Scots want to ban Airguns

[Zodiak]

Just found this on a scout forum

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/glasgow_and_west/6473361.stm

Call for 'clarity' on airgun ban

The power to ban airguns is reserved to Westminster
The SNP has called on the first minister to "clarify" whether he will seek a Scottish ban on airguns.
Gun law across the UK is reserved to Westminster and Jack McConnell has rejected calls for him to seek the powers to allow a Scottish airgun ban.

The first minister is to meet senior police officers later to discuss what more can be done to tackle the irresponsible use of airguns.

SNP justice spokesman Kenny MacAskill said he must make his position clear.

Mr MacAskill said: "He must tell us where he stands on this issue, which is important to communities across Scotland.

"The SNP's position is clear. In government, we are pledged to tackle air weapons and lay a framework for a firearms act designed for Scottish needs and Scottish circumstances.

Firearms act

"The time for talking is past. Action needs to be taken now."

Solidarity MSP Tommy Sheridan has introduced a bill at Holyrood calling for a ban on airguns.

He has called on the executive to introduce Andrew's law - named after two-year-old Andrew Morton, who died after he was shot in the Easterhouse area of Glasgow in March 2005.

Andrew's mother, Sharon McMillan, 36, has been campaigning for a change in the law.

She was joined at Holyrood last month by Jacqueline Jack, whose brother Graeme was killed in an airgun incident in East Calder last April.

 

[Johnboy06]

Maybe they should just make it so u cant just go down to a shop and buy one lol. I know when i first went hunting rabit with my uncle they were talkin about a complete ban in england and i was quite wrried thinking just when im getting started, i never kept it up but as far as i know it never came to pass.

 

[gregorach]

Perhaps a better title would be "Media-hungry Scottish politicians want to talk about banning airguns".

 

[Butchd]

As ever, yes it's a bandwagon leapt upon by an MP who can see a way to get their name in the papers. Expect to see more follow and a complete lack of common sense apply as the Home Office then issues a consultation about how to ban airguns, as though it was already a decided issue.

 

[Surrey Yeoman]

Once again our glorious leaders are getting it wrong in their drive to be seen to be doing something!

Instead of banning something that thousands of law abiding people get pleasure from - (like the ban on handguns really reduced criminal use!) - how about making the Courts impose meaningful sentences on people who misuse them. The laws are already strong enough and the police do and will enforce them, but time and time again the Courts don't follow up with sentences that have either a punitive or deterrent effect.


Sorry about the rant

 

[gregorach]

I see what you're saying Yeoman, and I largely agree, but I have to point out that it's far from certain that any sentencing policy acts as an effective deterrent. Hanging or transportation for minor theft didn't appear to work historically...

 

[anthonyyy]

I hope you don't end up in the same postion as the Republic of Ireland where an air rifle requires the same lisence as a "real" one. And all hand guns are banned - even air pistols.

 

[spamel]

I dunno, transportation worked quite well, the weren't around to nick stuff anymore!! Thing is, we got rid of all of our best runners as they evaded the law but eventually got caught, maybe that's why the Aussies stuff us at cricket all the time!!

(This post is an attempt at humour, no offense intended to the law abiding Australian community!)

 

[Klenchblaize]

So, let me get this right:
We take away all guns and knives and then, sentencing policy aside, are problems of an ever-increasing violent society dissolve into the either? Right, just like if we banned all cars tomorrow and reverted to a one per family “horse & cart” society the harmful emissions problem would be solved!

Just when will politicians get real and actually address issues in the way most reasonably minded subjects understand is required?

Cheers

 

[Too Much Kit To Carry]

I use to shoot full bore pistols at least twice a week.

Our hand guns were banned and look at how well that has decreased gun crime

Phil

 

[Spikey DaPikey]

Another load of

 

[backwoodsman]

do you not think that the gunshops should be a bit more selective on who they sell them to, l mean a chav burberry wearing scum bag is hardly going to has a good reason to buy one other than mischief, yes it is discriminating but they can kill so it seems just in this case.

 

[C_Claycomb]

Gents,
Please don't start ranting. This isn't the place for politics and in most cases everyone here has made their feelings known before, one way or another. Jumping in just to vent steam again isn't really helpful.

 

[Levi]

Just found this on a scout forum
The first minister is to meet senior police officers later to discuss what more can be done to tackle the irresponsible use of airguns.

MP: What more can we do?
PC: We can't stop people committing crime; if we could we'd have done it years ago
MP: Yeah, but what about introducing a new law?
PC: But how are we going to stop people breaking that law?
MP: I don't know... make it illegal to break that law?
PC: That's generally how laws work
MP: Good; problem solved: we'll ban the things!
PC:

 

[Zodiak]

According to a bit on t'telly last night childhod obesity is set to become the UKs biggest killer.

