Crazy....[Weapon banning in Australia]

[Simpi]

I think the issue is that self-defense does not generally have to include dismembering one's aggressor with a sword.

Plus, it is difficult to discern between somebody that wants a sword for self-defense and those who want to use them to kill people in supermarket rampages.

And why would anybody want to carry unwieldy sword around when they (for example) go to have a drink at a local pub? Well, world is full of idiots who think they become 'great warriors' if they just buy a sword/katana.

[WholeLottaChoas]

My theory is if you give everyone a gun. EVERYONE.

Would you try and shoot them knowing they can shoot you back. Or even the people around you can waste you.

It just a thought

[Otohiko]

Walking down the street do you stare at your feet
And never do you let your eyes meet the freaks
The deadbeat addicts, social fanatics
They're all a dime a dozen and they carry a gun

Halloween, every other day of the week-
Living in the cage in the USA
Holy smoke, somebody just blew up the pope-
Living in the cage in the USA

[Snakefire]

okay............If you didn't know that the teen was a complete idiot trying to create his own reality, you'd think it was discrimination against the Japanese... :
As for banning swords, couldn't they just lisceince(Sp?) them like guns instead?
~Snakefire

[kthulhu]

Remember how the fun of many drug users are removed because of the foolishness of a few who get into shit.

From your statement, I'm not sure if you agree with this state of affairs or not. Either way, it's also a stupid position. Let the dumb druggies OD, let the smart ones do them, and toss in some regulation for sense and public support.

These are dangerous items and if we ban one dangerous item we should ban them all.

Yet an Australian citizen can still get firearms (not easily, but it's possible, through legal or black market means).

A katana is no more dangerous than a combat, switchblade, or even kitchen knife. Maybe even less so, since you can't just jab into soft areas at close range with one.

And since when has it been the government's duty to protect us from dangerous items?

What purpose does a Katana serve, now or ever, in society? But that of the function of bodily harm.

And this is bad...how? Plenty of other things have legitimate uses, but they also have the potential for inflicting harm.

The thing that scares ME, as a US citizen, about Australia and England is how much punitive, accusatory psychological profiling is creeping into policy making and public thinking. "He thinks X is OK, or he likes X, and since we think X is bad, this person is potentially defective mentally - lock him away or treat him!"

Like on a BBC "talkback" page, someone wanted to ban toy guns and war movies on TV, because they think these create violent psychology in children, helping to further the "gun culture", whatever that is. "Black" music and black people in England are coming under further scrutiny, and a BBC study on police racism does not paint a good tolerance picture. It's starting to sound like the stuff of Nazi Germany and "1984" more and more.

A crossbow can be debated to be used as a hunting weapon but too bad for hunters. I feel safer knowing that no one can just walk into Micks Disposals and pick up a crossbow now.

And yet how many people have died of crossbow shootings? Very few. More people have probably died from vehicle accidents. So why don't you heavily regulate vehicles? Make people state their reason for owning one, and give preference to business use. Everyone else can take mass transit (at $5.00 per trip, to pay for the increased need and hence expanded system) or walk.

The scary part is, I wouldn't put it past the pseudo-fascists that run Australia and England to do that eventually.

Who cares about your personal need or desire for a car? You may have nervous disorders! You may drink a little more than you "really need to"! Perhaps you have bad grades, breath, ethnicity, gender, sexuality or you don't keep your house clean enough!

I'm suggesting that perhaps people take a step back, look at how much harm has really been done by the banned items, and re-evaluate. Banning everything because "it's scary" is childish.

[Cardinal.jpg]

Remember how the fun of many drug users are removed because of the foolishness of a few who get into shit.

From your statement, I'm not sure if you agree with this state of affairs or not. Either way, it's also a stupid position. Let the dumb druggies OD, let the smart ones do them, and toss in some regulation for sense and public support.

But there is also the issue of social conflict, people robbing and killing to fulfil an addiction. There is no doubt about it drugs are dangerous to society and therefore should be banned. There are people who do them sensibly but as long as there is someone fucking it up then everybody misses out. Most people are happy with this reasoning.

These are dangerous items and if we ban one dangerous item we should ban them all.

Yet an Australian citizen can still get firearms (not easily, but it's possible, through legal or black market means).

A katana is no more dangerous than a combat, switchblade, or even kitchen knife. Maybe even less so, since you can't just jab into soft areas at close range with one.

And since when has it been the government's duty to protect us from dangerous items?

