The knee jerk you get from people regarding firearms and gun culture is always interesting. I was born in the UK, but from 10 years old onwards raised in the states. The south to be precise. My dads side is American and my Mothers British. My old mans side of the family is southern and we are a land owning family who like many southern families hunt, fish, and serve in the military. When I lived back state side I had my CWP (concealed weapons permit) as I worked in public service and it was easy to get. I didn't carry a firearm around with me for any other reason than the fact that I worked with the public in their worst format, and understood the right to say no to someone who was threatening my safety. I had both an institutional understanding of firearm use as well as a cultural one and understand the responsibility.
I grew up with firearms, from my first .22 LR when I was eleven for shooting squirrels, to my first 270 for my first deer season when I was 13. I've worked with larger since in different environments and in varied circumstances. To the UK side of my family the entire concept is primitive. A massive down play was always made from the Brits on my Moms side to the Americans on my Fathers. Still is today. There's a general disconnect. Wars are fought with diplomacy after all. When it's on the tellie it's fine. Switch it off and catch the Archers on BBC radio. But private ownership? Despicable. Despite the fact that for over a century my Fathers side of the family had raised honest men who all served when their country came to call, tended to their interest, and never harmed a soul unless pressed.
When I moved back to the UK one of the first things I sorted was getting my FAC (firearms certificate). I like to hunt. When autumn hits I like to be in the woods. I like land husbandry and I love being a part of it. My colleagues and later my peers within our university system looked at me as rube for this. Own guns? You savage! It was also easy because I still speak like I was raised in the south because.. well, that's where I was raised. I sound more Texan than Brit, so given the stereotype it was easy for them to lump on condemnation for my perceived cultural barbarity. My response often was to shrug and return the sentiment that they were morons as well. But once I started working in a role where I had to deal with students I realised there was a better solve. I had access to hundreds of acres of farmland and shooting insurance to cover an additional person so when I dealt with a gun sceptic I'd invite them out for shooting lessons. I almost always got a yes and I'd make the time. I found that if I played debate for a bit to let them play out their spoon fed ego vomit that was borne from rubber band castration of soul I'd eventually get curiosity and a yes.
Britain is a gelded nation and if you point out someone is missing their balls... well they'll miss them. This would normally lead to a Saturday starting on an air rifle (where you start everyone with no fire arms culture) and leading up to a .22 LR then bird shot on a 12 gauge. Even the most pompous and academically inclined would end up drawing back a bit then. I'd get the normal questions like why own an assault rifle platform for defence in America... What's wrong with your countrymen? I'd respond one word defence. I'd get the answer along the lines of rifles don't defeat tanks and big hardware... I'd respond along the lines of when has America successfully crushed an insurgency? Kinda how she was founded. Then move on to a statement along the lines of in the meantime there's still deer season. Basically steer it back to light.
It's a great post 
RE: I hate guns