January 3, 2016
A British gun store
LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM - All bets are off, and today, gun control suffered another huge defeat in one of its biggest strongholds, the United Kingdom. Today, the Conservative Party's gun bill, known as the Civil Defence Bill, has has allowed military veterans of the British Armed Forces the option of "buying" their firearms from the military, to keep at home after being honorable discharged. In addition, it will also require law enforcement in the kingdom to use and train with firearms, and it will also lift some burdens from civilian firearms owners.
So, what are the conditions for military veterans? According to the new law, which received Royal Assent today, "Those who have served in any branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces, may have the option to acquire and keep select firearms, via the acquisition of a Military Firearm Licence."
Yes, those include fully-automatic weapons and when that was revealed, members of left-wing parties and anti-gun groups went into panic mode. Hindi Zahra, leader of the Peace and Equality party said, "Letting civilians keep firearms is, bad enough. Letting them keep fully-automatic machines of war, that have no use in the home, is beyond insanity."
However, the anti-gun community is somewhat mixed. Iain McNicol, the General-Secretary of the left-wing Labour Party said he didn't have a problem with military veterans keeping guns. He said, "I'm obviously against civilians have firearms. However, I really don't have a problem with military veterans, or even police having them. I mean, look, they've been trained, disciplined and done the service needed."
David Cameron has not yet been vocal about this, global gun control activists are now "demanding" an explanation from the Conservative Party leader.
Obviously, veterans can't keep tanks, cannons, rocket launchers or any of the "extreme" military equipment. However, they are allowed to keep things people normally want to outlaw and keep outlawed, this include handguns and assault rifles. This basically repeals the Handgun Ban and the Assault Weapons Ban(s).
Furthermore, to worsen the nightmare for gun control activists, veterans will be able to carry handguns in public for personal self-defense. So what does the process take? For those who are to be honorably discharged, they will be presented with their licence and their firearm upon being discharged. For veterans who have been honorable discharged prior to the law, they will be able to visit a military base and apply for a licence there, and buy their firearm.
A Military Firearms Licence also lets veterans buy any type of gun, without having to go through the stringent process. So if they wanted a regular rifle or shotgun, they could visit any gun store and present their Military Firearms Licence. In addition, they enjoy Castle Doctrine rights.
Now, for the part that gives anti-gunners a panic attack: police will now be packing heat. It is now required for police to undergo training with firearms.
As for civilians, as promised, self-defence will now be a legal reason for attaining a Firearm or Shotgun Certificate. Also, police must now have legitimate proof or warrant of threat to inspect firearms. Prior to the law, police were given the right to randomly inspect firearms. The icing on the cake, civilians living in rural areas can also carry their firearms, or bladed weapons with them for "survival" purposes. However, cities and urban areas are still off-limits.
In the next couple days, we should expect to hear the anti-gunners complaining and whining about this law, expect police brutality accusations to mushroom.