inncidentally, we have box cutters on britain, they are called stanley knives, and yes there is a ban on having them on public places, simply because a lot of people chose to fight with them, also baned are butterfly knives, automatic flick knives, spring loaded blades, fixed blade knives, switch blades, and yes even a blade over a certain length, you are not allowed to have the concealed or not, in public because they are offensive weapons.
(unless you have a good reason -like just bought it!)
if you can give me any other (non violent) use for having a blade whilst on a public bus I'll seriously question it.
the point of licensing schemes it is does restrict everybody, however the extent to what you are restrcicted will depend on who you are...
you for instance will just have to fill in a few forms and provide an ID card, hey presto, gun is yours, a known criminal, or person thought to be likely to commit an offence will go through the same form filling process, but be denied a weapon.
IMHO, half the world is not tryng to 'copy your bill of rights' it is being forced upton them by lots of americans with guns. -who are also denynig the basic rights to others...
there is less population in rural areas, hence less crime, also people tend to live in closer communities, watching out fo each other -again lessens crime.
it's like saying that you get more shopping one going to a hypermarket rather than individual highstreet 'traditional' shops.
in response to your emphasis that you don't own a gun, I want to emphasis the fact that I do own pellet guns, and airsoftguns, for target shooting. and I also go clay shooting and game (and course) shooting with my father who does own real guns, I also (as I said before) own many knives -yes even box cutters, in fact one sits on my desk at work -especially for opening boxes!!)
I see no problem with guns in the hands of responsible people.
and I also feel that responsible people should see the need to keep weapons away from the not-so-responisble part of the population.