UK - Recent LA Press Release

[Fosbery]

There's been a couple of topics here on recent shootings here in the UK. Thought you might be interested to read a press release by the Libertarian Alliance (a British, non-partisan libertarian think tank) in response to these events.

Link: http://libertarianalliance.wordpress.com/2007/02/18/news-release-from-the-libertarian-alliance-2/

Text:

NEWS RELEASE FROM THE LIBERTARIAN ALLIANCE
In Association with the Libertarian InternationalRelease Date: Monday 19th February 2007
Release Time: Immediate

Contact Details:
Dr Sean Gabb (Director), 07956 472 199, [email protected]

For other contact and link details, see the foot of this message
Release url: http://www.libertarian.co.uk/news/nr049.htm

“RELEGALISE GUNS: POWER TO THE PEOPLE”, FREE MARKET AND CIVIL LIBERTIES THINK TANK TELLS BLAIR GOVERNMENT

The Libertarian Alliance, the radical free market and civil liberties policy institute, today calls on the British Government to take firm action over the shootings of young men in South London.

It believes the best action would be to relegalise guns and let ordinary people fight back with lethal force against the violent criminals who presently rule the streets of our cities.

Libertarian Alliance Director, Dr Sean Gabb, says:

“The Libertarian Alliance believes in a return to the wise laws of our ancestors, under which a person could walk into a gun shop and, without showing a licence or any form of identification, buy as many guns and as much ammunition as he pleased, and could keep these at home, or carry them about in public, for the defence of his life or property.

“We have the most restrictive laws in Europe on gun ownership. These have plainly not worked. In 1968, in 1988, and twice in 1997, we were promised a safer country if only we gave up our guns. We were cheated.

“In fact, the only people who have no guns are the respectable. Those who do commit assaults are no more likely to obey the gun ban than they are to stop listening to horrid music or to wash their hands after using the toilet.

“Even turning the country into a police state, with powers of random stop and search and scanners in public places, will do nothing to disarm these creatures. Such laws will only inconvenience the respectable. They subject us to the indignity of being searched by police officers who are increasingly useless and corrupt. They disarm us to the point where criminals can roam among us like foxes among chickens.

“Laws against keeping guns at home and carrying them about for defence of life and property are an infringement of our liberties.

“We need to get back to the sane legal climate of the Victorian era, when citizens were expected to take part in defending themselves, and were encouraged to use lethal force when they believed it necessary.

“At the same time, we need real punishments for real crimes. Those who commit assaults on others should be caught and punished with terrifying swiftness and severity. Assuming due process of law, I see no objection to the use of the death penalty.”

The Libertarian Alliance believes:

* That there should be no controls on possessing and carrying weapons, including handguns, for self-defence, and that accordingly the Firearms Acts 1920, 1937, 1968, 1988, 1997 (one and two), and all other restrictive laws should be repealed;

* That there should be a legal and moral climate in which, where believed necessary, the use of lethal force to protect life or property is celebrated;

* That all persons found guilty under the existing laws against self-defence should be pardoned and where appropriate compensated;

* That all criminal laws should be repealed except those directed against force or fraud;

* That all agencies of inspection and control set up to implement laws against victimless crimes should be immediately abolished, and that their records be destroyed;

* That all investigatory powers given to the authorities for the prosecution of victimless crimes should be immediately abolished;

* That any organisation arguing against the above should receive no public funding or charitable status.

Note(s) to Editors

Dr Sean Gabb is the Director of the Libertarian Alliance. He is also the author of The Column of Phocas, a novel. Available via Amazon:

Dr Gabb can be contacted for further comment on 07956 472 199 or by e-mail at [email protected]

 

[Lucky]

Holy **** they best be careful, they're half a heartbeat away from violating anti-social laws, advocating crimes and disturbing the status quo like that.

If they said those things in the house then I'd expect parliamentary privilege would protect them, but they don't have a seat, and if they did before they got the first sentence out the other parties would be pounding on their desks and making stupid noises - to drown them out.

I seriously think that the Brits are a hair's breadth away from silencing dissenting politicians by force. As soon as they finish their anti-radical policies, you'll likely see that they don't just silence guys preaching radical Islam, but anyone preaching change in the UK.

 

[Cromlech]

I definitely support the LA on this matter, but I feel it is like peeing into the wind.

 

[mattw]

* That all criminal laws should be repealed except those directed against force or fraud;

* That all agencies of inspection and control set up to implement laws against victimless crimes should be immediately abolished, and that their records be destroyed;

* That all investigatory powers given to the authorities for the prosecution of victimless crimes should be immediately abolished;

This guy is a nut job!

 

[Cromlech]

Oooh, I didn't read those bits!

