Here in the UK things seem to be going a similar way - it gets to a crazy state of affairs where the game of conkers are banned in the schoolyards. Everything is seen as a detrimental effect on society without really considering the cause of why society is so ragged in the first place. They assume by banning X object will make the problem magically disappear overnight. It's not the weapons which are dangerous, it's the whole mentality which is flawed. It seems to be the desire to turn us all into unthinking, fearful shells where we rally to ban cheese & not bat an eyelid - because we all know cheese contains mould and mould will kill us.
I agree that the bill has some flaws, and if it were in the US I'd certainly be concerned as my style is small. But it's also worth noting that some regulation may not be such a bad thing. Is this extent necessary? Perhaps not, but regulation is not automatically a bad thing, especially based on some of the stories we're being told here! Change it from "katana" to "gun" and half the people complaining about the regulation would be in favor of it!
We've already had the hand gun ban here, and tighter control on shotguns. We already have an Offensive Weapons Act which covers a lot of MA kit! Its the whole idea of you have to be approved who has control of the approvals. IMO it will be the smaller organisations who will be the ones to suffer! They also don't give a break down of what was used in knife crime. It would be interesting to see what proportion was carried out with swords, as an example, to household knives.
You're correct, and that's an issue. But what I find a bit disturbing is this: Takes an awful lot of balls to waltz around with a katana.
I don't think anyone would argue that the control of bladed weapons is a bad thing as such. However, because the subject matter is so large and complex it makes it very difficult the legislate on, imo. This is a case of media driven politics. The muppets must be seen to produce something else they appear soft on crime. Their problem is that the law is already in place for dealing with the improper sale and use of knifes. Anyone caught in possesion of a knife without good reason is breaking the law. We have already had one fudge the last time the media brought up the use of Combat Knifes. The polititions realise they couldn't effectively ban the sale of combat knifes as they were unable to define what a combat knife was without banning every other knife* so instead they banned the use of the word Combat. I am not against the principle of tighter restictions on the sale of knifes and swords. But, it must be done effectively. The proposals don't allow for this. They cannot ban the ownership of swords and knifes as far too many people need them and also use them responsibly. Licensing each person would be a very costly process. Licensing the retailers or abnning the sale of swords (and not banning the ownership) won't work as all you need to do is pop over the border into England and buy from there (or the internet). As I have said, the real question for these proposals is how much responsibilty a MA club, for example, takes as an approved organisation if one of its members goes nuts with a katana? Lets not forget that the high profile murder of his parents by the quiet, intelligent medical student was done with a knife which is designed only for domestic use. In other words a kitchen knife. * as I understand it
This is the same stupid thing happening with everything. They ban guns, people still get them they jsut don't know where from. They intend to ban air rifles, people will still get them just they won't know where from. I doubt thousands of MA'ers will chuck out their swords just like that. Its a petty and pointless proposal that probably will never get off the ground.
Your right that martial artists won't bin their swords/knives but as there is provision in the document for a consultation process with groups, including MA's, who will they consult, all groups who have requested to be consulted...I doubt it. There will be some sort of legislation brought in, its just what will that be and how far reaching will the new laws be?? The government have to be seen to be doing something. The problem is they don't deal with the problem and are pushed by the media in to legislating, and its usually badly when that happens. :woo:
There is always a way around the law when your a martial artist, if you go to your local police station and talk to them i did and they will give you advice and guidance. I agree with these laws as it stops weapons such as katan ending up in the wrong hands but this does not mean the right hands cant use them, do a bit of research, it always helps!!
As I stated and others have, I believe, there is already legislation in place with the Offensive Weapons Act. This is further legislation for Scotland which through time will be UK wide. I don't disagree with new laws to stop your average ned attacking someone with a sword/knife, that has to be a good thing. I'm taking issue with some of the points raised in the consultation document. They will stop people buying them in Scotland...so that means go across the border and buy one or on the internet. Its a knee jerk reaction to media excess, as usual, and it doesn't get at the problem as someone stated before. What causes society to develop this "knife culture"? The break down of the crimes, as I stated before doesn't show how many were actually committed with MA type blades(for want of a better description). Its merely that a high profile is given to sword, samurai specifically, attacks by the media. Why? Because thats what will sell newspapers.
I'd be surprised if any where actually carried out using anything near to a Real Katana...probably more likely that it was a cheap wall hanger off the market :bang: :bang:
Your right...but people here the words Samurai Sword and it doesn't matter. :bang: This is a quote from the link but its is hilarious! "Brendan Duffy, 17, pled guilty to possessing a "piece of Tarmacadam" without a reasonable excuse in Greenock on 17 June. Sentence was deferred until 20 July for background reports." http://news.scotsman.com/topics.cfm?tid=637&id=695912005
I'm waiting for the time one of these idiots knock themselves out with nunchucks Don't you have to have a license in Japan to own a Katana? Infact they have pretty tight laws about weapons don't they??
Back to the point fo this thing... I don't mind them introducing liscenced sellers for katanas and so on and also restricting their use to an extent BUT banning them totally isn't going to happen. A katana or similar is a controlled weapon and in controlled hands there is no danger from it. If you give an idiot a katana, especially one that isn't veyr sound then you have a dangerous situation. Katana don't kill people, people kill people, people injure people. Simple as
There was a point to the post. Its show anything can be used as a weapon, so if they ban or whatever it won't change a lot. People will always find a way of getting a "weapon". Its the route of the problem that needs dealing with.
A point someone made to me was the fact that it doesn't actually cover Leathermen or other multitools and makes them illegal to an extent... Considering the thousands of those too that have sold... I recon the idea of it is a bit vague and is one of these rushed things to try and bring to public onto their side
It does it mentions penknifves(swiss army I guess) and other multi tools and says they will be exempt.
this is getting out of control hey lets ban all weapons of every type and turn every country into a police state... yeah lets do that...this is just plain stupid...they will get my 2 katana's from my cold clammy dead hands before I give up my swords, and if I feel this way about my swords, lets not even talk about what it would take for me to give up my gun..
*dale raises hand* Well, erm, I would actually. Ditto for control of firearms and pretty much any other weapons you can imagine that can be used by a single individual. If everyone can carry pretty much whatever they want, then problems of violent crime will -- in a Darwinian sort of way -- soon take care of themselves, as long as good folk outnumber those of ill intent. And if they don't. . .Well, just think about that and its implications for a minute.
lol, wasn't that why controls were brought in in the first place? too much to hope for that the good folk alone can overcome the n'er-do-wells!!
