UK to ban Swords

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Would you argue with someone waving a sword in your face if they demanded your wallet? I doubt it.

 

Empty your museums, dismiss the guards at buckingham and send the swords to me. I think I can find a few people outside the UK who might spend some money on old, secondhand metal.

 

Yes, happily. Chances are he doesn't know how to use it.

Swords aren't heavy. I can run faster than most people whilst wielding one, and wearing mail. It doesn't slow you down.

 

This isn't a fair duel or anything. He doesn't need to know much to use a sharp object, just enough to slice you once is enough.

 

It doesn't have to be a duel. You can fight a swordsman unarmed, you only have to get close to him for his weapon to be ineffective. If he has stopped to ask you for your wallet, you have the chance to close. A competent fighter shouldn't have too many problems. Besides, most likely if he has a "sword", it will be one of the cheap knock offs made for tourists, which are ridiculously easy to break.

*EDIT*I'm not actually endorsing trying to attack muggers etc. My personal philosophy means that I don't like backing down, and I'm confident enough in myself to try to take on most things. Perhaps not sensible, but it's the way I live.

[ March 10, 2007, 20:55: Message edited by: Warrior of the World ]

 

I have a simple question, who are you to judge the validity of our opinions? You can dislike our politics or our views as much as you want, but you have no right to level judgement on the opinions of our people or, for that matter, any people. And, if you're christian, does it not say "judge not lest ye be judged" and "let he who is without sin cast the first stone?"

I love my country, and am a disabled veteran of it's military. Shame on you for speaking on what you cannot truly know. What you'll find is that quite a few of us Americans are against any legislation stripping people of their rights. Thatis why Americans might have an opinion to express on this matter. I am of the mind that they should enforce the current laws more stringently to ensure crime drops and stays down, rather than leveling new legislation. This is what you find is the problem when speaking of crime here in the US.

 

I agree with the sentiments expressed in this thread, what kind of useless legislation is this? must have been a slow day in parliament eh?

 

@ Spearmint - Heh, I think it's pretty safe to say that Sarevok is not a Christian. What he says is pretty true as well, I'd say.

 

I do have a question for the non-Americans: Do you think we, as Americans live in fear of crime every day? Yes, there are "bad sections" by any major metropolis where you wouldn't want to go. Heck, there are several areas in Baltimore that I wouldn't go to under any circumstances, especially at night. Even though I don't live in the nicest of neighborhoods, it's not like I'm worried every night that someone is going to try and break into my home, or I'm going to hear shots fired on my street - it just doesn't happen.

Statistics may indicate that you are much more likely to become the victim of a crime in the U.S. than you are in Europe. However, the people who actually become the victim of crime are still very low. It's not like every night there are drive-by shootings, and armed thugs wandering the streets.

 

Though we might all be Europeans, we have our own cultures and traditions. From an Irish point of view, I can say that guns are not wanted or needed in urban areas. We are not anti-gun however as most farmers and hunters have a shotgun or rifle of some description.

I don't think arming the general population would make Ireland safer. We didn't need them during the worst periods of our history, and we certainly don't need them now.

 

The thing is, most people in the U.S. do not own any type of gun. I did a bit of research, and here's what I found out:

Among the Americas, Europe, Australia and Japan (the countries the article referenced) the highest percet of gun ownership is in the US, where 29% of all households have some type of firearm. Note that this does not necessarily mean 29% of people own a gun, but 29% of all households. This is significantly higher than the other countries. Switzerland is second at 14%, and Finland and Germany are tied for third at 7%. The UK is lowest at 1%.

The US also has the highest amount of registered guns from the listed countries - there are about 2 guns owned for every 3 people in the US (about 211 million guns, about 300 million people). Given that fewer than 1 in 3 people live in households where there is a firearm, it suggests that those who do own a gun own more than one.

Finally, the statistics in the article suggests that you are anywhere between 5 and 50 times more likely to be killed by a gun in the US than in the other countries listed. Our murder rate is 5.28 out of every 100,000 people will die as a result of a gunshot wound. Switzerland is the second highest with a rate of 1.42 per 100,000. Japan is lowest at just 0.05 per 100,000.

So, OK, while you are MORE likely to be shot in the US than other countries, 5 out of 100,000 still is a long way from a probable scenario. For example, in the US you are three times more likely to die in a car accident than you are to be killed by a gun.

EDIT: Then again, that doesn't say much as a much higher percent of adults own a car than own a gun.

 

Or, we could just hand all of our rights over to a massive AI system opperating super-powered robots all over the world. "I, Robot" here we come.

On the actual note of guns, my father owns quite a few. All of them are owned and displayed in a 'collectors' sense, though he does like going to the range. None have ever been used on another person, and odds are none of them ever will be.

 

That is another thing we find comical about American's; this fear of 'being controlled' and 'losing your freedom' in a 'nanny state'. You don't need a gun, and you don't need a sword. Why would you ever need a gun or a sword living in a city? It's a bit of a random thing to collect. You'll obviously find most people needing a car to commute and travel about at your convenience without having to rely on public transport. Make guns easily available and people get shot, that's the pretty simple equation. 5.28 out of 100,000 sounds low, but it's still 4 or 5 times more likely than most other countries!

This isn't all swords, just those cheaply available and dangerous rip-offs. Any kid could walk into a shop and walk out with a cheap replica katana. This is dangerous, so they've been banned. Talk about a big fuss over nothing...

 

Which is always where we end up when discussing bans for safety's sake. Of course, swords aren't as essential as the motor vehicle, but I'm sure some governments would like to ban them. Just because they can, like half the laws our current government has put in place. You need a good zweihander to slash away all the civil-liberties impeding legislation that's come in in the last 10 years. And really, if "sporting" swords are exempt (and I assume this term includes Iaido etc.), is this really a law that will have any teeth in the first place? I smell another waste of Parliamentary time, allied to a contemptuous regard for individual rights.

Actually, we banned the sale of knives (for purposes other than cooking) a while ago, and you need to be at least 16 to buy anything sharp in this country. Razor blades, cheese graters (I kid you not), they're all banned from sale to minors. Now 16 is too low for a full sword, but why are the other measures in place inadequate? And is a knock-off katana all that more dangerous than a 5-iron, given that the 5-iron will be a damn site more sturdily made?

 

You fail to understand what "for defense" is. Think of it like this I'd rather have it and not need it than need it and not have it.

If your country's gov't and military decided that they were going to strip away all your rights and turn into a totalitarian society what could you do about it? Nothing. I, on the other hand, Can shoot the bastard that tries to forcibly take my rights away. Living in the US now it, unfortunately, looks like the current administration is trying to do that.

 

But... ah, hook, line and sinker...

Yah, that's right, the nasty evil government is out to get you!! Turn 'V for Vendetta' off mate .