Reply To: THE PUZZLE OF MURDER-BY-GUN STATISTICS

I find it interesting that guns and people co-exist where I live now (Vermont, USA) because I didn’t grow up in a gun-friendly country, and I kind of half expected everyone around me to be toting guns when I moved over from the UK.

In fact, I rarely see anything resembling a gun, despite Vermonts open carry laws. I’ve been trying to be as open minded as I can regarding this potential, but I just never see people with firearms.

I do find it extraordinary that in the USA you have to be 21 years old to drink alcohol yet only 18 years old to buy a gun. I can’t help but feel that’s back to front. In the UK and much of mainland Europe you can give your child alcohol, maybe watered down wine at dinner, and it’s nobody’s business unless some other incident is involved. Certainly at 18 years old you are an adult, and thus have access to all things previously denied you.

Why guns at 18 years old?