can students felt very uncomfortable, especially as two students had had negative experiences with guns. The officers laughed amiably at this discomfort reminding the students about the steps taken to insure firearm safety. Though it could be stated that they were callous, this would be a gross oversimplification. It was quite obvious from the officers demeanors and the pride they took their position to educate and act with calm responsibility, that if they knew that they were truly making people uncomfortable they would have stopped. I wonder how much of this was a cultural difference. In the United States, we are inundated with images of guns being used on the television. Also, it is not that odd for an individual to own a gun, in 1993 there was two million legally owned guns for use of defense . Conversely, in Great Britain it rather rare for an individual to own a gun. England and Wales gun ownership can account for 4.7% of households compared to the United States 48% of household owning a gun. It is possible to assume that the officers come from a society in which people are not as nervous about guns and trust those who have authority to wield them as clear about gun safety. On the other hand, there is a higher percentage of people from the United States who come in contact with guns and may feel and are trained differently about gun safety. Through my stay in Great Britain, I had an opportunity to discuss the differences in attitudes about gun in the United States and Great Britain. Many people were amazed at the fact that Americans felt that gun ownership was an inalienable right. Though I could not say through my small informal discussions, I interviewed a stratified portion of British society, it felt as if the general populous did not seem comfortable with the idea of gun ownership for anything other than hunting.One well-educated gentleman that I interviewed was shocked that Americans carry guns and, in his view, accepte...
