[shermacman]

Things should solve everything Down Under! Dancers will no longer be able to terrorize the sheeple!

http://news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,7234997%255E1702,00.html

Highland dancers 'hit by sword ban'
September 11, 2003

NEW controls on sword ownership in Victoria would adversely affect highland dancers, the state National Party said today.

Under proposed regulations, sword owners would have to pay a $135 registration fee, and store their sword in a safe bolted to the floor.

National Party police spokesman Bill Sykes said the change would penalise law-abiding citizens without affecting homicide rates.

"Sword collectors will no longer be able to have their swords on display, or have the family heirloom hanging on the lounge-room wall above the fireplace," Dr Sykes said.

"Children will also not be able to carry out Scottish sword dancing at country shows and highland games, unless they have obtained a permit to allow their swords in public."

[starfuryzeta]

Dr Sykes said research showed that, when one weapon was not available to commit homicide, another would be used, and 25 per cent of murders were committed with hands and feet.

Wow! :banghead: Whoda thunk it! What's next, knives? Oh hey, what about 25% using hands and feet. Ban martial arts as well.

[RobW]

I thought the Aussie's governing aristocracy recovered from the stupidity virus a bit. No, it gets worse. It's a deadly disease.

When are the next elections up? Or did they get rid of that, too?

[Skibane]

This isn't surprising in the least, since Australia, England, Wales and Scotland have all had "Bin The Blade" laws on the books for years.

[Standing Wolf]

When claymores are outlawed, aye, only outlaws will have claymores.

[Autolite]

if nothing else, it might help to 'cut' down on all those drive-by decapitations we've been hearing about ...

[Mark Tyson]

Claymores?

[Bigjake]

ROTFLMAO Standing wolf...

[Kaylee]

Dang... strike one continent off the list of places for the Gathering :: 2004 Open.


moving to L&P.

-K

[starfuryzeta]

When claymores are outlawed, aye, only outlaws will have claymores.

http://www.1stcavmedic.com/glossary-files/claymore-1.jpg

or

http://www.vikingmetalworks.com/images/claymore.jpg

[Trempel]

"Wow! Whoda thunk it! What's next, knives? Oh hey, what about 25% using hands and feet. Ban martial arts as well."

Wrong. Ban hands and feet.

Whadya mean he's "un-armed". See, he's got arms.:D

[KC]

Ach, Bobby Burns, wha' happen ta ye? Or ta you, William Wallace?
What hav yer children dun noo? They've gone and let the English cut their b...privates off and put them in a box on th' floor. Bah, they've got yer lives, an yer freedom.

[Autolite]

I suppose now that this means that the price of pre-ban Ginsu knives is going to skyrocket ... :(

[spartacus2002]

Did you hear about the swedish Foreign Minister getting stabbed in the dept store a couple of days ago?

My brother-in-law lives in Sweden, and we were discussing it yesterday. To tease him I told him Sweden needed Knife Control: register all knives, license owners, serial number them, 14 day waiting period before getting your knife.

He said "they are already discussing it; I don't think it will happen, but the discussion is occurring."

Wussy socialist countries.....

[Tamara]

Under proposed regulations, sword owners would have to pay a $135 registration fee, and store their sword in a safe bolted to the floor.

You have GOT to be kidding me.

Let me see if I've got this right: they are proposing that one purchase a special license (to the tune of $135) to own a sharpened steel bar?!? Then, you have to keep it locked inside a bolted-down safe like it's a sample of weapons-grade plutonium and not an antique that's been obsolete as a weapon for two hundred years!! Have they any idea how ludicrous this makes them sound? Why have these people not been laughed out of office for having the temerity to come up with such a soft-headed scheme in the first place?

[Mark Tyson]

I know what a claymore mine is; I didn't know it was a sword too. Learn something every day . . .

[braindead0]

There's actually two types of Scottish claedhemore (means big sword in Gaelic). There's the type in the picture above (early claedhemore), usually run 4-5' long... Then there's the basket hilt version that came somewhere in the 1700's:
http://www.mwart.com/images/p/Rapiers_Brass_Baskethilt_Claymore_M1157_917.jpg

And then there's the really big claedhemore.. Mine is 6' and weighs in at about 12pounds... ;-)

[hso]

Sword control, hmm, ...

When something doesn't pass the "Ha Ha Test" and you find out that they're serious you just have to marvel at the unbounded talent for absurdity that some folks have.

[Teufelhunden]

braindead,

Isn't the sword you posted more commonly referrered to as a Scottish Broadsword, en vouge right at the tail end of when swords were still a viable weapon?

Back on-topic: Is anyone really surprised about this. Libs like to laugh at the whole slippery slope argument, but this is a perfect example on a supreme scale; they're not looking to restrict a certain kind of gun anymore, now they've gone to an entirely different class of weapon. Pretty soon, they'll have to check out their gardening implements from a communal vault run by the state...someone (somecountry) needs to read 1984.

