Our wonderful government has followed its usual course in responding to figures stating that violent crime is on the increase: it's going to ban replica hand-guns.
Well, whoopee-doo! I feel so much safer knowing that criminals will be going out and getting hold of the real thing instead to hold up the local corner-shop. Really, guys, do you actually think that banning the sale or manufacture of replicas will do anything to curb violent crime? We all know that it's easy to get your hands on illegal firearms. All the regulations brought in after Thomas Hamilton's rampage did diddly-squat to to curb their availability to the criminal fraternity.
The average ned planning to hold up a post-office or some-such will not go to the trouble & expense of obtaining a real gun. Nor will any casual criminal of the type these new regualtions are supposed to be targeting. No, they'll go down to the local version of Victor Morris and buy a replica. With this they will attempt to scare some shop assisstant into handing over some money. Remove this option and they'll be forced to get something else. Whilst this may not be an actual real-live hand-gun it will be an actual real-life weapon. Ask the teenage wage-slave which they'd rather these thugs have in their possession and I can bet you they won't be asking for the real weapon.
And where do you draw the line? Which of the fairlt realistic toy guns do you ban? What about gun-shaped cigarette lighters? "Don't be silly, " I hear you cry "No one could mistake those for the real thing." Let me tell you one day of the security alert a friend of mine once caused on a flight with a 1/4 scale Derringer-shaped lighter he had in his hold -not hand - luggage.
I agree with much of the called-for legislation regarding knives. They should be restricted to places like Scout-shops and fishing shops and these places should only be allowed to sell items which can clearly and legitimately be used for a purpose. Wall-hanger replica swords should not be sold sharpened or ever made from tempered steel. Knives which can only be used to slash or stab another human should be banned from general sale.
Oh, and could someone please tell the Strathclyde Police spokesman that hunting knives, by their very definition, have another use than violent crime? True, it is unlikely that anyone in the UK will be using them to hunt with, but don't bugger up your own argument with the use of poor semantics.
An article about the legislation is here:
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