THE VILLAGE SOAPBOX

Ron has his say about UK Gun laws and local road problems.

Gun Law

We are all concerned over the increasing use of guns in violent crime but most of us are firmly convinced that we would not wish to go down the same road as the Americans and give everyone the right to carry arms. Readers may be interested in the following extract from a letter from an American that appeared recently in The Independent newspaper:

"The first written commentary on the Second Amendment was by a man named St George Tucker who undertook to annotate Sir William Blackstone's legal treatise on English common law for use in America. Tucker noted that the origin of the Second Amendment is founded in laws in England that prohibited ownership of weapons.

The general rule was that anyone who was permitted to hunt was permitted to own weapons. Of course, the only people permitted to hunt were the aristocracy. Accordingly only the aristocracy could own weapons.

The end result; under the guise of hunting regulations, commoners were disarmed and thus ill-equipped to revolt against an oppressive government. Our Second Amendment was rafted to protect us from oppressive government, not from England. And to those who would say that the time for such protection has passed, consider the criticism in the European press of the perceived abuses of power by our present administration...........As long as the human heart is capable of evil, the potential for tyranny exists in any government."

Food for thought don't you think?

Foldgate Arms Junction

Turning right at the Foldgate Arms from the A134 on to the A1122 towards Swaffham can prove to be difficult at busy times. Cars travelling on the A1122 from Downham Market often approach that junction too fast and do not come into view until they are close to the junction, furthermore they can be obscured by A134 traffic. Great care is needed to ensure that you have a clear view to the left.

We successfully agitated for a roundabout at the A134 - A10 junction. Perhaps it is time to start agitating for a roundabout at this junction also.

Ron Watts