Guns For All

It seems to be a given in the English media that the availability of guns for the average peasant, as in the United States, inevitably leads to more crime and more violence.
In my town the local constabulary have a slogan, ‘Be Safe, Feel Safe.’ Most people keep themselves safe by staying indoors.
Though I live in town, when I go out on a Tuesday evening, I take the car, even though my destination is a fifteen minute walk away. I don’t want to walk home at half past ten at night. The streets are empty at that time. Walking home is distinctly creepy.
Every now and again a gang of thugs will beat the crap out of some guy, break his skull and even kill him.
If they knew their victim might have a gun the thugs would stay clear. Even if they had guns themselves they would not risk getting hurt.
At the moment only the government and the criminals have guns. The rest of us are powerless.
Guns for all would make us all equal.
I don’t like my wife and daughters walking back late at night.
But my daughters live far away and I know that sometimes they walk home when it is late. As women, they are reluctant to get into a taxi alone.
If they had a gun they would not be reluctant to take a taxi ride.
If they had a gun they would be comfortable walking home at night.
Guns would enable women to reclaim the night.
Guns for all makes us all equal.