NRA: To See Where Gun Licensing Leads, Look To Great Britain

England's increasingly repressive firearms laws often are praised by those who would restrict the American right to arms, so it is important to realize that those firearms laws, which now prohibit the private possession of handguns, rest heavily on one foundation--the British gun owner licensing system. The right to keep and bear arms had been alive in England for eight centuries when Parliament enacted the Pistols Act of 1903. The Act, which prohibited the sale of pistols to minors and felons, also dictated that pistols could be sold only to those who possessed a gun license. Since the license could be obtained at a post office with only the payment of a fee, and since no license was required to keep a pistol solely in the home, there was no opposition. But within a few short years, the licensing system had moved from the post office to the police station. Suddenly, Britons who wanted to own handguns--or rifles--had to prove they had "good reason" for receiving a police permit. Shotguns were considered "sporting" and were exempted from licensing requirements until 1967.

Anti-gun lobbyists in the United States have called for a "needs-based licensing" system and some politicians have lined up to do their bidding.

Is licensing gun owners a good idea? After all, "we license people to drive cars don't we?" If requiring gun owners to obtain a government license seems like a harmless idea to you, you may want to know about "Firearms Form 101." That's the "Application For A Firearms Certificate" that must be filled out by Britons in order to purchase a rifle or muzzleloading handgun. A separate form is required for a "shotgun certificate."

Section 27 of the Firearms Act of 1968 (as amended by the 1997 Act) requires a chief officer of the Police Firearms Licensing Department to be satisfied that the applicant is "fit to be entrusted with a firearm." (Emphasis added) As the applicant, you must provide: * Your home address for the last three years. * Your occupation and business address. * Information about previous convictions, including traffic violations. * Information about any history of Epilepsy. * Information about past treatment for drug use, depression or nervous disorders. * The name of your doctor, and permission for the police to search your medical records to obtain "factual details" about your medical history. * A list of the firearms you already own, including caliber, type, maker's name and serial number. * A list of the ammunition you already own, including caliber and quantity. * A list of the firearms you wish to purchase, stating the reason for wanting to purchase them and where you plan on shooting or hunting with them. * A list of the maximum amount of ammunition you wish to possess at any one time, by caliber. * A list of the maximum amount of ammunition you plan to purchase at any one time, by caliber. * An address where the guns will be stored, for possible future inspection. * Information about whether you have previously held a firearms certificate, or a shotgun certificate. * A letter signed by the secretary of your shooting club or each landowner where you plan to hunt attesting to the fact that you have permission to shoot at those locations. * Four passport size photos of yourself. * A fee of L56 (approximately $90).

As an applicant, you must also designate two "referees" who will fill out a reference form regarding your character. This form will never be shown to you even though it weighs heavily in the final decision to approve or deny the application. The "referees" must: * Have known you for at least the last two years. * Not be a member of your family, a firearms dealer, a police officer or a police employee. * Be of "good character." * Sign the application form declaring that it has been answered truthfully. * Sign and date the back of one of your passport photos attesting that it is an accurate representation of you at that time. * Explain in what capacity they have known you. * Indicate if they are members of a shooting club, and if so their license number and role in the club. * Provide their "opinion as to the applicant's suitability to possess firearms." * Provide information on your personal history, including any history of emotional problems, mental or physical disabilities and explain how knowledge of the information was gained. * Explain any difficulties you have with members of your family which "may give cause for concern given that a firearm or ammunition may be available in the household." * Explain their knowledge of your experience with firearms. * Explain their knowledge of your attitude toward firearms. * Be subjected to a background check and allow personal information to be held on a police computer.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• NRA
• self
• defense
• right
• to
• arms
• firearm
• gun
• England

[MESSYOFACEUP317]

AMERICA, FUCK YEAH!

[Whutevzhappens]

...they invented tasers who needs firearms

[CandleInTheDeep]

@haroldbhoy67 Democracy is mob rule. Democracy is two wolves and a sheep voting on who to have for dinner. Democracy always leads to decadence, as in when the good people of Athens voted to invade Sicily, a country which had done them no harm. Fuck democracy, and fuck you. If you think you can vote my rights into non-existence, you're simply going to have to kill everyone who thinks like me in order to get to your gun-free (but not violence-free) utopia.

[fieldcommandereyesin]

@haroldbhoy67 lol the scots are owned by the english and there money by the jew those fools gave there freedom up.. The scots heros of the past must be turning in there grave.

[haroldbhoy67]

@fieldcommandereyesin more deaths today in Ohio!, the people of Dunblane sleep easier in their grief now that guns are banned in scotland. Good riddance to guns in the UK. The majority of the people wanted guns banned, THATS democracy.

[GMPresents]

This video is completely biased and doesn't consider the bigger picture I'm afraid. In short, it's propaganda.

[GMPresents]

@SpikeReeve said "banning guns has no effect on illegal guns on the street"

You might be missing the bigger picture. Banning firearms (excluding hunting rifles, shotguns, air rifles) serves as a step to train the UK culture into understanding that weapons, across the board, are frowned upon. I'd prefer a country where the absolute minority of criminals posses firearms, rather than the majority potentially carrying, and I legitimately own a shotgun!

[artamdelaroja]

@MrUSMClifer sorry dude you made the best comment on a video where you can't be thumbed up :)...

[NorthPro40]

fuck the liberals, we Canadians gotta stand up before what has happened to our commonwealth brothers.

[fieldcommandereyesin]

In america there will be a war before we give up our guns