the number of gun and knife accessories

[Johanna]

Washroad's remarks made me think of a quotation, and I hunted it down:

"A free people ought not only to be armed and disciplined but they should have sufficient arms and ammunition to maintain a status of independence from any who might attempt to abuse them, which would include their own government."

-- George Washington

I own guns, and I know how to use them. I was in a bookstore yesterday, and my 8 year old found a big illustrated book of weaponry. He's been fascinated with military subjects for two years. I agreed to buy it for him. In the check out line, a middle aged lady asked me if I thought that book was appropriate for him. I stared at the book in my hand, a collection of pictures and captions of museum pieces, explaining the strengths and weaknesses of various knives, swords and not-very-modern guns, and said, "Yes, it is." She began to give me a speech about guns make violence, blah blah and I cut her off short. My son is reading, and I don't mind if he can intelligently discuss Roman swords and Revolutionary War muskets.

Johanna

[rawhide1]

I like SmilinJim also grew up around guns. My dad was a lawdog in Southeastern Okla. when I was little and he made sure we knew guns were for killing and not playing. Wether it be hunting or self defense ya shot to kill. So even at the age of 5 or 6 me and my brothers were allowed to take a .22 with us when we went out in the woods mostly for rattlers and copperheads. So being around guns is no big deal to me. I'll never forget when I was 6 maybe 7 I shot and killed a boxturtle well when my dad found out he busted my butt like it was going out of stly. And ever since that day i've never shot anything unless I was going to eat it. I have guns now and will always have guns and will teach my kids to shoot when they get older. But even now at their age 8,3,1 we talk about not touching guns and if their friends are playing with a gun to leave and get a grownup. If they want to look at one of the guns I will let them. I honestly believe if ya try and keep a youngun from something their little minds will be wondering and wondering about it until they get a chance to get at it by themselves. So I want my kids to be comftable around guns and know what they are for so their little minds aren't wondering. My two cents Mike

[Skipknives]

Three holes center mass in somone that broke into my house will convence then not to do it again

but i refuse to eat them after,,thats where i draw the line.

[Billsotx]

~roo,

You should move here, then you'll too feel the need to protect yourself. Come to class, we'd love to have you. Women are the best students. They learn quickly and they are very enthusiastic.

The solution to crime is simple. Lock 'em up and leave 'em up, but that'll never happen. It'd certainly be cheaper and the rest of us wouldn't have to lock ourselves and our belongings up. Don't that seem a little backwards to you. We lock ourselves up, not the criminals.

When I was a kid we never locked our doors and my dad left the keys in the car and no one bother it.

BTW, do you guys have to lock up like we do?

You're thinkin' I'm a nut case and you're right. I retired from 31 years of law enforcement and 12 years later I still carry a gun all the time. Rest assured there'll never be a cop around when you need one. Interestingly enough and there's been numerous studies on this. Criminals generally sense when a person is armed and they shy away from them. They pick targets of opportunity and run on innate cues. They are predators and that can't be changed, but you don't have to be prey.

Glad you're safe and feel safe. You're real lucky to live in such a low crime country. I constantly run in a condition of readiness, because I know these things come out of now where and I'm the only one I can depend on to take care of me and mine and the best tool for personal defense is a firearm, but if I don't have one anything that's handy will do. Man is a tool bearing animal and he is worthless in a serious fight without tools. If you have to fight, fight to win. Train hard, fight easy.

You take care. Don't let your guard down. And hang in there. Watch your six, 'cause no one else will. Refuse to be a victim.

'til later,

~Bill

[Peter Ellis]

Of course we have target gun clubs here too and target shooting is a very credible sport and the registered owners are responsible and very well screened , and of course there will be illegal guns in all communities, but the average person cannot buy a gun just for protection and there really is no need here.

I've some very good friends who are in law enforcement in Australia. Their stories sound very much like the stories I hear from law enforcement people in the US.