-Teuf

[XLMiguel]

:what:

Absurd! Disgusting!

Do the 'men' in Austrailia sit down to pee?

Time to take your country back, lads.:banghead: :banghead: :banghead:

[4v50 Gary]

Somehow Highland dancing with wooden yardsticks just don't seem to cut the mustard.:uhoh:

[braindead0]

Teufelhunden:

Isn't the sword you posted more commonly referrered to as a Scottish Broadsword, en vouge right at the tail end of when swords were still a viable weapon?

It can be called that, but the more 'correct' term is basket hilt claedhemore (or claymore if you prefer). But yes, I don't recollect the earliest appearance of them.. but we're talking 1700's.. when you got close to the enemy, drop the muzzle loader and grab the sword ;-)

[Zedicus]

of all the stupid.....:barf: :barf: :barf: :fire: :cuss: :banghead:

[Black Snowman]

I remember back right after the Au firearms bad they discussed banning all knives over 4". Obviously it never went anywhere and would put a big damper on many kitchen and gardening tools. Looks like they're still trying to get their foot in the door.

[El Tejon]

So, does this silly law include spears? How about pointy sticks?:p

[tyme]

What if you plate a sword made of conductive non-metallic material with metal? Does that count as a sword?

$90? Is there some discount for self-manufactured swords? What kind of mickey-mouse operation are they running where it costs $135 AUD to enter someone's name/address information in a database?

[telomerase]

... if by "worked" you mean "allowed permanent stagnation under dictatorial rule".

Of course to enforce his sword control laws, the Shogun kept some matchlocks around. (And around and around... when Perry showed up the Japanese modernized some of their 300-year-old matchlocks for percussion caps!)

[Nightfall]

"No slippery slope" my ***.

[Lancel]

Are machetes and sickles included? Probably not considered assault blades - yet. Garden tools are next.

Scary thoughts: I once considered retiring to Australia. (shiver)

Larry

[telomerase]

>Are machetes and sickles included? Probably not considered assault blades - yet. Garden tools are next.

From the September 13, 2004 Sydney Morning Herald:

Today marks the signing of the the Omnibus Blunt Object Control Act. The Prime Minister has said: "From now on, Australians may live without fear of injury from fireplace pokers, cricket bats, silver candlesticks, or other like weaponry in private hands".

When asked how criminal access to such items was to be prevented, the PM retreated behind his AUG-equipped bodyguards and left for holiday in Switzerland.

[Lancel]

"From now on, Australians may live without fear of injury from fireplace pokers, cricket bats, silver candlesticks, or other like weaponry in private hands".
I find the thought processes here very disturbing. Only the insane or space aliens (or both) could be so ignorant of human nature or human needs.:(

Australia, I'll pray for you tonight.

America, I'll work even harder for RKBA.

Larry

[C.R.Sam]

Bout ten years ago.
Some little city in urban Orange County, CA.
Store parking lot.
Using a machete to split a large cardboard carton.
Cruiser stops and informs me the blade on my knife is overly long.

Sigh.

Sam

[ShaiVong]

When are these stupid sons from a fatherless marrage going to come to terms with the fact that its evil PEOPLE who use tools to cause harm to other people?

I dont give a flying what-what-have-you what they ban. As far as I'm concerned, they could make everything made from non-nerf material banned. I could still walk straight up to a clerk in the grocery store and hammer my elbow into they're throat, or my thumb into they're eye.

Predators use what is most conveniant, not whats legal.

If you havent read "Naked Empire" by Terry Goodkind, its worth a look.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0765305224/qid=1063590765/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/102-6724115-5090567?v=glance&s=books

[El Tejon]

Sam, just think of all the eeevil that officer stopped by informing you of your offense.:D

[Skunkabilly]

What a pile of crap. Why don't they just strap handcuffs on everybody and get it over with? :rolleyes:

[scotjute]

Just a note for those who may not know, but most of the states have laws against wearing dirks, daggers, swords, etc. in public. In Texas for example, knives that one may wear are limited to 5 1/2" blades or shorter. Longer bladed knives may be used while actively engaged in fishing, hunting, etc., but are not to be worn once one is no longer "actively" engaged in the allowed activity. Luckily, the laws do allow one to carry and use longer blades on your own property, and so far, displays and method of storage is at your own discretion.

[Skunkabilly]

In CA a few of the ninnies were up in arms about sword control when a nutjob walked into Albertsons and killed two people.

[Giant]

Off with their hands! off with their feet! What utter nonsense.

The line is being drawn in the sand, the time is coming soon when all will have to decide to resist with all their will and might or simply lie down and be killed.

Giant