Considering writing a letter to the London Times...

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Nolo

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My father and I were going to the bank this past Monday, to withdraw money for my new rifle, a 1943 Enfield No. 4 Mk. I in excellent condition that I won on GunBroker for $250 (which is less than an SKS in this area).
Anyway, we were in the bank, waiting in line when the news feed screen up at the ceiling had some blurb about Great Britain and somesuch.
Well, it made me think of the Brits, and all they are going through. I talked to my dad about it, and how I was very concerned about the situation in Britain and I asked him if he thought that the UK might reform itself and its laws to
a more libertarian position, instead of the European model they seem to be following*.
He said to me "have you tried writing to the London Times? The British still have free press. I'd be willing to bet that you could actually be heard by people."
So I'm wondering, would it be a good idea to write to the London Times about the gun issue? Do you think it'd be intrusive, or that it just wouldn't be read at all?
I just kinda want you guys input before I start writing.
*This inference is based on the info I've received out of the UK, which isn't a whole lot, but I think it's enough. Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.
 
No more than some US paper would be interested in someone from the UK writing to them on a topic they oppose.
 
Nola,

I think that this is a valiant effort. England's sane will appreciate it.

I think its worth the effort-- but don't be suprised if it isn't printed.


-- John
 
I lived in the UK from 85-90, right after I left is when they became the ultimate nanny state. It was difficult even when I lived there, apply for a firearms license, wait 6-8 weeks to see if approved, and that was just for a shotgun.

I travel there on business quite a bit and just got back from my most recent tip on July 3. My opinion is that you have absolutely no ability to influence them. They have been so brainwashed that it essentially a lost nation. The great majority of people I know there simply have no thoughts of self defense, after all the police will protect them.

One of the BBC shows I watched while there said that in Liverpool it's quite common for 3 generations of a family to have never had a real job, just living off the welfare state, unemployment in parts of Liverpool was running over 30% I think they said. Violent crime is rampant even in the "better" parts of London/Manchester/etc., 17 knife murders in London so far this year. And they had one study that said 1 in 4 UK citizens would be subject to a violent crime in the lifetime. If you look at the government statistics they claim an unemployment rate of only 5.3%, but another statistic called "Working Age Employment Rates" shows only 74% of working age people employed. I believe their long spell of high unemployment, starting after the war, has led them down this path. They trained entire generations to rely on the state for everything, and I include what we would call the middle class, it's not limited to just welfare recipients.

And their answer is to ban knives, put up more surveillance cameras, and issue more "Antisocial Behaviour Orders".
 
I just got back from Disney World and I talked to a few Brits. One person I talked to allot and he really complained about the gun issue. Allot of people feel helpless about the issue. What is bad also is that the police can just stop somebody on the street and check them for knives guns ect. He said they need no warrant or reasonable cause.

He said that if you buy a kitchen knife from the store it has to stay in the package till it gets home.
 
a waste of time

they will scoff at your silly "rights" and the letter will never get printed.
 
go for it !!!

As an ex Brit myself I applaude what you are doing , I was too young to really be interested when the rot started but my father was the british equivilent of an FFL dealer for many years , all the laws put him and a friend out of business , he had to sell most of his collection at auction for next to nothing ( a german artillery luger in mint condition for 40 pounds ($90)springs to mind ) to say he was p***** would be an understatement , he still rants about it nearly 20 years later .:fire:
There was a time when shooting in Britain was the highest participant sport followed quite a way after that by fishing , I doubt that its even in the top 50 now although shotgunning is still quite popular I believe .
The problem is that all the bans were introduced as a kneejerk reaction , some guy runs amok with a semi auto rifle ...theyre banned !!! some guy shoots up a school with a pistol ...theyre banned !!!
Then the rest of the shooting community looked the other way , "semi autos pah doesnt concern me I shoot a bolt action" ..."pistols pah why should I care I shoot a shotgun " :what: they all said "it wont happen to us , they cant do that!" well guess what ... they DID.
This is why I get so upset when so many people hide behind the 2A here and refuse to believe that it can happen here , the constitution is a wonderfull thing but it is not a failsafe ..... they will always find a way to nibble away at our rights unless everyone is vigilant , if an AWB is going on ...fight it , even if you dont own one or ever intend owning one , cuz that scoped remington 700 that your so darn proud of .....its next :
cuz its a "sniper rifle!" :banghead:

OK rant over carry on ...
 
Many years ago I got a couple of letters printed in both The Times and The Telegraph after listening to some sage advice from my father who used to be a journo

If you want to send a letter to the Times, the contact email and background/guidance linked below

[email protected]

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/guest_contributors/article4227893.ece

If you are going to submit a letter that will be somewhat controversial make it readable.

So, facts, spelling, grammar, logical thought.

Remember it's a letter, not a PhD thesis so keep it punchy and pithy but feel free to provide, separately, supporting information, for example a link to the CDC report on the lack of effectiveness of firearms laws.

http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr5214a2.htm

Have a quick rummage through previous Times articles on line and see if any support your letter or can be refuted by your letter.

If it can be linked to current topics all the better, the current rash of knife attacks and the government thundering that" something must be done" might be apposite.

Best of luck
 
i think we should all take heed of what waverace says above. the creeping incremental infringements are exactly the strategy the bradys use, and england is a prime example of that strategy carried forth to completion.

scary.
 
Sincerly ? my guess is that they would consider you as a "cowboy" ...

in europe (exept for gun owners), words GUNS and USA associated = EVIL... (how stupid that sounds.. but its still what they think..)

No matter what official statistics and studies say...
 
There are plenty of shooters in the UK who would absolutely appreciate reading it, so I would encourage you to do it.
 
The laws in the UK have about as much chance of reform as I have of winning Miss World.

Currently they are having heart ttacks over knives... and are working them selves up to ban them. And of course linking that to guns...

Thankgod some level of sanity still prevails across the channel.
 
I was really only looking for one person to give the go ahead.
A thread full of "no"s would have severely put my spirits down.
I will make it brief, and to the point.
And I will do my best to not appear the cowboy.
Wish me luck.
 
I say go for it. If you don't get printed the first time, try again...or you could let all of us know and we could flood them with letters :D
 
It has been my experience that major media companies don't like to print letters that disagree with their political views. Our local paper, the StarTribune, has a similar unwriten policy. It doesn't stop me, and it shouldn't stop you, but don't count on getting a well written letter printed.
 
I had a letter printed in the NY Times in which I contradicted their health writer's (Jane Brody) assertion about the danger of guns in the homes. They emailed and asked if they could shorten up a sentence, and published it.
 
Probalby could just go slam a ahhh hmmm body part in the bathroom door and squeal like heck and waste more of your time too.
 
Go for it man. It can't hurt. It's very good that you're taking interest in these issues, since gun control is a global problem. We, Americans, can't keep ourselves isolated from the rest of the world forever.
 
With all due respect to our British brothers...

The more I read about the direction British society is moving, the more disheartened I become about the future. It seems to me, these days, you'd be more likely to get a letter printed in a British newspaper if you wrote it in Farsi.
 
Have you done it yet ?

So Nolo have you put pen to paper yet ? if so have you had any replies ? if not why not ?
 
Shooting sports are still very popular in England. Write to the Times if you want. Will it do any good? NO.
Will the British get back pistols, self loading rifles, hunting with dogs, common sense? NO.
You get the goverment and laws that you deserve.
I was born and lived in England for 53 years. It makes me sad to see what it has become.
 
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