And how oppressed we poor Brits are by comparison to you folks in the land of the free.

My point is, that's bollocks.

You have just as many ridiculous, freedom-oppressing laws as we do, they're just different. Take a long hard look at some of the legislation fell out of the War On Drugs, frexample. (I'm specifically thinking of the one where the DEA can impound all your stuff and not give it back to you even though you're innocent and proven to be so).

Guns != Freedom, before you start. If the US government ever found itself in a position where the populace threatened its security, it'd use far more practical measures to repress the buggers than men with guns.

Think water you can't drink. Think food you can't eat. Think neutron warheads. Think ebola.

Any western government would do the same, it's just that the US population is more comfortable, apathetic and sofa-bound than most.

Comes of being top of the heap.