The Knife Amnesty in the UK....the repercussions for edged weapons collectors

[A. G. Maisey]

Yes Mark, we should defend our rights.

In the USA you do indeed have rights to defend.

In Australia we have no constitutional rights as you do, and the old Bill of Rights has long been superceded by legislation.

Many of the things that people in USA regard as God given rights are in Australia regarded as privileges.

Successive governments of both major political persuasions at both federal and state levels have methodically chipped away at freedoms that we thought we had.

The current government of this country , which is a hardline conservative government, has recently introduced industrial relations legislation that will eventually see the employer/employee relationship put back to the late 19th century. One does not have to be particularly brilliant to understand the principle reason behind the anti-weapons legislation and the relentless social engineering designed to turn the Australia population into sheep.

I am now 65 years of age, and in quite comfortable circumstances. Were I younger, or in any sort of volatile employment situation, I would probably give very serious consideration to migrating to another country.

The Australia of 2006 is not the country that my forebears fought for in two world wars, nor is it the country that I grew up in.It is nothing even remotely similar to the country presented in movies.

[katana]

By introducing laws g r a d u a l l y governments are able to exert CONTROL of its citizens. People tend to ignore small changes,.....but these develop, over time into radical adjustments of the law.
As Newton said 'every action has an equal and opposite reaction'. If a radical,unpopular law was introduced then there would be an intense reaction from the people. But that isn't the 'modus operatum' of most governments, it is the gradual eroding of your civil liberties that occurs ....almost unnoticed.

Elected politicians are supposed to be representative of the people....when was the last time you heard a government official ask what it’s citizens want........
It seems that many countries are becoming 'Nanny States' where more and more responsibility is taken away from its population. Where common-sense seems to be valueless and the 'dumbing down' of the population common...........rant over.......deep breath....think calm.....fluffy rabbits....and exhale........

I think, that 'the power of the knife' has been imbedded in our psyche ...... it wasn't that long ago...... that knife wielding terrorists ...hijacked several planes.....and killed thousands. (My condolences to all the victims and their families). This terrible act was facilitated by gaining control of a plane using the threat of a knife. People were amazed that the use of a simple metal implement could cause such devastation. Suddenly the knife was seen as extremely dangerous, even in today’s society.

[Mark]

I call it the boiling frog syndrome.

[katana]

Originally Posted by Mark Bowditch

I call it the boiling frog syndrome.

and I think ...us frogs have just noticed the waters bubbling..... just been informed by government officials....not to worry.... it's a jacuzzi......thank God for that............I thought I was being boiled alive

[Andrew]

Control. It's what those in power always want. Small things like civil liberties are annoyances and the erosion of those liberties only benefits those in power.

Using fear to abrogate civil liberties is classic and effective. After all, this is for you own good....