England’s law-abiding citizens have become defenseless.

[slim 1,533]

Well, guns aren't illegal in the UK, simply more restricted, so as to keep imbeciles who would get drunk and carry a weapon from ever owning them. So maybe one day, we will know. What we'll never know is whether armed morons could actually effect change to a riot.

Next time we have a riot I'll let you know. However, the last thing I'm going to do is head out into a crowd of rioters to "stop crime in progress."

The fact that a policeman was saved by an armed citizen speaks volumes about how sad the state of public safety in England is.

Oddly enough, I agree with slim on this one. With the caveat that be it katana or gun, a properly trained, non-insane (that's the key issue isn't it ) individual would actually feel empowered to play crime-fighter.

That's the beauty of a weapon. Even without training, you're automatically advantaged over an unarmed individual.

[Zero Sum 305]

Don't out yourself as an actual non-user, slim. You well know what can happen when someone that doesn't know how to use a weapon is faced with a sudden threat! If it can happen to trained individuals like some cops guns being turned on them- there's nothing guaranteeing that automatic advantage for the un-trained. I guess you'd be right if all conditions favored the shooter I suppose. Standing straight in front of a criminal, safety off, some distance to get a shot off before being overtaken, etc.

[slim 1,533]

Don't out yourself as an actual non-user, slim. You well know what can happen when someone that doesn't know how to use a weapon is faced with a sudden threat! If it can happen to trained individuals like some cops guns being turned on them- there's nothing guaranteeing that automatic advantage for the un-trained. I guess you'd be right if all conditions favored the shooter I suppose. Standing straight in front of a criminal, safety off, some distance to get a shot off before being overtaken, etc.

If you get killed with your own gun you should be beat to death because it's empty.

[Zero Sum 305]

If you get killed with your own gun you should be beat to death because it's empty.

So its not an automatic advantage then.

[slim 1,533]

So its not an automatic advantage then.

It's always an advantage over being unarmed.

[Zero Sum 305]

It's always an advantage over being unarmed.

It can be, I suppose.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

The fact that a policeman was saved by an armed citizen speaks volumes about how sad the state of public safety in England is.

Well I certainly think it speaks volumes about how little you know about public safety in England. Contrary to what you might think - these riots are not a daily occurence.

[slim 1,533]

Well I certainly think it speaks volumes about how little you know about public safety in England. Contrary to what you might think - these riots are not a daily occurence.

They don't have to be a daily occurance. The fact is your police were outmanned, outgunned, and outplayed. Then, an armed citizen - with a sword, no less - had to save one of them. That's pretty pathetic.

The police (and government in general) should be happy this stopped at just a riot. Information like that (as in, we're more powerful than our government) is a precursor to revolutionary change!

[Usui Takumi 1,562]

They don't have to be a daily occurance. The fact is your police were outmanned, outgunned, and outplayed. Then, an armed citizen - with a sword, no less - had to save one of them. That's pretty pathetic.

The police (and government in general) should be happy this stopped at just a riot. Information like that (as in, we're more powerful than our government) is a precursor to revolutionary change!

The sword issue was from 2007. Anyway, the situation seemed more under control than LA.

[Zero Sum 305]

The sword issue was from 2007. Anyway, the situation seemed more under control than LA.

And the Brits are volunteering loads to cleanup. Pretty quickly too.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

They don't have to be a daily occurance. The fact is your police were outmanned, outgunned, and outplayed. Then, an armed citizen - with a sword, no less - had to save one of them. That's pretty pathetic.

The police (and government in general) should be happy this stopped at just a riot. Information like that (as in, we're more powerful than our government) is a precursor to revolutionary change!

I think this illustrates the problem of drawing conclusions from scattered newspaper headlines.

The people involved in those riots had no interest in revolutionary change. That wasn't what it was about.

The sword issue was from 2007. Anyway, the situation seemed more under control than LA.

Or drawing conclusions from four year old headlines that have nothing to do with events in question

[slim 1,533]

The sword issue was from 2007. Anyway, the situation seemed more under control than LA.

Whether it came from 2007 or 1897, the fact is an armed citizen saved a cop. Let that sink in for a moment. The balance of power rests where?

Of course these riots are more under control than the riots in LA. Look at the daily situation in LA compared to the daily situation in the whole of England. LA is daily more out of control than England.

And the Brits are volunteering loads to cleanup. Pretty quickly too.

No surprise there either. We've ignored our neighborhoods forever. Why would we clean them up after a riot?

I think this illustrates the problem of drawing conclusions from scattered newspaper headlines.

The people involved in those riots had no interest in revolutionary change. That wasn't what it was about.

Or drawing conclusions from four year old headlines that have nothing to do with events in question

What if the people of LA knew they could outgun the cops? What if they knew the Marines wouldn't be called in?

Not drawing conclusions from your headlines is stupid. Give 'em enough time, the council estate youth of your country will be exactly like ours some day. How's that for a conclusion?

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

What if the people of LA knew they could outgun the cops? What if they knew the Marines wouldn't be called in?

What if we're talking about LA? LA is not London. I know - I've lived in both places.

Not drawing conclusions from your headlines is stupid. Give 'em enough time, the council estate youth of your country will be exactly like ours some day. How's that for a conclusion?

Limited and rather unsatisfactory.

[Zero Sum 305]

The National Guard has been called in from time to time throughout our history... just saying. And people here also do clean up after bad riots... just after the looting has finished.

[slim 1,533]

What if we're talking about LA? LA is not London. I know - I've lived in both places.

Limited and rather unsatisfactory.

It is unsatisfactory to make the connection betwee people being on the dole and people destroying their own communities. I know. Doesn't make sense to me either.

The National Guard has been called in from time to time throughout our history... just saying. And people here also do clean up after bad riots... just after the looting has finished.

Most people here clean up during the riots!

Then, if you'll notice, it's people from outside the affected communities that come in to clean up. Not the folks from the actual neighborhoods themselves. Oh you'll get a group of them (the six people on the nightly news) but most will be do-gooders from the suburbs who don't realize it's their fault this happened in the first place.