psycho. I was called at work tonight and told to leave early and as I was heading towards the exit, the police officer who has been handling this was walking in. As well as the 2nd in charge person in my work place. We will see how things go. My next door neighbor let me park my vehicle in front of his in his driveway (I have to street park.) and I will likely take a taxi in the am to the court house.

If you are inclined to pray--please pray for us--both me and psycho. I am not sure which of us needs the prayers more.

 

[Closet Desire]

Good luck...

...need I say any more?

 

[TonyG]

Re: Good question...

Originally posted by Closet Desire
...No real gun ownership here. Handguns were all taken away a couple of years ago.

What about law enforcement agencies? I've heard in some places in Europe they do not carry weapons with them.

 

[Closet Desire]

England is a notable...

...exception.

The European countries I have visited which includes France, Spain, Mallorca, Italy, Portugal, and a few others all seemed to be armed with smallish 9mm s/a's. Few British police carry weapons and only recently added tear gas to the uniform (OC deemed too dangerous). Recently some officers in some high crime areas have started carrying weapons.

Officers at the airports, particularly Gatwick and Heathrow, are armed to the hilt with body armour and HK submachine guns. Their concern is terrorists. The way it is usually handled is that there are "response teams" similar perhaps to SWAT who are trained and armed. Also, there are officers who do not normally carry a weapon but who are trained to use one in certain circumstance and, of course, weapons will be issued.

I'm not involved in any way with the police here so this is just observation and what I've learned from news articles and the few friends I have who work with the police.

It is a bit alien to me because officers routinely confront suspects who are armed with knives or other "deadly" weapons and, of course, they have no equal force with which to respond. Edged weapons give me the heeby-jeebies (see the police video "Surviving Edged Weapons" for new found respect of these). Shortly after I arrived here a female officer was killed by a suspect known to be violent when she and several other officers raided his flat. No vest, no gun, and he simply shoved a blade through her heart and killed her. Shit.

Well, there you have it from my point of view...

 

[BlondGirl]

The update.

The man stood up and bald-faced lied to the judge saying that I crossed in front of him and he could not help but bump into me--that it happens all the time. He stated that as he got to me in the hall, that I crossed the hall just as he got to me so that he had to bump into me.

The judge ruled not guilty. Fuck!

And, of course, as he was walking out the the court room, he turned to me and smiled at me and gave me a big thumbs up.

As for me, I just quit my job. I do not feel safe there at all and I wok late hours. I have been living and working in a constant state of fear for the last month and I can not continue this.

 

[Samuari]

Damn! I'm sorry to hear that. Do you think that you will trouble finding work at hours that you feel safe? Good Luck, I'll be praying for you both.

 

[Closet Desire]

Sounds like a good excuse...

...to see if the grass really is greener on the other side. How's Florida look this time of year?