Merle,
In answer to your point, guns in responsible, trained hands, don't cause crime, because the owners know the true value of tha damage they can cause. It is the other side of the coin, illegally held weapons that cause the dramas!
Due to such a varied view on firearms laws across the world, let alone all the individual States in the U.S, it will always be "that" hot potato no one individual or Government wants to address.
Currently, the European Parliament is putting more effort into stopping the purchase or resale of Deactivated guns let alone firing ones!!
'Tonight my men and I have been through hell and back again, but the look on your faces when we let you out of the hall - we'd do it all again tomorrow.' Major Chris Keeble's words to Goose Green villagers on 29th May 1982 - 2 PARA
I do know someone who keeps a metal fire poker under his bed in order to try to defend himself should he get burgled during the night. I'm not sure that even doing this is a good idea and I did suggest that perhaps it may be better to swap it for a large metal bodied torch. The reason I said this is because a fire poker could do a fair amount of damage to either a burglar or to himself if the burglar was to snatch it from him and use it against him. Also it could possibly be argued that having a fire poker under the bed indicated an element of premeditation to do harm to any intruder but the simple excuse of a power cut could be used for having a torch under ones bed.
What about a dog, like Rhodesian ridgeback? Or are they banned in the UK?