GUN laws are under the spotlight following the tragic Cumbria killing spree on Wednesday.
Why taxi driver Derrick Bird was able to drive around shooting people is an obvious question to ask after such a horrendous event.
I’m not a fan of mass gun ownership, such as exists in the USA.
In 1997 and 1998 I lived in Colorado, home of the National Rifle Association, chaired by outspoken gun fan Charlton Heston.
When I told local people that handguns and most rifles had been banned in the UK following the 1987 Hungerford and 1996 Dunblane massacres, they were astounded.
They couldn’t believe a government would remove its citizens’ right to bear arms.
If you visit country towns in the States, pickup trucks driving round with two rifles crossed across the rear window is a common sight – and that’s because it’s illegal to carry a concealed weapon.
If you go to K-Mart – their equivalent of Tesco Extra – you can buy most of the world’s most powerful handguns over the counter.
Footlong machetes and TNT are also available to purchase in the family store.
One time during my academic year at college in Durango I was drinking at someone’s house when they pulled out a semi-automatic 9mm pistol and started twirling it around.
After a few minutes of this one of my friends complained and was told, "it’s not loaded.’’
My friend then pointed out: "Have you checked there’s not a bullet in the chamber?’’
"Uh no,’’ was the sheepish reply.
So, yeah, I’m not a fan of guns.
Less than a year later, Colorado was to suffer what Dunblane had experienced only months before my short residency.
The 1999 Columbine High School massacre saw two disaffected students rampaging around the school with automatic rifles and improvised bombs.
The teenagers killed 12 students and one teacher using guns an older friend had bought for them before taking their own lives.
So just to repeat my position – I’m not a fan of mass gun ownership.
But on Thursday I was pleased to see the Prime Minister David Cameron rule out any knee-jerk law changes following the Cumbrian shootings.