 

[Odd Job]

* That all criminal laws should be repealed except those directed against force or fraud;

* That all agencies of inspection and control set up to implement laws against victimless crimes should be immediately abolished, and that their records be destroyed;

* That all investigatory powers given to the authorities for the prosecution of victimless crimes should be immediately abolished;

Like Matt said, that won't get them very far.

 

[Lucky]

Might get them to a sedition trial!

 

[mainmech48]

"Remember, remember the Fifth of November......."

 

[Fosbery]

Personally, I agree with them 100%. Even on those last bits you quoted. Why ban something that has no victim? Like gun ownership. Isn't that essentially why we all disagree with gun control, because you or I owning a gun hurts nobody?

 

[mattw]

Just like narcotics (which have no victims, just like alcohol and tobacco) laws should be repealed right? That would make our society much more productive if everyone was free to form an addiction to cocaine or marijuana, right? Not to mention the drug lords going to war against each other in our streets over the control of turf because they want an outlet to sell their products. Do you think repealing narcotics laws would help or hurt that situation?

Laws are rules agreed upon by a society to enforce popular norms. There will always be those who do not agree (like speed limits... everyone speeds some times) but that does not mean we can abandon laws concerning these victimless crimes.

 

[AlaskaErik]

Sounds like there are still some voices of sanity in the asylum known as Great Britain.

 

[Lucky]

That would make our society much more productive if everyone was free to form an addiction to cocaine or marijuana, right?

Yea it's not like you've got anything guaranteeing the pursuit of happiness or anything. You've a subject of the state, and if you do not contribute to the productivity of the state there is something wrong with you, and the state will punish. That's pretty much what the founding fathers said, right?

Not to mention the drug lords going to war against each other in our streets over the control of turf because they want an outlet to sell their products.

Dude that last shootout between Merk and Phizer was INSANE. Merk sent this hit squad with machine guns and they pulled up in front of Phizer headquarters and just shot the place to ****. Crazy stuff man! Crazy! Those mofos are out of control!

Because it's not like those illegal drugs were sold by PHARMACISTS 100 years ago, and when they were made illegal THAT'S WHEN THEY STARTED FUNDING CRIME.

 

[Fosbery]

if everyone was free to form an addiction to cocaine or marijuana

Sure. You seriously think that somebody who takes marijuana in the privacy of their own home, and hurts nobody, is a criminal who should be locked away? You think suicide should be illegal? Smoking? Guns? I mean...you could shoot yourself. Suppose society decides that for your own good you shouldn't be allowed to own guns, would that ok?

Suppose you're driving along in your car and a carjacker rips the door open, points a gun at you and says "give me your car, you could have an accident", I'm sure we can all agree that this is wrong. Suppose instead that it's not one carjacker, but half a dozen carjackers, and they all take a vote on whether they should carjack you or not. Of course, they all vote yes, and demand your car. That's still wrong right? What if it's a hundred? A thousand? How many people have to agree on robbing you before it's ok?

Not to mention the drug lords going to war against each other in our streets over the control of turf because they want an outlet to sell their products.

Now you're describing the current situation. That is not the situation with, say, alcohol, or tobacco, or any other legal product.

 

[JimmyN]

Just like narcotics (which have no victims, just like alcohol and tobacco) laws should be repealed right? That would make our society much more productive if everyone was free to form an addiction to cocaine or marijuana, right? Not to mention the drug lords going to war against each other in our streets over the control of turf because they want an outlet to sell their products. Do you think repealing narcotics laws would help or hurt that situation?

Why would anything change? Anyone that wants drugs can get them now, so how would it cause society to be less productive? An increase in productivity, if that's the goal, would come from having individuals out earning a living rather than housed at state expense for a crime that had no victim. If drug laws were repealed I certainly wouldn't worry about drug lords going to war, as they would soon be out of business. They would probably go into the bottled water market, as it has the highest profit potential.

 

[mpmarty]

The profit

in drugs is there simply because the government outlawed them. Remember prohibition? As soon as the country went "dry" the gangsters began bootlegging booze in from Canada and Scotland and stills were set up using old car radiators as condensers and the lead leached out and poisoned thousands of people. Same deal with drugs, legalize them, tax them a bit, set safety standards for their production and distribution and voila no more criminal element in the drug trade, the Columbians will all go back to leading the donkey up to harvest the coffee and Juan Valdez will become a respected citizen again.

 

[jerkface11]

What's so crazy about wanting to legalize "victimless crimes"? As for people being free to form an addiction to cocaine or weed isn't that what freedom is about? Being free to make your own choices even or rather ESPECIALLY if they're self destructive? I for one do not need the government holding my hand and making sure i don't hurt myself. But maybe some of you would turn into raving drug fiends if drugs were legal.

 

[Jim K]

I think they have gone more than a bit too far in the opposite direction, but it doesn't matter. In "free and democratic", England, they will probably all be rounded up and shot without trial as enemies of the Queen.

Jim