Ban Teh Buttar Knive!!

[Toad]

Every focuses on a different part of the elephant. Here's what jumped out at me:

Knife crime is rising sharply across the country, prompting the Government to consider new laws raising the minimum age of knife ownership and extending the range of banned weapons.

More attempts at government control that won't bother the criminal element one bit. Once again, only the folks that are not the problem will comply.

Last year 272 people were knifed to death nationwide, an increase of 35 per cent in five years, while at the same time 80 people were shot dead.

Without checking stats, I'll bet that the total of knifed + shot in the "last year" is essentially unchanged from previous years. In other words, the gun ban didn't significantly decrease the total number of homicides. Rather, there was a change in modality with roughly equal numbers. Nashwan, you  seem to have easy access to official stats... is that about right?

Also, if knife homicides increased 35% in five years, what was the increase or decrease in gun homicides in that same period?

[Glas]

Originally posted by Toad
More attempts at government control that won't bother the criminal element one bit. Once again, only the folks that are not the problem will comply.
 

Im not being funny, but you have got no idea of the youth culture in the UK as far as knives are concerned.  Most of these 'criminals' are young people with no criminal record, they have jobs, houses, some even have kids.  But they carry a knife for 'protection'.

There are hundreds caught on the streets of the UK every week, and most of them are first offenders.

As someone else said, if it was a gun there woulda been a helluva lot more than one dead.  Still one too many, but better than a dozen.

So controlling the use of knives is the only option imo.  And in most of the adult population of the UK's opinion I would think.

Get over it, we have a different culture here.  Your way works for you, our way works for us.  Simple as that.

[Toad]

Originally posted by Glas

Get over it, we have a different culture here.  Your way works for you, our way works for us.  Simple as that.

LOL. Now, if you guys just take the same approach towards our ways, eh?

[NUKE]

Originally posted by Glas

So controlling the use of knives is the only option imo.  And in most of the adult population of the UK's opinion I would think.

Get over it, we have a different culture here.  Your way works for you, our way works for us.  Simple as that.

After you "control" knives, what will be next?

The UK banned handguns even though there never was a  problem with gun related homicides. In fact, post ban aren't the number of gun deaths about the same as they have always been?

I assume that murder and assault are currenty "banned". Doesn't that cover all the bases? The answer is NO, because people who want to kill other people will always kill other people regardless of any law.

The ban on guns is a failure and banning knives will be even more of a failure.

[Glas]

Originally posted by Toad
LOL. Now, if you guys just take the same approach towards our ways, eh?

Ehhh, what did I just say?  Our way works for us, your way works for you.

No arguments from me about gun control in the US.  You all need them as a deterrent to stop you from shooting each other.

[Dago]

Break out the cricket bats!!!  There are maniacs on the loose!

dago

[DieAz]

Originally posted by Dago
cricket bats!!!

are those like vampires? yanno bloodsucker type bats?

[Pongo]

Originally posted by vorticon
and if someone else had a gun, they coulda shot him before he got to many...since there certainly wasnt any chance that someone else could be hit.

why didnt someone else with a butter knife stop him then.

why didnt someone else with a gun stop the DC snipers...no one with guns ever seems to stop these guys.

[Jackal1]

Originally posted by Glas
Im not being funny, but you have got no idea of the youth culture in the UK as far as knives are concerned.  Most of these 'criminals' are young people with no criminal record, they have jobs, houses, some even have kids.  But they carry a knife for 'protection'.

There are hundreds caught on the streets of the UK every week, and most of them are first offenders.

 

  ROFL Here in Texas,unless you have been born and raised as a "concrete pounder" in the city, leaving the house without your trusty knife in your pocket or a belt sheath is like walking outside without your pants on. It`s considered more of a day to day tool than anything.
  I have a pretty fair sized collection of knives. One I`m really fond of. A Franklin Mint collector with the old Easyrider in the handle and etched into the blade. A totaly useless piece with the exception of eye candy.
  Carrying a knife here is totaly legal,but on the other hand, it`s still illegal to carry a set of wire cutters in your pocket.

[fd ski]

Did you guys find 9/11 just as amuzing ?

[wrag]

Originally posted by Pongo
why didnt someone else with a butter knife stop him then.

why didnt someone else with a gun stop the DC snipers...no one with guns ever seems to stop these guys.

They do get stopped in that manner.  It just doesn't tickle the medias fancy to report such things.

For just a little while someone was pasting such info on this board.

[Glas]

Originally posted by NUKE
After you "control" knives, what will be next?

The UK banned handguns even though there never was a  problem with gun related homicides. In fact, post ban aren't the number of gun deaths about the same as they have always been?

I assume that murder and assault are currenty "banned". Doesn't that cover all the bases? The answer is NO, because people who want to kill other people will always kill other people regardless of any law.

The ban on guns is a failure and banning knives will be even more of a failure.

Frankly, im all for the control of any implements which have no other use, under the given circumstances, than to hurt someone.  In the UK, if you walk along the street with a knife and no obvious reason for carrying it, you will be jailed and deservedly so.  If you walk along the street with a cricket bat for no obvious reason, you will be jailed and deservedly so.

If you are in your garden having a BBQ and your using a knife to cuut your meat or whatever, nothing will happen to you.  If your out on a playing field with your mates and you have a cricket bat, nothing will happen to you.

It's that simple imo.  Of course there will be the occasional case which has a grey area ('I was just taking the knife to my friends house, he doesnt have a decent one officer' or 'im just on my way to the park to play cricket officer') but in cases like that it wouldnt be too difficult for the police to separate the liars from those telling the truth.

So, in answer to your question, I wouldnt let it stop.  All implements which can cause harm, and where there is no obvious reason for it being carried than to cause harm, should be considered as potentially murderous weapons and confiscated, with the owner charged.

Thats the way our country works, thats the way we like to control things.  Does it stop all murders from happening?  Nope.  But it does make it easy for the police to tell who has the intent of hurting someone.

If you dont like our controls, tough.  Your laws would never work here, ours wouldnt work over at your place.  Its that simple really.

[lada]

Originally posted by vorticon
and if someone else had a gun, they coulda shot him before he got to many...since there certainly wasnt any chance that someone else could be hit.

if i were a pink pig i could be happy.

[Dago]

Originally posted by Pongo
why didnt someone else with a gun stop the DC snipers...no one with guns ever seems to stop these guys.

Because they had to catch them.  Not like they were just sitting around in the open shooting, nor like they stayed around after shooting.  And it WAS guys with guns who caught/arrested them.

dago

[Dago]

"When butter knives are outlawed, only Outlaws will have butter knives"

dago