OT: Air weapon ban in UK!

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[Ron Wood]

Tac,

I think the world of your countrymen, and I would be honored to stand shoulder to shoulder with them in a fight. But I have to say that your government seems to be inflicted with terminal paranoia. The gun control measures are accomplishing nothing and yet each law enacted is followed by one even more asinine.

Rest assured, my vote is cast with thought to the future.

[John D.]

TAC,

This concept is so inane - I can't begin to even try to rationalize it - at any level..!!! This can't be the thinking of the majority of UK citizens - and if it is, how can so many be "duped" by so few???

For all that - I'm afraid, as Ron notes - once any country begins sliding down that slippery slope of "legislating" to ride rough-shod over the rights of their citizens, the hallmarks of Democracy and Freedom takes on many characteristics of other forms of governments - which free countries throughout the world have bravely contested and won with the ultimate sacrifice.

Amazing and unconscionable - at the same time....

[Roadkill]

Since these are "non guns" as far as we are concerned, is there any way we could hold them for you here? I have plenty of space on the wall that isn't being used and personally, before I'd turn my guns in for destruction I'd either destroy them myself or send them somewhere else just to keep those *******s from getting them. I'm sure many others will make the same offer.

rk

[John Sabato]

What a great idea Roadkill... An air-gun exodus if you will... "Let my guns go!"

Tac, there is plenty of space on my wall too if you or your friends would rather mail them out than turn them in...

Liberal visiting privileges will be granted.

I am as serious about this non-gun rescue as your government is about melting them down and chopping them up. Tell your friend with the �£25K collection that there is a safe haven for his prize pieces... contact me via Email or PM when you decide what you and he want to do to save these non-guns.

I will find safe sanctuary for anything larger than my house will hold...

To be clear, I am not talking about a change in ownership here, just a change of storage location...

[Pete Ebbink]

TAC,

Disturbing to hear the continuing bad news from the UK...

Is "hermetically sealed, hidden storage" not an option for gun collectors until these silly laws blow away in the wind with new politicians and policies to replace them ?

If they do not know you have them to begin with, how will they know if one has turned them all in...?

Regards,

Pete... <img border="0" alt="[typing]" title="" src="graemlins/yltype.gif" />

[Doug G.]

The laws in England are getting more and more ridiculous every year. I think that the time is coming for the good people of England to become citizens again. I believe that last time you beheaded the leaders? A revolution for freedom is a good and just cause. I can only hope that if our laws here get too crazy that WE the people will take the power unto ourselves and rid the country of oppressive governments.
Rant off!
<img border="0" alt="[soapbox]" title="" src="graemlins/soapbox.gif" /> <img border="0" alt="[soapbox]" title="" src="graemlins/soapbox.gif" /> <img border="0" alt="[soapbox]" title="" src="graemlins/soapbox.gif" /> <img border="0" alt="[soapbox]" title="" src="graemlins/soapbox.gif" />

[wterrell]

My condolences, Tac.
I was of the understanding that the Brits discontinued the hereditary power of the House of Lords to rid themselves of idiots in Parliament.

[panda]

Tac,
Just a suggestion: maybe the time has comme to think about moving to a friendlier place. 'Cause poor UK does not seem to care for you.
Cheers, Panda

[Doug G.]

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">You see, over here there was nobody to be independent of, if you see what I mean.
</font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">Tacfoley, you are wrong you can be independent of your opressive government! When the founding fathers of the USA got tired of your king they kicked him out. I think it is time that the GOOD people of England kick out the nitwits and start a new government! <img border="0" alt="[grrrrrrr]" title="" src="graemlins/cussing.gif" />

[panda]

Tac,

This may not be great satisfaction for you but refusing to pay compensation for an expropriation by the State infringes the constitutional ranking Protection of property.

I think if s.o. took a decision (refusing compensation) according to this piece of legislation to the courts, he'd win. At least before the ECHR as the UK have ratified the Protocol to the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms. Art. 1 of this Protocol provides that

"every natural or legal person is entitled to the peaceful enjoyment of his possessions. No one shall be deprived of his possessions except in the public interest and subject to the conditions provided for by law and by the general principles of international law.

The preceding provisions shall not, however, in any way impair the right of a State to enforce such laws as it deems necessary to control the use of property in accordance with the general interest or to secure the payment of taxes or other contributions or penalties."

The above "general principles of international law" include an indemnity for expropriation.

Also, I find it very strange that the UK would refuse such a compensation.

[policeluger]

Doug G., first you need weapons, our founding fathers were sure of this....

[policeluger]

Tac...its not a "democracy" any more, and I can tell how very up set you are from the misspelled word and this is a first from you...come too America, not perfact but a whole lot better.

[Heinz]

Tac, We want Ig, we can get him a green card. Ig can do 1/2 time shows at the superbowl. You should come along too.

US was a free country when I was a kid and still is in a lot of states.

[Navy]

Stemed Tac,

Your home secretary has about the same powers as der chancellor und reichsfuerher.

What happened to Runymede Meadow?

Tom A.

[wterrell]

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva"> My Dearest Wes </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">
tac, you have a very long memory.
Is the pen still mightier than the sword? A literary campaign of passion, conducted relentlessly, may have effect. Martin Luther could not have guessed the results of posting this 99 thesis (nor did he desire the result).
It is most probable that the youth of England is idly wasting away for want of a crusade. Liberal access to handguns may be just the cause for which they are awaiting to rouse from their lethargy.
Many favorable laws have been created to quiet a powerless, unhappy, vocal population.
(I do suppose that you still have some remnant of freedom of the press and speech in England?)

[panda]

"stated that 'certain amendments to the revised act need not necesarily be subjected to he parliamentary process, and may be taken into law without discussion, simply by the action of the signature of the home secretary'...do you like that? The home secretary doesn't have to ask or discuss or arbitrate or deal with anybody except his own reflection, before he can make any more firearms restrictions or laws that he feels like...."

You find this technique everywhere for regulating "minor points". Itâ??s called legislative delegation (from the legislator to the government).

Tac, you have much bigger problems in the UK than legislative delegation!

Just to let our US friends know how democracy is understood in the UK read what comes next. Tac, correct me where Iâ??m wrong (things may have changed in the meantime).

Youâ??ve probably all heard of the "Lord Chancellor", sounds like one of these folkloric outdated monarchy thing, like the change of the guard at Buckingham. Not at all, this person is the head of the UK Supreme Court (House of Lords, and probably also the Privy Council which rules on the rest of the Common Wealth), he sits in the upper House of Parliament, and is the minister of justice appointed by the Prime Minister himself (and works under his supervision). You think this is bad for the separation of power? Just hold on.

The Lower House of Parliament counts about 600 elected MPs of which one can find up to 100 members of the Government (sic!) who approve their own bills! (As if you put 100 people of the Bush administration to actually sit and vote in the House of Representatives. Do you think there may be any chance theyâ??d criticise the government?)

You think this is weird? Hold on.

The government always needs the "support" of a majority of MPs, so youâ??ll always have either a majority of conservatives or labours depending on the governmentâ??s colour. Strangely enough no party has ever obtained more that 45% of the electorateâ??s votes since WWII. How come you get in Parliament a 70% or more majority for one party? This is called the 1-round majority election system with one elect/area. This means that if on election day a candidates make 15% of the votes but the remaining 85% are spread amongst the remaining candidates which individually make less than 15%, then the candidate with the 15% represents the 100% of the voters. Great no?

But thatâ??s not all. You may think that the majority of the Parliament could actually control the governmentâ??s actions (like in the US where congressmen do not necessarily vote with their party), after all there are about 500 MPs which vote in this body and which are NOT members of the government. Well think again... In the UK (because of the 1 round majority system with one elect/area) it is virtually impossible to get elected unless you represent one of the large parties (people have only one opportunity to elect a poor single person, thus they vote either conservative or labour or possibly liberal, which are the ones who are likely to get elected). So far no problem. Really? Who do you think designates whoâ??s going to run for Parliament in a given area? Bingo: the executive body of each Party, meaning the Prime Minister as the majority leader. Now, as an MP, do you want to keep your job? Then vote the way the PM tells you to in case you want to be on the PMâ??s list for the next elections. (Itâ??s a little bit as if a company hired s.o. to control s.o. else, but this s.o. else decides whether the first person stays or gets fired.)

Great (Britain) isnâ??t it?

The UK system has nothing to do with democracy, but everything to do with the governmentâ??s stability.

Tac, legislative delegation is the least of your problems. Your problem is that you have no Parliament that works and no one else can do the job!

[AGE]

Tac,

How can you tolerate that situation? It's long past time to leave.

I was shooting with a Canadian a year or so ago who spends winters here. He even had gotten a FL CCW permit but couldn't take his several handguns (that he was able to buy here) home to Canada.

Anyway, life here is good but obviously not perfect.