[greg gomersall]

Roo, my grandpa's brother moved to Australia in the 30's, we stayed in close contact with him till he died so I am some what familar with your country and its customs.. Your country is one of if not our best supporter and contributor in The War on Terror. Thank you. Here in the US it is Illegal for a convicted felon to own or be in possession of a gun. Your country has developed into what we call a Nanny State where the government has way too much control over the everyday lives of your people. I'm just kidding with this next line but maybe your government has taken this concept one step further by thinking that because Aus started out as a penal colony that too large a % of the people have a felon in their family tree and and that the evil genes might pass down through the generations so they disarmed you all. I immigrated to the United States 2 weeks before the Sept. 11 attacks from Canada. I Love this country and the freedom and opportunities it has presented me. Greg

P.S. The true definition of Gun Control is the ability to place your second round in the exact same hole as your first. Charlton Heston is still revered as President to a lot of people in this country.

[awharnessshop]

I can't beleive that Austraila has a knife law! Look Crocodile Dundee had the most massive bowie knife ever!

I carry a knife as a tool. Granted its usually just a pocket knife or a leathermen (he he). I don't carry a gun, but I have wanted to make a holster for my 1911... and Mike Phelps seems to have a pretty nice one in his profile picture!

[Romey]

It is not the need to own firearms but a RIGHT to here in the USA. One need not to look any further then any history book about the war of the revolution, had it not been for private ownership of firearms the US to would still be a commonwealth of England.

You say you have had less then 100 gun related homicides but in my state that has very open gun laws and nearly every legal citizen here has at least one we had had exactly zero this year alone.

What you don’t mention is the assault rate and the influx of immigrant crimes as risen dramatically in Australia.

As for hunting, well you eat don’t you? It’s much easier to stomach what you eat when you allow other people to do your killing for you but what’s that say about you. It’s all too easy to judge with little to no knowledge of what one is judging about sad to say.

I for one hunt as it am my heritage and honor to do so. Also you obviously haven’t seen what happens when wildlife is left alone and the disease of over population sets in, I have and its terrible thing to see.

I do highly commend you for at least asking and trying to see what you don’t understand. And don’t be put off or think that the responses of my friends with “gun control is aiming what your hitting at" though true it does give folks who don’t understand a bad impression. If we are giving someone with an actual interest in WHY we stand for what we stand for these comments should be left by the way side. Firearms are what they are, a tool no more evil or deadly then the metal they are made from or the leather that carries them. Its intent of the person in possession that makes the decision if they are a weapon or not. Remember Cain killed Able with a HOE not a pistol.

The History of Okinawa for instance is a very interesting one; it’s probably been the most weapon banned country is the history of the world... Also happens to have the longest history of occupation, first the Japanese shogun clans, then the Japanese imperial army and now the US. That isn’t a coincidence.

Hitler too told his country they no longer needed personal firearms because the Nazi party and his special police would protect them from criminals, they too turned in their firearms, then large book burnings of all books of free thought and personal freedom and by the time the peoples living in Germany realized they had been subjected they had no means what so ever to defend themselves from the Gestapo, the very police Mr. Hilter promised would protect them.

Is the loss of certain freedoms good for the people or good for SOME people and what are the intentions of the people that its good for. I think that is the question everyone in the free world should ask, and then reflect on how those freedoms were fought and maintained.

I completely understand the desire of a crime free society and dont beleive anyone in there right mind would want any different and with that ill qoute you

" I suppose trying to convince me that personal guns are needed here, is like trying to convince someone who lives in a desert that they need an umbrella. "

Have you ever seen what happens in a desert when is DOES rain? I suspect in there near furture from talking to several friends in AU, one in perticular is a Captian of a special forces unit in Australian army that your skys are clouding up. Seeing it or not is up to you, as is with all of us.

Edited November 5, 2007 by Romey

[Regis]

Romey,

Well thought out and articulated. From rights to hunting to protection of our heritage (from outside or inside) I agree with you. We are seeing such a gradual/sly dumbing down of many many children & adults (e.g. 60's crowd on) that many are becomming blind to the danger of ever increasing government "protection and providing for" and how it can harm our nation's foundation. History needs to be taught and not changed. Gosh I can't wait to move back north and hunt in the snow (at least cool weather).

Regis

[Washroad]

Every citizen should be a soldier. This was the case with the Greeks and Romans, and must be that of every free state.

For a people who are free, and who mean to remain so, a well-organized and armed militia is their best security.

No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms.

The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.

The above are from Thomas Jefferson

This last one is originally from Ben Franklin

"Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety."