However, there was another subject I wanted to include there, a subject about which I have strong views, and that is the issue of gun control. I'll start by saying, without hesitation, that I am 100% opposed to any and all possession of personal firearms. Other than state organisations such as the police and armed forces, I do not believe that anyone should be allowed to own a gun. The 'right to bear arms' is a non-starter for me, and as I'm British it doesn't come into it. We have no such right.

Note: from now on assume that I'm not talking about the police/armed forces.

In the UK all handguns are banned. Not just concealed weapons. Not just guns of a certain type. Not even ones for which you have a licence. All handguns are illegal. You cannot get a licence for a handgun in the UK. Even our Olympic shooting teams are not allowed to practice in the UK. How that is going to pan out when we host the Olympics is anyone's guess, but that's not a concern of mine. I'm happy to report that the UK government has banned personal firearms, and I have no problem with that at all.

There are some exceptions - shotgun licenses are available, but the laws on owning them are extremely strict. You have to have a very good reason to own one, for example if you're a farmer (ie for vermin control) or are taking part in licensed hunting events. I'm not particularly overjoyed about even these exceptions, but the numbers are limited and the number of hoops you need to jump through to obtain a licence is enough to deter most people from even trying to get one.

Other types of gun were never legal here - automatic and semi-automatic weapons could only be obtained illegally. And of course they are still banned.

Why am I so against the possession of guns? After all, so the saying goes, guns don't kill people - people with guns kill people. But people who don't have guns find it much more difficult to kill people, particularly in the heat of the moment. And people without guns can't shoot anyone. People without guns can't accidentally fire a gun, or inadvertantly allow their children to find a gun in their home.

If I wanted a gun, could I get one? Probably. You can buy anything on the black market, for a price. But I would find it extremely difficult to do so. I don't know criminals. I wouldn't know who to ask. I wouldn't know who not to ask in case they shopped me to the police. Most people would experience immense difficulty in obtaining a firearm. Good.

Yes, criminals can buy guns. But if they are caught in possession of such a weapon they will be given a mandatory five-year prison sentence. No excuses. That alone probably means they should (if they had any brains) be reluctant to carry a gun frequently. And yes, of course they'd take it with them for crime, but if gun laws were less restrictive they would do that anyway. Criminals will be criminals.

Am I worried that I cannot defend myself or my loved ones if I'm confronted with a gun-toting man in a mask? No, because I know the chances of that happening are far less here than in a country where guns are everywhere. I have never ever met anyone, or even walked past anyone, who I thought was, possibly, carrying a gun. As a result, I don't feel the need to carry one. I'm not stupid - I won't walk at midnight in a 'rough' area, but who would do that anywhere in the world? However the fear there would be that I might be robbed, not killed, and it's just common sense to be careful where and when you travel.

There are a whole host of reasons for being anti-gun. Sign me up for every single one of them. I'm not American. I will never live in America. The right to bear arms doesn't interest me. I don't want to be able to shoot anybody or anything. And I don't want anyone else to have that right either. It's not even a 'right' - if we were talking about personal bombs, would anyone consider they had a 'right' to carry one? Of course not.

Why am I talking about this here? Well, I wanted to add a video to the new 'Human Rights' section of the web site, perhaps a statement from someone who holds similar views to my own. Someone who is against the ownership of firearms by private citizens. Someone who supports gun control. I searched. I looked. I didn't find a single one. There were dozens and dozens ridiculing gun control, but not one voice to support it. I find that shocking. Maybe owning an object which can kill someone somehow overrides any sense that killing someone is entirely wrong. Maybe it's like atheism before atheists started to speak out - nobody feels as if they can say anything, for fear that they will be (pun intended) shot down by their opponents.

I just don't get it. I will never get it. It's the same kind of madness as religion. The majority of Americans believe in God. The majority of Americans believe that owning a lethal weapon is okay. I believe neither one, and do not understand anyone who does. So if you are now thinking of bringing up the subject with me, and disagree with me, please don't bother. If you are against gun control, I am against you, just as surely as if you were a Creationist or a Muslim fundamentalist.