Appealing to all UK collectors- urgent !!!

[FenrisWolf]

Originally Posted by Tim Simmons

This is a panic by the "Moral Majority" type brigade. I question its success in a real debate. The ruling class in the UK rather like antique weapons and new swords as well.

The problem is that there will be no 'real debate' on the issue. If there was, and the politicos actually listened to the concerns of their constituency, it might do some good, but as I understand it MPs are for the most part only concerned with toeing the party line, not with serving the actual needs of those who voted him or her into office.

I'm sure those who live in the UK are far more aware of the double standards than non-Brits are, but let's face it, none of the restrictions being passed will affect the upper crust. Not that we're much better, out 'upper crust' is determined more by money and celebrity status than by birth.

No, the 'ruling class' in Britain will keep their guns and their collections, while the lower classes, the ones who really need the means to protect themselves, will be disarmed. There was a huge outcry in England a few years ago when a homeowner used an unlicensed shotgun to protect himself after his home was burglarized repeatedly by the same criminals. Despite the fact that the burglars were career criminals with a history of violence, the homeowner was charged and convicted for murder, and the surviving burglar was even consulted as to how harsh a sentence he felt his 'attacker' deserved! The court's position was that they needed to make an example of the homeowner to discourage others from 'taking the law into their own hands'. Last I heard the homeowner was serving a life sentence while the burglar received early release due to the 'pain and suffering' he received at the hands of the homeowner....

[asomotif]

I wish I could sign it as an EU member or something.
This would be ridiculous.

Imagine how many antique dealers will be harmed by this.
And auction houses.

Hope this will be stopped.

Good luck,
Willem

[Guillaume J.]

I'm sorry I am french! I can't sign the register!
Good luck to England.

[fenlander]

If this goes through does it mean that there will be a flood of cut price antique swords on the market? It could be a windfall for other collectors. Yipeee
We also won't have all those rich British collectors bidding on e-bay
See, there is a silver lining to every cloud.

Sorry just a bit of fun in an otherwise bad situation!
But seriously this law will never go through, it will be more of a mess than the dangerous dogs act. DDA

[FenrisWolf]

Originally Posted by fenlander

If this goes through does it mean that there will be a flood of cut price antique swords on the market? It could be a windfall for other collectors. Yipeee
We also won't have all those rich British collectors bidding on e-bay
See, there is a silver lining to every cloud.

Sorry just a bit of fun in an otherwise bad situation!
But seriously this law will never go through, it will be more of a mess than the dangerous dogs act. DDA

Trust me, the way the climate is in the UK, once a law like this makes it onto the Parliament floor, getting it passed is little more than a formality. Don't compare the way politics works in the US to the UK, their system is just weird. This law is already in effect in New Zealand and a couple other British Commonwealth nations. At least in New Zealand they had the excuse of a few nutjobs trying to revisit their headhunter roots as an excuse.

The problem is that despite the basic tenets of British Common Law, self defense and the defense of one's property is no longer considered justification for the possesion or use of arms of any kind. Sporting use or collecting is it, so if you aren't an aristo with shooting/hunting priveleges or a hobknobber who makes donations to the big name museums, forget getting a permit.

[katana]

Unfortunately, in the UK the media have been regulary reporting a so called 'knife culture', There is some substance to this as there have been a number of fatal stabbings ....usually young males are the perpetrators in gang related /street crime. But whether this is a newer phenomena or because it has been 'highlighted' by media attention making this seem to be a growing trend is not certain. Many previous fatal stabbings/knife attacks did not get so much 'media coverage'.
I also think that 9/11 has had a deep pychological effect on people. Although the planes were the destructive force used....knives were the simple tool that allowed the terrorists to 'take control' of the airliners.

As is widely known we had a knife amnesty in this country....which was hailed a success.....if you could call the handing in of weapons by law abiding citizens a triumph

Hopefully, including swords in this ban...is political manoeuvring...ban all bladed weapons and then 'negiotiate' some concessions....so we (the people) at least have a minor victory.

MP's seem blind to the fact that a 'sharpened' screwdriver is just as lethal as a knife, .....and would be 'legal' to carry

[Justin]

Go figure, you eliminate all the guns and stabbings go up, I wonder if there will be a rise in poisonings once the swords get banned?

This type of thing makes me appreciate living in a nation where we have 'a rifle behind every blade of grass.'





I wish there was something us non-UK collectors could do to help.