Quote Originally Posted by MMI View Post
One has to understand that we do not live in fear of each other. We do not believe there are killers waiting around every corner, about to break into our house, rape our daughters and kill our sons. If we pass a stranger on the street, we do not worry that he is about to point the barrel of a gun up our nostrils while he demands our watches, mobile phones and wallets. There are violent people among us, sure, but few of them are armed with guns; quite a lot are armed with knives. (It is illegal to carry an offensive weapon (including knives - from hunting knives to penknives - cricket bats, iron bars, screwdrivers and chisels, or anything else you can hurt or maim with ... a pencil perhaps, if it is used that way). We only consider self-defence is a relevant argument if we are facing an attacker, and believe an attack on our life is imminent. If we contemplate an attack, and then deliberately go out to confront the attacker, we are in danger of committing the same crime ourselves. Having a weapon "just in case" you are attacked isn't self-defence, it's arguably making preparations to commit an assault yourself, because, if you foresee the possibility of attack, you can take steps to avoid it.
Sounds much the same as it is here in the states for the most part despite what appearences the media may portray to the world at large.