Does that mean we ban food or make fat kids apply for a mars bar license?

I actually fell bad now about giving the the publicity he was obvioulsy after.

 

[nobby]

I se that only two respondents are writing from Scotland. It is a different country with a different parliament and different laws to England.
Given the small population they do seem to have a disproportionate number of airgun deaths and injuries and I read that there was an 11,000 strong petition calling for a ban. It was organised by activists who'd had children and adults killed by airguns.

 

[silvergirl]

OK as someone from Scotland all I can do is give some of my experiences and opinions.

I used to work in a Regional park on the edge of a very deprived west of scotland community. The was not a day went by without litterally dozens of young teenagers heading into the park margins, with airguns, to take potshots at the wildlife. Birds, Rabbits, Squirrelsetc (as well as stray cats and dogs)

If they were approached, in a `Hi guys, how you doin' sort of a way, the guns would be aimed at your feet/legs for the entire conversation. They often also took potshots at each other as it was Funny. The current debate centres on a case where a two year old was killed by someone trying to shoot his older brother for a laugh.

Now most of these kids were bought guns by their parents, because they had them when they were young. But the problem was that the kids were never taught how to use them responsibly. Only taught how to pull the trigger. Airguns are fine, guns in general are fine, its just down to the attitude of the people holding them.

In some areas of Glasgow I have been threatened with knifes and with handguns ( usually it is young teenages) I don't want to generalise but where there is a positive input from parents and other suitable role models these things are less likely to occur. I have seen children as young as six dealing in drugs, these kids are genrally turfed out first thing in the morning and told not to come home till dark. They form gangs for protection and support. It is all too understandable, sometimes, but that doesn't make it right. Being one of the gang and doing things to make yourself aceptable is then what you do.

Any way, stops rambling.

Airguns are useful, I haven't got one but I have been considering it for a number of years. I live in a rural area and often have problems with vermin ( rats, rabbits, Pheasant (when they are in my garden ))

The problem is the same as the sharps problem, it is the people who use them illegally, not the tools themselves that are the problem. But the problem won't go away until people learn to respect nature and others around them, and in some areas I won't hold my breath.

 

[gregorach]

We certainly do seem to have a problem with stupid, irresponsible numpties shooting people with airguns.

Personally, I'm just not convinced that banning them is an effective solution. If anything, it just makes 'em more attractive to the sort that causes problems. Perhaps an aggressive public information campaign to drive home just how dangerous they can be would be more effective?

However, there does seem to be strong public support for such a ban, and we do claim to live in a democracy...

Without wanting to stir things up too much, there's a very thoughtful and interesting post related to this subject over on The Sharpener:

It’s morally right that people should die for my amusement

A provocative title, but an interesting argument.

 

[Big Geordie]

Hi all,
I've been following this debate with real fascination, because I have left Glasgow for a year to work in the wild west of Nevada.
The cowboys still live here, and you can keep your gun in your car, wear it openly and many do!

I've always wanted to restrict gun use and ownership but I'm beginning to wonder now. People are not frightened to walk around late at night, burglaries are rare, even though there is drug abuse here. A friend told me simply that the bad guys will just get blown away if they attempt anything!!

A locl cop said that a neighbour who gets into trouble a lot for domestic violence will never threaten my girlfriend because he knows we would waste him on thespot!!

I'm a little freaked by this as you probably gather. I know that this is a western setting with people who have old fashioned values, unlike the great connurbations of New York etc.. Makes me think.

I'm missing the rain and the scottish get togethers. :sadwavey: Catch up with you soon.
Got a great tomahawk this week..
George

 

[nobby]

We certainly do seem to have a problem with stupid, irresponsible numpties shooting people with airguns.

Personally, I'm just not convinced that banning them is an effective solution. If anything, it just makes 'em more attractive to the sort that causes problems. Perhaps an aggressive public information campaign to drive home just how dangerous they can be would be more effective?

We have had years of aggressive campaigning to make drivers wear seat belts but the latest evidence is that less are bothering. ( Coincidentally, that evidence arrives just as the seatbelt campaign funds are raided to pay for the don't drive and phone campaign; which is, by and large, ignored.)

People who would ignore a ban will also ignore an advertising campaign, I would have thought.
If air rifles are banned in Scotland it is, at least, easy to see who is carrying them.
In the US, less urban, communities there is a long tradition of personal firearm use based on a right to bear arms. That tradition has never existed in the UK and any allusions to it effectively ended about a century ago with the Firearms licencing act.

I would add that I am an airgun user for killing rats in the garden and have in the past hunted for rabbit, pigeon and pheasant. I have also held shotgun and firearm licences and shot fullbore at various ranges.