Grand father arrested for carrying a knife

[Martyn]

I have actually taken a knife into a courtroom (jury duty) here in US on accident (no weapons of any kind are allowed in our courthouses) it is always with me and I thought nothing of it. they took it from me and gave it back at the end, no big deal, but locking knives are also not illegal in the US, so different matter I guess.

Weapons are illegal anywhere in public in the UK, but our laws dont define lock knives as weapons.

It's a different culture and a different legal system ...what goes over there doesnt really translate to over here.

 

[Martyn]

The current political climate may not suit you (which is, I presume, your immature reason for claiming it to be a police state) but it suits the majority of the population. You, or I, or any other member of this forum, may have a problem with that. If so, then tough! That's the way democracy works- the government tries to please the majority of the citizens. Is that ideal? Of course not! Do you/I/we like that? Clearly not, on occasion. But that's the way democracy works. A government by the people, for the people.

It's not quite that simple though is it?

Over the last 15 years knife crime has actually fallen, yet if you believe the media we are in the middle of an epidemic. An epidemic we apparently didn't have 15 years ago when knife crime was more prevalent. We respond to what we are fed and knife crime sells copy. Outraging people sells copy. Scaring people sells copy. What you end up with is a scared and outraged population that thinks we are in the grip of a knife crime epidemic. So the government make laws, not because it's the right thing to do, but because they want votes. If you want to see whats responsible for this epidemic, you could very reasonable start at fleet street.

 

[statikpunk]

OK. I used to be a journalist for the Guardian newspaper, and probably, therefore, a bloody good anti-liberal/left target for a fair few members of this forum (God knows, my guilty, white, middle-class sensibilities leave me cringing every now and then). BUt I think you are way missing the point. Do you really equate modern Great Britain with a police state? If so, then grow up! Ask yourself this, would you rather live in GB or nazi Germany or Iraq under Saddam Hussein? Of course you wouldn't. That is no defence, of course, but you are so wide of the mark of how you think a police state works. It is often said that no government is more than three meals away from anarchy. If you truly think that GB (and I note with interest that you reside in Belgium) is even CLOSE to being a police state then you have no idea, at all, how government works. The current political climate may not suit you (which is, I presume, your immature reason for claiming it to be a police state) but it suits the majority of the population. You, or I, or any other member of this forum, may have a problem with that. If so, then tough! That's the way democracy works- the government tries to please the majority of the citizens. Is that ideal? Of course not! Do you/I/we like that? Clearly not, on occasion. But that's the way democracy works. A government by the people, for the people. But don't be so immatuer as to assume that the government of GB has anything in common with Zimbabwe, nazi Germany, or any other host of TRUE police states. The fact you can make such a claim shows the lie to your impotent little fist thumping. Don't be so silly.
Oh, and bloody good it is too, that the government has curtailed your's, and anyone else's 'shooting and hunting'. Totally unnecessary in a society where you can buy your meat and produce from a butchers (if you want to avoid the multi-national corporations and supermarkets) - people with inflammatory natures such as yourself should NOT be allowed to go hunting, quite frankly. Too dangerous.

I'm sorry I have a hard time letting my government take things away from me under the guise of it being "for the greater good" even if their right. the government should stick to fixing the potholes in my street and leave my knives and guns alone. oh and if this knife issue was put to a vote of the populace in GB, do you think that the law would continue to stand as written?? I am not a scholar on British law but here in the US we vote in officials, once they are in office what they do, does not always "suit the majority" as you put it. I am willing to bet that the British system is not that different.

I will stop with the politics (because I could go on) but what really pushes my buttons is that you think hunting is "unnecessary." Here in the US hunting and firearms are still legal and/or readily available. I work so I can afford to go hunting, my life is based around hunting, its my hobby, my passion, and my religion. if you think the only reason to hunt is to procure meat, you are sadly mistaken: camaraderie, connection with nature, bonding with the kids, living the way man was meant to live, all these things and more come into play when I speak of hunting. the meat is the icing on the cake. so don't throw stones at someone for something you yourself have obviously never done. By your logic bushcrafting and camping are unnecessary also because homes are readily available!
It's close-minded people like you (in office) that make EVERYONE'S country worse off!!

I'm sure there is some dude wearing a beret and sitting in a Starbucks somewhere that thinks your dead on balls accurate, but until you find him rest assured in the fact that Adolf would have kept a cup of tea warm for yah :aargh4: after all he thought killing Jews was "for the greater good"

 

[statikpunk]

Weapons are illegal anywhere in public in the UK, but our laws dont define lock knives as weapons.

It's a different culture and a different legal system ...what goes over there doesnt really translate to over here.

Quite right Martyn different country, different rules. I better not go to the UK I am too much of an instigator, i would be packing 50 knives and when asked what i needed them for I would say "I might need to cut something?"

 

[C_Claycomb]

Enough already. This thread is, for the time being, closed. Should Admin think it can be re-opened, then he can say so, but that will probably be after he gets back from holiday, which will give everyone a nice couple of weeks to think of something else to talk about

And yes, the Brits do tend to be more accepting, some would say civilised, about how disagreements are settled. It is something we all noticed when we moved here. They are also less prone to shout in public, sue people, or act surprised that other nationalities have different views on the world, than Americans tend to do . Hmmm. Maybe making sweeping generalities isn't a good idea

Just the thoughts of a displaced dual national