Bill Bartlett writes:
> Martin William Smith wrote:
> [...]
> >> Your idea of limiting the number of guns a person can own, before
> >> they must be stored in a central armoury, would be rather a nuisance
> >> (and probably quite a financial burden) to many gun owners though.
> >
> >Children are also a nuisance and a financial burden to many mothers
> >and fathers.  We continue to expect people to take care of their
> >children properly.
>
> People have children voluntarily and look after them voluntarily. People
> see the point in having children, you don't have to mandate it.

But it *is* mandated.  And you *do* have to mandate looking after guns
properly.  Obviously.

> >> Guns are just tools, you need different tools for different jobs.
> >
> >One gun is a tool.  You can only shoot one gun at a time.  Ten guns is
> >an armory.  If you need a different type of gun for each task, fine.
> >How many are there?  Hunting, target shooting, self-defence (if your
> >worries about a police state lead you to believe police do not deter
> >crime), and service in the militia.  That's four.  Any others?
>
> There's diferent tupes of hunting, different types of target shooting.
> There's different terrains, different game. Why do you think people
> invented all those different types of firearms if they didn't all have a
> different use?

In Australia, what kind of hunting requires a pump action shotgun?
Hunting the man-eating roo?

> I'm dubious about self-defense as a legitimate use for a firearm
> myself, to be honest. I don't even think cops should carry guns as a
> matter of course.  In fact nothing irritates me more than to see
> traffic cops wandering around like some sort of pimple-face John
> Wayne with a dirty great gun strapped to his/her hip. These people
> are accidents waiting to happen. Untrained and undisciplined
> civilians pointing guns at each other is just as bad really.

Agree.

> [...]
>
> >I don't know how this guy can go on living.  I can't imagine shooting
> >roos without taking at least three pump action shotguns along for
> >emergencies.  War is hell.
>
> He moans a lot, but he just has to find some other way to feed his
> dogs, and himself, and me occassionally (I get lower priority than
> his dogs, only when his freezers are full).
>
> But he doesn't necessarily take them ALL along, ideally just one
> spare gun.

I agree that a spare should be allowed.  But I still don't see a need
for a pump action shotgun in Australia.  On the other hand, if the
decision were to eliminate all private handgun ownership but allow a
pump action shotgun or two, I would accept.

> [...]
>
> >> Next thing you know we have the likes of Pauline Hanson, a bigoted
> >> ignoramus, getting huge support from rural Australians. Wonder why?
> >
> >Because rural Australians are just as prone to errors in judgment as
> >urban middle class Australians.
>
> Yeah. Difference is the errors of judgement of the urban Australian
> middle-class often become law.

I disagree.  The errors in judgment of politicians become law.  They
don't belong to either class.

martin

Martin Smith                    Email: [log in to unmask]
P.O. Box 1034 Bekkajordet       Tel. : +47 330 35700
N-3194 HORTEN, Norway           Fax. : +47 330 35701