This didn't happen in Australia...not.

[pErvinalia]

Seth will say any idiotic nonsense to actually avoid addressing the point.

[piscator]

although they are much harder to obtain than in the US.

Evidently not all that much harder.

Seriously? You really believe that it is as easy to get a gun in OZ as in Merca?

What have you been smoking?

Whatever it is, it's probably not adulterated with a known carcinogen like tobacco. So he's got that on you guys.

[Seth]

although they are much harder to obtain than in the US.

Evidently not all that much harder.

Seriously? You really believe that it is as easy to get a gun in OZ as in Merca?

What have you been smoking?

I didn't say it was as easy, I said it's not all that much harder, and even if it is, the point remains: criminals who want deadly weapons will get deadly weapons, whether they smuggle them in, steal them or manufacture them. And since they don't give a fuck about laws against doing so, all that laws against law-abiding civilians possessing firearms for self-defense does is disarm law-abiding civilians. They do absolutely nothing to prevent criminals from getting or making deadly weapons.

Even an idiot ought to be able to comprehend that simple fact.

[JimC]

Seth, again you miss the point. In Oz, it is extremely rare for an unarmed "civilian" to be shot by a criminal using one of the relatively few illegal weapons available. Experience criminals can get them, but they are almost always used as a threat in a bank robbery, or to kill other criminals (which don't worry me none...). Young crazy wannabe crims find obtaining a hand gun far too hard, since there are so few in circulation, and they are very pricey..

What gun deaths we do have (police shootings aside) typically involve either accidents or domestic fights using legal weapons such as shotguns etc. Essentially, we don't want your fucked up gun system, but as I've said, unlike BG, I'm happy to let you guys stew in your own juice; realistically, neither of our countries is going to change direction here...

[piscator]

Seth, again you miss the point. In Oz, it is extremely rare for an unarmed "civilian" to be shot by a criminal using one of the relatively few illegal weapons available. Experience criminals can get them, but they are almost always used as a threat in a bank robbery, or to kill other criminals (which don't worry me none...). Young crazy wannabe crims find obtaining a hand gun far too hard, since there are so few in circulation, and they are very pricey..

What gun deaths we do have (police shootings aside) typically involve either accidents or domestic fights using legal weapons such as shotguns etc. Essentially, we don't want your fucked up gun system, but as I've said, unlike BG, I'm happy to let you guys stew in your own juice; realistically, neither of our countries is going to change direction here...

Right. Have you imposed any kitchen knife restrictions based on that last mass butchering in Cairns?

[JimC]

When you have a serious point to make, I'll reply...

This isn't about imposing additional restrictions (which was only about assault rifles the last time) but maintaining the long-standing restriction we've had for a very long times on private ownership of hand guns, and so maintaining the very low numbers of such weapons available...

[Seth]

Seth, again you miss the point. In Oz, it is extremely rare for an unarmed "civilian" to be shot by a criminal using one of the relatively few illegal weapons available. Experience criminals can get them, but they are almost always used as a threat in a bank robbery, or to kill other criminals (which don't worry me none...). Young crazy wannabe crims find obtaining a hand gun far too hard, since there are so few in circulation, and they are very pricey..

And yet we have the OP.

What gun deaths we do have (police shootings aside) typically involve either accidents or domestic fights using legal weapons such as shotguns etc. Essentially, we don't want your fucked up gun system, but as I've said, unlike BG, I'm happy to let you guys stew in your own juice; realistically, neither of our countries is going to change direction here...

When you say "we", by what authority do you presume to speak for every other person in Oz, particularly those who have been violently victimized or murdered by criminals whose right to effective self defense you are infringing.

[Seth]

When you have a serious point to make, I'll reply...

This isn't about imposing additional restrictions (which was only about assault rifles the last time) but maintaining the long-standing restriction we've had for a very long times on private ownership of hand guns, and so maintaining the very low numbers of such weapons available...

And the blood and pain of every person who is killed, injured or victimized by a criminal using a weapon who might have been protected by having a handgun on their person is on the hands of you and your ilk.

[JimC]

Given that the vast majority of Australians support our current gun laws, your rants can simply be ignored, in so far as they affect our own polity, which is our business, not yours...

[Seth]

Given that the vast majority of Australians support our current gun laws, your rants can simply be ignored, in so far as they affect our own polity, which is our business, not yours...

And yet you remain a blood-smeared hypocrite.

[JimC]

In your opinion, which I simply ignore.

[piscator]

Right. Have you imposed any kitchen knife restrictions based on that last mass butchering in Cairns?

When you have a serious point to make, I'll reply...

This isn't about imposing additional restrictions (which was only about assault rifles the last time) but maintaining the long-standing restriction we've had for a very long times on private ownership of hand guns, and so maintaining the very low numbers of such weapons available...

Sounds like you need to do the same with kitchen knives.

[JimC]

Nope - already, there are laws which mean people can be fined when carrying certain types of knives in urban situations.

Beyond that would clearly be absurd, as you well know.

[piscator]

What's sauce for the goose, is sauce for the gander.

[JimC]

We'll simply keep to our current status quo of heavy restrictions on hand gun ownership, while having plenty of opportunities for hunting with rifles and shot guns.

I know the US situation is not going to change in the foreseeable future. Likewise ours...