copied from this link....
http://right-thinking.com/index.php/C1/
There Can Be Only One
Last year I blogged on an incident in Australia where a teenager brought a crossbow to school and shot a couple of his fellow students. I jokingly called for Australia to implement strict crossbow control legislation to prevent exactly this type of tragedy from ever happening again. Astonishingly, they did exactly that not too long afterwards.
Well, as if Australia couldn’t go any further into the wacky world of prohibition of everything dangerous, the State of Victoria has now implemented sword control legislation. Wait until you read the quotes from this government official. I swear to God, if I was being facetious and making a joking commentary about sword control I couldn’t make up anything this stupid.
Swords will become prohibited weapons from July 1, carrying penalties of up to $12,000 or six months in prison for illegal use or possession, the Minister for Police and Emergency Services, Andre Haermeyer said today.
Mr Haermeyer announced new sword regulations today, saying they would assist Victoria Police to crack down on incidents involving swords.
“The Bracks Government is implementing these new regulations to help Victoria Police overcome this culture of young people arming themselves with swords,†Mr Haermeyer said.
“From July 1, swords will be made prohibited weapons, making it illegal to use, possess or carry a sword.â€
Mr Haermeyer said the elevation of swords from controlled to prohibited weapons would also impact on vendors attempting to sell swords.
“It is illegal to sell prohibited weapons other than in limited circumstances. Vendors will only be legally permitted to sell a sword to an individual who can produce evidence that they fall within an exempt category or have a specific approval from the Chief Commissioner,†he said.
“Vendors will be required to register who they have sold swords to, the nature of the buyers’ exemption and the type of sword or swords.
Here’s some of the choice quotes. Remember, folks, I’m not making this up.
"Legitimate sword owners understand the importance of ensuring that their swords do not fall into the wrong hands,†Mr Haermeyer said. . . .
“It’s clear that the majority of Victorians back the push to keep swords off the streets,†he said.
What’s next? Legislation to ban pointy sticks? How about pieces of broken glass? What about golf clubs, or baseball bats, or cricket wickets, or tire irons? Why not ban all blunt instruments? Of course, then you’d have to ban sharp fingernails, and then even ban anyone from ever making a clenched fist—fists can be deadly weapons, as you know. And while you’re at it, you had better ban all martial arts studios. You can’t have citizens running around knowing how to cause physical harm to anyone else.
I’m simply horrified that Victoria, the state in which I was born and where I still have family, could do something this monumentally asinine. Are there gangs of sword-wielding teenagers roaming the streets in Australia? Is it like a scene from Highlander, where there are sword-waving immortals battling to the death by decapitating each other? Seriously, just how big a problem are sword attacks in Victoria? I know there are Australians who read this website, can someone please enlighten me here?
is this how we want to end up? we shall ban all guns, and then when a man gets killed by a sword we will take those too. murders happened way before guns or even gun powder. If someone wants to kill someone bad enough it will happen folks. when did this world stop holding individuals accountable for their own actions?
