Tuesday 23 September 2008

Strong words on knife crime


I enjoyed this post from Bill O' Rites, a blogger who doesn't mince his words:
Every time there is a shooting, some dull witted politician will pontificate upon there being no place for guns in today's society, thus tarring legitimate firearms owners with the same brush as murderers & armed criminals. It's ALL bollocks.
His post came in response to the news that 1,000 people marched in London at the weekend, calling for "an end to knife crime." At the same time as that march was going on, some 80,000+ responsible people were attending the Midland Game Fair - many of them carrying knives, guns and what-have-you. No-one was stabbed or shot, and everyone had a good time.


Doesn't that just prove that guns and knives don't cause trouble all by themselves?

That point was lost on the jobsworth copper who strode officiously onto our stand to announce that we were breaking the law by offering bottles of scotch to people taking out a subscription. He could be right - although he didn't seem very sure on the finer points of the law - but it was a textbook example of how to annoy well meaning, law-abiding folk with an aggressively condescending tone.

Having bullied and intimidated the youngest girl on the stand, writing down her birthdate and home address in his notebook, he stomped off with a parting shot about guns and alcohol not going together.

The cops would get a lot more help from folks like us if they'd just stop treating us all as criminals. According to the Telegraph we are all criminals now - but that's hardly surprising when they keep moving the goalposts. When did it become illegal to take a swig of water in a traffic jam - and did I vote for that??

3 comments:

Bill O' Rites said...

I'll admit to being at the Midland on Sunday too, though as a visitor, rather than an exhibitor.
Loads of dogs there with their owners too & I didn't see a single "dog's egg" sullying the somewhat soggy ground, unlike the local sports field behind my house.
Funny how us despised "country sports" types are a LOT more law abiding than the public at large (Otis notwithstanding....)

Hunter Angler Gardener Cook said...

"Knife crime?" Nice. Come over to my side of the pond. I'll show you some fun and enjoyable weapons crimes, typically done with illegal machine guns and occasionally explosives. Knives. Seriously? Don't those people have anything better to do? Sheesh.

Bill O' Rites said...

I'll be over on the 12th....


...heading for Colorado & 2nd rifle season for elk.

From what I've seen & heard, most firearms crime in the US is committed with handguns - as are also used to STOP a lot of criminals too.