POLICEWOMAN SHOT DEAD

This was the headline on Saturday's national papers. One policewoman was shot and killed and another injured, I think in West Yorkshire. And that, believe me, is big news. (well it certainly beats Kate Moss's drug problem being front page news for a whole week)

This is the seventh woman police officer to die on duty. Ever. (And only a few of those were intentionally killed). Because they just don't have people running around with guns in this country. Do you know that the police don't even carry guns here? (except for certain armed police) That still blows me away. Can you imagine an American police officer even thinking about going out unarmed? My Gran says she doesn't like watching my American programs (like CSI) because they seem like fairy tales. "Everyone's running around with guns." She can't get her head round it. And in the same way, I keep thinking that the police dramas on telly are set in the past. And then I realize they're not, that today the police force is out there with only a club.

Things like this always make me think, what has gone wrong in America? Why can this nation be utterly shocked by the news of a police officer being killed, while I would have barely blinked an eye? I don't know anything about gun control laws, but what has happened? Why are there so many guns on the street? And why have we accepted it? I am only just realizing that people shooting each other is not normal. So much of it happens in parts of America that I'm desensitized. I'm not shocked at all. (I wonder if this is also due to TV and movies.)

So, I'm not sure if there was a point in there, but I'll just say I'm proud to be a citizen of a country where people aren't getting shot every day. And I hope the police don't have to start rountinely carrying guns.