As reported, Craig Hodson-Walker, 29, was fatally shot in the chest, while and his father was shot in the leg, by armed robbers who attacked a post office in Fairfield, Worcestershire. His fiancée, Lisa Bundy, who got engaged to Craig at Christmas after a 10-year relationship, described Craig as her “soulmate,” and says that his murder has left her life destroyed.
Over a decade ago, the United Kingdom banned handguns, after a criminal went into a school and killed 16 grade school children. Well intentioned but misguided people championed the cause of banning guns, thinking that such bans would prevent criminals from inflicting violence upon society. Unfortunately, these people ignored a couple of key facts. First, criminals don’t obey the law, and are just as willing to violate a law that bans gun smuggling, manufacturing, and possession, as they are to violate the law against murder. As a result, criminals ignored the gun ban, and gun related crime skyrocketed. Worse yet, the good members of society, who wouldn’t have committed a crime even if they had a gun, were left defenseless. Secondly, banning guns puts the physically weaker at a disadvantage, relative to the physically stronger. Since many criminals tend to be young males who are among the physically strongest members of society, women, the elderly, and the disabled are left particularly vulnerable, even against unarmed criminals. Even the strongest members of society are no match for an armed criminal (unless they are themselves armed for self defense).
Getting back to the murder of Craig Hodson-Walker, we can see that even the strictest gun control laws failed to stop these criminals from having a gun, and using it commit murder and robbery. The UK legislators can use this opportunity to pass another law, or ratchet up the penalties for existing laws, but that won’t make a difference either. Criminals just don’t respect the laws of our society. However criminals do respect the laws of physics, which is why a gun is the best way of stopping a violent criminal yet invented by man, before that criminal can take the life of a citizen and ruin the lives of his or her loved ones.
I am eternally greatful that I live in the United States, where I can own a gun and am in the best position possible to defend myself from armed robbers and home invaders – and not have to worry (as much) about the legal system treating me worse than the criminal.
Hooray Hooray for the good UK!