You are right and Australian citizens will still be able to katanas and crossbows through other doors, doesn't mean we should leave all doors wide open. If it only hinders 50% of the people who want to rampage then at least it is doing something. It doesn't make the people who still get these items anymore dangerous.
You are right these should be banned and are to a certain extent. It is illegal in Australia to carry a knife if not for a specific purpose like fishing or transport between homes etc.
It is the governments duty to protect us from harm otherwise police would have no rights. "Oh look a shooting, its not the governments job to stop people getting hurt." And to better protect us from harm they protect us from harmful items and substances. They prohibit us from going into dangerous areas also.

What purpose does a Katana serve, now or ever, in society? But that of the function of bodily harm.

And this is bad...how? Plenty of other things have legitimate uses, but they also have the potential for inflicting harm.

But a katana doesn't have a legitimate use, its only purpose is to hurt. Of course lots of items have potential for harm but when they have uses that serve a purpose other than killing someone then there is some consideration for whether or not they should be banned. Even knives can be claimed they are being used for hunting but a katana can not realistically be claimed it has a use (when sharp) other than hurting/ killing someone so what place does it have in society. Maybe people can say they cut their bread with it, or slice their fish. Other dangerous items have some consideration before a banning, like guns for hunting or knives for whatever purpose but a katana has no excuse except display in which case it may as well be blunt.

The thing that scares ME, as a US citizen, about Australia and England is how much punitive, accusatory psychological profiling is creeping into policy making and public thinking. "He thinks X is OK, or he likes X, and since we think X is bad, this person is potentially defective mentally - lock him away or treat him!"

Like on a BBC "talkback" page, someone wanted to ban toy guns and war movies on TV, because they think these create violent psychology in children, helping to further the "gun culture", whatever that is. "Black" music and black people in England are coming under further scrutiny, and a BBC study on police racism does not paint a good tolerance picture. It's starting to sound like the stuff of Nazi Germany and "1984" more and more.

Well I don't agree with prohibiting items which may cause someone to think killing is alright because it is not these items which do the damage. There should be a stronger education around killing and injuring (that it is bad) from early on. It should be people not killing because they don't want not because they are scared to, because there will always be people who don't care about punishment.

And yet how many people have died of crossbow shootings? Very few. More people have probably died from vehicle accidents. So why don't you heavily regulate vehicles? Make people state their reason for owning one, and give preference to business use. Everyone else can take mass transit (at $5.00 per trip, to pay for the increased need and hence expanded system) or walk.

The scary part is, I wouldn't put it past the pseudo-fascists that run Australia and England to do that eventually.

I would have no problem with this but I do agree that it is extreme. As for psuedo facists, just because they are banning weapons doesn't really make them a horrible government. Even if banning these things does make them somewhat facist it isn't particulalry detrimental to our society.

I'm suggesting that perhaps people take a step back, look at how much harm has really been done by the banned items, and re-evaluate. Banning everything because "it's scary" is childish.

Just because a lot of harm may not have been done does not mean it should not be banned. Do we always have to take reactionary measures, must we wait till the tragedy is large before we consider things dangerous? People will complain now but see how much the shit hits the fan when their son or daughter gets killed.

But this is all for the sake of logical argument. I don't believe we should ban anything, I feel that everything should be allowed freely. I would rather see everything completely legal, making no purpose for the word law at all.
That is because I believe in overall freedom for everybody regardless of what they choose to do and how it affects me, but there are holes in what I believe should happen which prevent it from happening.

[kthulhu]

More Aussie craziness:

<a href="http://news.com.au/common/story_page/0, ... >Superhero play is banned at childcare centers</a>.

At this rate, I suspect Indonesia is going to own Australia.

[Cardinal.jpg]

Yeah that is ridiculous.

[Mroni]

Fuck them people. Guns kick ass so do swords and knives. If you don't like them go cry quietly to yourself.

Mr Oni

[Propyro]

People are stupid....The ban swords and not guns, swords now a for collectors and some rich people that like fencing.....guns are for hommocidal manics

I suppose that makes me a hommocidal maniac ... oh oh ppl! lock up your kids theres a hommocidal maniac loose ... yea right ...

Guns are by no means dangerous on their own, neither are blades of any kind. Now if a fucking moron gets their hands on one then thats a different story. If they regulate the process of how one goes about aquiring such items then youend up with less net cases legitamatly owning the said articles. however banning will do nothing but take these things away from the people who appreciate and respect them properly. Your average homocodal nut case can still get a hold of any gun, sword or other weapon if they please. It's not called teh black market for nothing you know.

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