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The cultural issues surrounding guns are many and widely debated.  [[Conservative]]s generally prefer to reserve for the [[individualism|individual]] [[the right to self-defense]] through the use of guns and other weapons.  [[Liberal]]s generally prefer to delegate this right to guards, police, and the military.{{fact}}

The cultural issues surrounding guns are many and widely debated.  [[Conservative]]s generally prefer to reserve for the [[individualism|individual]] [[the right to self-defense]] through the use of guns and other weapons.  [[Liberal]]s generally prefer to delegate this right to guards, police, and the military.{{fact}}

While some decry the level of firearms homicide, comparisons don't always match up. While the United States of America had 11,350 firearms related homicides in 2005<ref>http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/05cius/data/table_01.html</ref>, and the United Kingdom had 50 in the UK, which heavily restricts the civilian possession of all firearms.<ref>http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs07/hosb0207.pdf</ref> While the United States of America has a population approximately 6 times greater than the UK, the number of individuals with firearms in the USA far outweigh those in the UK. For instance, the UK has approximately 36.6 firearms per 100,000 residents while the USA has approximately 41,000 firearms for 100,000 residents. <ref>http://www.wfsa.net/adobe_documents/Cross_Sectional_Study.PDF</ref> This indicates that an individual firearm in UK is 30 times more likely to be used in a homocide than an individual firearms in the USA. An alternative view is that you are 37.8 times more likely to be killed in a gun related homocide in the USA as opposed to the UK.

While some decry the level of firearms homicide, comparisons don't always match up. While the United States of America had 11,350 firearms related homicides in 2005<ref>http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/05cius/data/table_01.html</ref>, and the United Kingdom had 50 in the UK, which heavily restricts the civilian possession of all firearms.<ref>http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs07/hosb0207.pdf</ref> While the United States of America has a population approximately 6 times greater than the UK, the number of individuals with firearms in the USA far outweigh those in the UK. For instance, the UK has approximately 36.6 firearms per 100,000 residents while the USA has approximately 41,000 firearms for 100,000 residents. <ref>http://www.wfsa.net/adobe_documents/Cross_Sectional_Study.PDF</ref> This indicates that an individual firearm in UK is 30 times more likely to be used in a homocide than an individual firearms in the USA.  

Some studies have shown that law-abiding citizens carrying guns are statistically an effective deterrent and defense against lawless or criminal individuals. Further comparison between different states in the USA indicates that states that have more permissive gun laws have distinctly lower crime rates, violent crime rates, and firearms homicides than states with more restrictive gun laws.[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Lott]  

Some studies have shown that law-abiding citizens carrying guns are statistically an effective deterrent and defense against lawless or criminal individuals. Further comparison between different states in the USA indicates that states that have more permissive gun laws have distinctly lower crime rates, violent crime rates, and firearms homicides than states with more restrictive gun laws.[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Lott]