CROSSBOWS IN THE NEWS - June 4, 2004

http://www.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,9747517^421,00.html

Arent crossbows along with almost anything that can be a weapon already outlawed in Australia?

"When crossbows are outlawed, only outlaws will have crossbows."

you will have to copy & paste the link to get it to work

and that's how he managed to keep one up on the Norman soldiers who used crossbows.


So only a foolish outlaw would use a crossbow. :silly:

Well done. Here you go, triumphantly making some sort of pro-gun point....or at least thinking you are....Or at least I'm thinking that you're thinking you are, 'cause you don't really say enough to make it clear.

I must have DREAMED the pistol range I visited in Melbourne (Australia) in January. How foolish of me. Not to mention the people who go out 'roo hunting with rifles, or kill snakes with shotguns.

Yes, crossbows do appear to be banned in New South Wales (as stated in the article). Unbelievably, someone with criminal intent appears to have illegally obtained one. Go figure.

If only they weren't illegal and more people owned them, maybe crossbow-related injuries would be reduced?

That makes sense.

:eyes:

With all due apologies if I have misinterpreted your position, it just seemed like you were posting flamebait...

No antagonism here, I'm just curious. Were these .22 target pistols?

.357, 9mm, .44......automatics and revolvers. Some .22s as well.

My only real regret about my visit to Australia is that I went into the range, got a pricelist and then didn't go back and spend A$60 on their combo package to try out 5 different pistols.

Dagnabit.....now I'll have to wait until my next US trip to start shooting....

P.

"Dagnabit.....now I'll have to wait until my next US trip to start shooting...."

You could shoot pistols on the Isle of Man.

:evilgrin:

Hooray for maintaining a last bastion of enlightened, free democracy.

Homosexuality illegal. Pistols fine. So THAT'S where the Daily Mail sells all its papers.....

P.

They only abolished the death penalty 9 years ago, although they lacked gallows and hangman for some period before then.

Homosexuality was 'decriminalised' a decade ago... not sure what that means exactly.

Unless you're American.

P.

I'm not sure there's a reasonable response to that. :eyes:

Pure and simple.

P.

I didn't realise that there was a way to interpret it other than as a joke.

Humble apologies.

:-)

P.

But I see that no offense was intended. :grouphug:

... you have the Channel Islands, it seems.

http://www.centreforcitizenship.org/island.html

Britain is the mainland for some small islands that are semi-detached from the rest of the country. The adjacent Isle of Man and the Channel Islands are not actually parts of the UK. Although the people of these islands are British, the islands are self-governing "Crown dependencies." Jersey issues its own passports and currency. It has a distinct legal system and its natives speak a French patois.

You might expect these islands to be an embarassment for a nation that often assumes the superiority of its ways.

On the Isle of Man, which has a population of 70,000, the local government was having law-breakers beaten long after the British government had decided that such punishments were barbaric. Homosexuality was illegal until a European Court of Human Rights Ruling and pressure from Britain forced a change in the law.

The Channel Islands were occupied by the Nazis in World War II. Some of the islanders collaborated with the occupying army by identifying Jewish neighbours and other islanders who resisted the occupation. This conflicts with the British conceit that while the French may have allowed in the German army and the Germans may have persecuted the Jews, such things could never have happened in Britain.

Conveniently the complex structure of this country allows us to pretend that although you do not need a passport to holiday there, the islands are not really a part of the unconquered and brave British peoples.

The Isle of Man despite its poor record has agreed to incorporate the the European Convention on Human Rights into its law. The Channel Islands have been exempted. In the Channel Island of Sark there is no divorce and women members of the parliament have to cover their heads. The main islands do not have political parties. The social system has been described as feudal.

And we're as embarrassed by the Albertans in our midst as I imagine you are by the Manx. ;)

I don't know what to think of that site.. their attack on the BBC (http://www.centreforcitizenship.org/tv.html) seems quite unfounded, and they really really don't like the Monarchy.

And they seem to be perpetuating the myth of "British Subjects"...

I was just lookin for da facts, mum. About the particular thing. I was on my second page of google results with no particular luck at finding anything other than the "homosexuality was illegal until ..." line w/o any explanation/substantiation.

No endorsement of opinions implied!

Your love of 'stenders tipped me off :)

If you have any interest in Manxmen, Australian history or how stupid some English people are then I highly recommend reading The English Passengers by Matthew Kneale. Hilarious, moving, tragic and historically very accurate (I believe).

I read it on the way around Australia and thoroughly enjoyed it.

We're not embarrassed by the Manx.......it's the bloody Welsh that do that!

:-)

I joke of course.....in fact, my girlfriend is half Welsh...Don't ask which half.

The range near my house charges $10 on top of range fees to shoot any of their rental guns. Pretty decent selection.

Sounds like the Australian range owners are taking advantage of a controlled market.

http://www.cga.state.ct.us/ps99/rpt/olr/htm/99-r-0824.htm

"3. requires license applicants to establish "genuine reasons," and license and permit applicants to be deemed "fit and proper," to acquire and possess guns and meet other criteria;

4. allows a licensee to use a gun only for the reason it was licensed;"

"An applicant has a genuine reason for possessing a gun if he wants it for (1) sport or target shooting and is a member of an approved club; (2) recreational hunting or vermin control and has written permission from the landowner; or (3) use in connection with an occupational requirement such as farming, vertebrate pest control, security services, animal welfare, or professional shooting. A bona fide gun collector can also get a license. Self defense and property protection are not genuine reasons (Section 23)."

For the general public guns are effectively banned.

"If only they weren't illegal and more people owned them, maybe crossbow-related injuries would be reduced?"

No but if they werent illegal then the average citizen could own one and use them without commiting a crime. Why should they be punished and disallowed from owning them just because criminals might use a crossbow illegally. This just shows that criminals dont care about the law and will use them illegally regardless.

Well yes, if by "general public" you exclude anybody who can actually prove that they've got a decent, legal reason for owning a gun.

With a gun range in the centre of a city (and all over the place elsewhere) exactly how hard do you think it is for an Australian to prove that they've got good reason to own a gun? Not very, IMHO.

Australians (like Brits) don't want the general public wandering around with guns. Since security companies started arming guards the attacks on them INCREASED, when criminals started targeting them to get their GUNS.

Can't right more, at work now....maybe more later.

Evidently some idiot being a public menace with a crossbow (the link is dead as Heston's brain) is a reason to let him have more denagerous weaponry...IN A PIG'S EYE.

maybe you are missing out on it, but let me give you a clue.

"you will have to copy & paste the link to get it to work"

for reasons which are obvious...

we wouldnt want to taint your mind with information.

You're welcome to whatever it is...but "information" is definitely not what you could call it.