OPINION:
Ted Nugent slights America’s oldest ally, France, in his recent Op-Ed (“St. Louis NRA party rocked,” Friday). In 2007, France ranked at No. 12 in worldwide gun ownership (31.3 guns per 100 residents). A comparison of the number of privately owned guns in 178 countries ranked France at No. 5. The estimated total number of guns held by French civilians is 19 million.
Mr. Nugent gushes about the presence of gun-loving Canadians and British at the National Rifle Association’s 2012 convention. But Canada ranked at No. 13 in worldwide gun ownership. At No. 88, with only 6.2 guns per 100 residents, those Brits have good reason to attend the NRA convention. Gun laws in the United Kingdom are more restrictive than they are in France. For these facts, readers of The Washington Times should visit gunpolicy.org.
Perhaps Mr. Nugent identifies with the Brits because we sort of speak the same language. British author Alan Pearce moved to France and joined a gun club. “Back home in the U.K. if I declared in polite society my own interest in guns I would get a few askance looks,” Mr. Pearce says. “Actually, the process of gun ownership here is remarkably easy; I just needed some patience and help filling in the forms.”
MICHAEL SHUMAKER
Fairfax
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