Pointy Sticks are next

[Mark & Juanita]

As many of you may be aware, (from the "you can't make this stuff up department"), several physicians in England are advocating that "long pointy knives" be banned from the general public's availability, saying, "Government action to ban the sale of such knives," they wrote, "would drastically reduce their availability over the course of a few years."

From a survey of several folks in the US,

Since, those, who in the past have derided gun control as going after the wrong probelm by asking "what are they going to ban next, knives?" have now been justified in their line of questioning, the following should cause woodworkers, and particularly the woodworkers in this group,no little concern:

Someone with whom I have never agreed in my life actually asked the following question, "Can sharp stick control be far behind?" wondered LaPierre's erstwhile opponent, Peter Hamm of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence" Of course, he said this tongue in cheek, but still ....

The keeper of the Pointy Stick web page better take care, he may be considered a violence enabler in the future.

;-)

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[LRod]

Yes, I actually have said that for nearly 40 years.

Maybe in the past. Nowadays they'll arrest him as a terrorist and process him under the Patriot Act (should be called the Kafka Act).

[charlie b]

Get it while you can folks - The Pointy Stick Compendium Project

As for gun control, I'm more inclined towards bullet control. Guns don't kill people. Bullets kill people.

I propose a compromise re: gun control. Everyone can have as many as they want. But each must be a) taller than the person carrying it and b) be limited to a single shot. If you can't disable an assailant with one shot you probably shouldn't have a firearm anyway. If you're worried about mulltiple assailants then carry two or three firearms of the type and size suggested.

Now will someone please explain why a private citizen should be able to , and perhaps use, armor piercing bullets?

charlie b donning his Poo Suit

[Robert Bonomi]

To discourage the manufacture, sale, and _use_ of *cheap* armor?

[toller]

I hope you are kidding! If you ban armor piecing bullets, it is just a hop skip and a jump to banning other gun related items. And then where would we be?

[toller]

It is not "quite" as silly as it sounds. I have used chef's knives for 30 years and have never used the point; occasionally on one of the smaller knives, but never on the big ones. If the point serves no purpose, and eliminating it would prevent a few crimes of passion; why not?

[Juergen Hannappel]

[...]

Totaly in the unsafe region. You'd be absolutely screwed up if a moron came down on you with his tank and you unable to get him with you DU ammo firing gun...

[Juergen Hannappel]

[...]

It would also keep you from having some nasty accidents, and there are very nice knifes without a point, e.g

[Mark & Juanita]

In a few years hence, discussing the banning for pointy knives, probably followed by pointy sticks, then various pieces of sports equipment that could cause blunt force trauma; say things like baseball bats or golf clubs.

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[Mark & Juanita]

a "crime of passion". Seems that someone who is angry and seeking to do mayhem would not be deterred by the lack of a sharp point. I can see it now, person in rage, rummaging through kitchen drawer, "Where are those points, dang it! Ah well, guess I'll just have to enroll in anger management instead. Sorry honey, please forgive me." Far more likely they will grab one of the above and use it in a slicing motion about various important body parts of the victim. As the second item above indicated, "... have blades with a straight cutting edge and a shape similar to early

*Japanese swords* (dating from the Nara period). ... and are truly razor sharp." Nope, no chance of serious damage there.

I'm amazed that there are people who actually see this idea as a rational response to violence. The fact that one person may not have used the point in years of using chef's knives does not mean that no others do. In my original posting, the link indicated that there were a number of English chefs (recognizing of course the oxymoron in the preceding) who felt that this was an essential tool being taken away from them.

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[Juergen Hannappel]

[...]

[...]

See? No point in this discussion...

[Dave Mundt]

Greetings and Salutations...

On Mon, 30 May 2005 15:13:10 GMT, "toller" wrote:

Well, I have to say that it does not sound silly at all to me...but it DOES sound rather sinister and misguided. It is part of that continuing trend towards making life "safe" and not scary. However, the problem with that is that life *IS* dangerous and scary and that will never change. I think it is a far better course of action for us to accept that, and learn to use caution and treat dangerous things with respect, and, to find ways to build impulse control in our citizens. That will go a lot further towards truely making life safer for all of us. Too...there is the problem that the last time I looked, the criminal elements that would misuse tools as weapons are not deterred by laws making it illegal. The danger of punishment is simply looked upon as a cost of doing business, and, in some cases, being caught and punished cranks up their reputations. As for using the point or not...I, too, have been cooking and baking for decades, and, while I might not use the point EVERY time I pick up a knife, I have to say that I DO use it to start cuts quite often. So...my solution, if this silly law were to go through, and if I happened to NEED a new knife, would be to go out to the shop, and put a nice point on it with my grinders, etc. Just remember that it is NOT doing anyone a favor to wrap them in cotton wool to "protect" them from the difficulities and dangers of life. At some point they will have to deal with it, and, the older they are when that happens, the harder it will be for them to adapt to the needs of the moment. Teaching folks about the uses and dangers of a tool, and, its proper use is very important. Also, of course, as mentioned earlier, teaching impulse control from a very early age is vital, otherwise we will become a herd of animals, randomly and instinctively striking out when irritated...not dealing with other folks on a more rational level. Regards from the voice crying in the wilderness. Dave Mundt

[CW]

Showing off yur soft brain again?

."

[CW]

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[Dave in Fairfax]

I'm more worried about my mechanics tools, 'specially the 3/4' and 1" drives. My turning tools come to mind. Wood splitting equipment, chainsaws, pry bars, and, oh yeah, the jawbones of asses.

Dave in Fairfax

[Dave in Fairfax]

Ya know, Clint, every once in a while you say something that I agree with whole-heartedly. This is one of those times. This PC crap has to stop, hopefully before we're overrun by the barbarians.

Dave in Fairfax

[Mark & Juanita]

Man, if they do that, I'm in deep trouble, my house and property sit on nothing but rocks with a little bit of dirt in between them.

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[Mark & Juanita]

... and heaven knows there's no shortage of those.

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[mike hide]

The English bill of rights [after which the US one was modeled] was signed into law around 1680.

In it the individual had the right to bear arms for "self protection"......This right was overruled by the UK government based on a case in Dumblain Scotland 10 or so years ago

Now only the crooks have guns which they use liberally . Since the individual no longer is allow to have a gun, gun crimes have skyrocketed....mjh

[Mortimer Schnerd, RN]

They will never ban rocks. Otherwise Parliament would have nothing to stuff their heads with to avoid that "hollow" sound when you thump them.